10 years after

[FS Myron]

10 years ago, Dale Earnhardt broke the jinx that Daytona held over him. Finally winning the 500 after 20 tries. He found so many ways to lose the 500 over the years, it was refreshing when he finally was able to come home first. Nothing sucked worse than the 1990 race when he had that race dominated and blew a tire going into turn three on the last lap, handing the win to Derrick Cope. What are your fondest memories from the win or your hated memories from the losses?

[KurtBuschFan]

Sadly my Daytona memories of Dale aren't so pleasant...never really was a fan of his, but I definitely respected him.

[Blu]

My wife and I were Sr fans ...well..forever.

We were smiling ear to ear when he finally won. The high part (There are soooo many wow!)  for us ....was when he put that big number 3 across the Daytona logo with the car!!  WOW!!    HOW cool was THAT!!And the fans were so loud!!

THEN Seeing EVERY team come out and line up to high five him on pit road.......And then seeing how really much it meant to himi, the relief after coming soooo close and trying so long and hard...., and the very real emotion in finally winning it in Victory Lane...a great and very fun day I will always fondly remember.

You are forver in our hearts Dale.

[HUDSON HORNET]

I have to agree with Blu.

I still get goose bumps just thinking about Dale's Daytona win
and the line-up of hands congratulating him.

I also liked the time Jeff Gordon won and Dale put a do-nut
on Jeff's car afterward.
Why'd 'e do that?
Because Jeff's car didn't have a scratch on it after 500 miles
of hard racin' -- and Dale didn't want a perfect car displayed
at Daytona USA for the rest of the season.

Good enough reason.
Ya reckon. 

[FS_Nikki]

Wow, was that really 10 years ago?  That is really the first NASCAR race I actually remember watching some of -- obviously, before I was a fan.  But even as a non-fan at the time, I knew who Dale Earnhardt was, and I realized how huge it was when I saw pretty much every crew member from every team stand out on pit road and high-five him as he drove by.  I think it was that next season where I really started paying attention.

My how time flies...

[S.D. Grady]

My favorite Dale/Daytona memory is actually an IROC race.  Running down the backstretch they were bumping and banging.  He spun going into Turn 3...well, sort of.  He spun...never hit a thing.  Somehow straightened that silly little car out and won the race.  DAMN that was some driving.

[HUDSON HORNET]

I'll tell y'all what I miss the most.
The open face helmet.

Back then drivers had faces and looked like real people.
Now they look like robots -- like Bender in Futurerama.        

When they're interviewed while wearing them, their voices
are muffled and hard to understand. And, sticking the microphone under
a drivers chin looks strange.

Now, whenever I see a driver wearing an open face helmet, I see Dale's face.

[FS_Amy]

It seems like yesterday...

Here's my take http://www.athlonsports.com/racing/12976/daytona-10-years-later-earnhardts-presence-remains

[flamehothead]

If you were Dales biggest fan or even if you didn't like the guy his win at Daytona will always be remembered.


My favorite Dale at Daytona Memory:

Was when Dale finished the race in that destroyed race car. I remember that so well, After the crash he got into the ambulance but noticed all the tires were still up on his car so in Great Dale Earnhardt fashion he jumps out of the ambulance, gets back in his car, and drives it to pit road for some minor repairs lol. Ya know..........nothing ever came off of that car and I mean loose sheet metal or the fuel cell because I was waiting for the engine to come rolling out but it never did.

That car was so tore up that even I didn't think it would run fast enough to stay out on the track but that just goes to show that he can do things other drivers only WISH they could do.

That was such a great moment that Action Die-Cast made a replica of the car.