Dale Earnhardt, Sr. died as he lived. Always known as a competitor who brought the best out in everyone around him, he died trying to bring the best out in one of his drivers, Michael Waltrip. Dale knew that several cars had the ability to win the Daytona 500, and he was determined to make sure that those cars had to get by him in order to reach Waltrip, the eventual winner. His final lap crash …showed first 75 words of 789 total…

…showed last 75 words of 789 total…Kanopolis, North Carolina, fans, family and friends were in shock. Cars lined the way to the DEI, Inc. facility in Moorsville. Police attempted to guard the entrances to Earnhardt's shop, but they did nothing to stop the fans who lined the road carrying candles and flowers to a hastily constructed memorial to their hero. At the local airport, people gathered to show their respect as the team aircraft arrived home, without its most famous passenger.