February 18th, 2001: The following is a true story about the events that occurred and followed the 2001 Daytona 500.

I woke up in the trailer. I was ready to go, I was going to be racing the Great American Race, the Daytona 500 today with my dad, the legendary Dale Earnhardt. I got out of bed and accomplished my morning duties. I found my dad in his firesuit with his sunglasses on outside. “Junior, it’s eleven o’clock, please tell me you will go inside and get your darn firesuit on. We have two hours, got that, only two.”  

I ran inside and got my firesuit on as if I was ready to take a lap any second. “Okay Pop, where did Michael go?” I asked my Dad. Michael Waltrip was my Dad’s best friend and my teammate; he was the younger brother of the NASCAR legend (and my Dad’s old rival) Darrell Waltrip.

“He’s already at driver Introductions and we are not lets go.” It was a beautiful late winter day in Daytona Beach, Florida. Everyone in the infield was getting ready for he opening, and biggest race in the season. My Dad took twenty years (from 1978 – 1998) to finally win the Daytona 500. I hope I don’t follow in his footsteps and win today. This was my third start. My Dad and I got to driver intros just in time. Michael was already announced he was starting 19th and they announce from last to first. My dad was starting 7th and he just got the podium in time. The announcer introduced him as if nobody knew him even though everyone did.
“Next, driving the black #3, Goodwrench Chevy, the Intimidator, Dale Earnhardt Sr.” He walked out and waved to the crowd while everyone cheered. I had gotten the position right in front of him in 6th. I remember the first I got when I came down pit road after qualifying faster than my dad; I got a noogie from him and he said playfully, “That’ll teach you a lesson boy.”

My dad walked off he stage and I got ready to be announced, “Now, driving the #8, Budweiser Chevy, Dale Earnhardt Jr.” I walked out and got an amazing recognition from the crowd, just for being the offspring of a legend.

Before we knew it the National Anthem was sung and we were ready for the command. “Gentlemen start your engines!” This was it! Here we go! I flip the switch and the beautiful sound of the engine erupts. I smirk and I think, next time I touch the surface of the ground, it will be in victory lane.

The race was pretty uneventful, and not much happened. I was up at the front for the better part of the race with Michael and my dad.  Before long, there were only ten laps to go. It was what we all planned. Michael was in first, I was in second, but my dad was in fourth. He needed to get around Sterling Marlin, a two-time winner of the 500 (1994-95). We all stayed as we were until there were eight laps to go. “Trouble behind ya! Trouble behind ya! Keep it coming! Yellow is out! Yellow is out! There you go!” My spotter told me. I looked in my rearview mirror and saw a massive crash, cars were flippin’ around everywhere.

“Where’s Pop Tony?” I asked my crew chief. For this restart I would need my dad behind me.

“He got around Sterling, he’s right behind you!” Tony answered me. I looked in my rearview mirror, and there he was, the Intimidator. His eyes were focused on the track even as we were under caution.

“Hell yeah! Let’s win this thing! Wooohooo!” I exclaimed. The track was cleared before we knew it; we were going to restart with only a few laps to go. I had to focus, I think to myself, don’t miss a shift, and let’s win this. We get back up to full speed and we came to two laps to go. We stayed single file from the restart, Mike, me, and my father. We came to the white flag, one more lap to go. One of us was going to win; I know it, I think. We worked our way down the backstretch for the final time. I felt a push on the back of my car. My dad was pushing us further into the lead. He was going to block for us. I put attention on winning against Michael. We exited the final turn.

“We got a wreck behind you, bring it to the checkered flag.” I waited to long and missed my chance. Michael beat me! Oh well! I hear the speakers in the stands as I slow my car down.

“Michael Waltrip wins the 2001 Daytona 500!” the announcer says. I round the turn, congratulate Mikey through the window and drive down the backstretch. I then hear something I will never forget on the loudspeakers in the backstretch stands. “Kenny Schrader got caught up in that last lap wreck after a hard, hard, head on hit into the wall by Dale Earnhardt Sr.”

I did not think much of it. Dad will just be sore tomorrow morning, but not cranky. His best friend just won the Daytona 500 and his son was second after his own help. I got out of my car and got ready to be interviewed on my second place finish. Before it happened Tony Jr. (my crew chief) came over to me. We hugged and I noticed he did not seem very happy. He whispered in my ear, another statement I will never forget.

“Your dad is heading to the hospital, it’s not good.” He told me. I look into Tony’s eyes and I can tell, he’s trying to tell me, you can prepare for the worst.
5 months later: July 5th, 2001
I was back at Daytona, my father died of head trauma here in February. It’s been hard for me, but I did not break down this weekend. I’m just going to go out there and win he race for my father.

It was race day and I was starting on first. I was going to win this race, I knew I was. This was it. Michael committed to helping me if the situation came up. I can’t step down, Dad wouldn’t want me too. I got in my car and put on my helmet. “Gentlemen start your engines!” I heard. The crowd roared, and that was all needed to revise me of what I was actually doing on this night.

The race had started and was pretty slow like the one earlier this year. It was very uneventful and I led a lot. Just like the last race, there was a big wreck with about six laps to go. I was in sixth. Obviously if I wanted to win I needed to pass someone every lap at least. That is not very easy to do. We came to the restart and I got a push in the back end. I had a run going into turn 1 thanks to the push I got, so I used it and passed the car in front of me. We roared down the backstretch, and I had a lot of speed going into turn 3 so I plummeted down to the inside and took another position. I was up to fourth. Now we had five laps to go. Once again I had a push from behind and I had a run to the outside and I was gong to third and then second. I needed to take the lead as soon as possible here.  I jumped to the outside again in turn 4. I was passing him I cleared him coming out of turn 4. I was in the lead coming to four laps to go.  Now for the biggest challenge, don’t lose the lead. Once you take the lead with as few laps left as there are, you cannot lose the lead, because the chances of getting it back are as slim as a twig.

My car was pulling the line around the track. A lot of positions changed behind me but nobody was challenging me for the lead. Before I knew it we had one and a half laps to go. I looked in the rearview mirror to see a big NAPA logo on my back bumper. Wait a minute Michael drives the NAPA car. A looked into the drivers seat and saw Mike concentrating like no tomorrow, he was here to help me win. We came to the white flag. There were only two and a half miles to go until it’s all over. Michael was blocking for me like his life depended on it. We exited turn 4, no one was going to pass me now. All I could do was think about my dad. There it was, the finish line, I crossed it first and won the race. I couldn’t hide my excitement and neither could my team. All kinds of drivers passed me on the cool down lap and waved their hand out the window to congratulate me. I felt a chill down my spine, and heard a low voice in my ear. “You did good boy. I’m proud.” He was with me that night, that’s all I can say.

In October 2000, Dale Earnhardt Sr. won his final race before hid death by going from 17th to first in four laps to win at Talladega. In July of 2001, Dale Earnhardt Jr., “Used lessons learned from his father to go from sixth to first to win the race.” – Allen Bestwick. Dale Earnhardt Jr. would later go on to say “He was with me tonight.”