Dale Earnhardt Sr. first broke onto the racing scene in 1979, when he was named Rookie of the Year. In the more than twenty years that followed, his daring driving style earned him top honors, including seven Winston Cup Championships, a record six Busch Clash wins, and his proudest moment, a victory at Daytona. On February 18th, 2001, Earnhardt had been racing in NASCAR’s signature event, the Daytona 500, when in the final lap, he died in a fatal crash. While other drivers have come and gone, the face of Dale Earnhardt Sr., with his handlebar moustache and wide grin, will always be the face of NASCAR.

Get to know a true legend.