The tragic death of Dale Earnhardt still leaves a hole in our hearts, as it does in the hearts of countless fans. That’s why we were overjoyed to find someone had uploaded to YouTube some rare clips of Earnhardt taken in 2001, just weeks before his fateful crash on February 18. Watching these is like going back in time to when we were innocent, carefree, and had Dale to watch carving up the turns on the track.
Check out the damage a bear did to a Range Rover here.
First up is a segment advertising the 2001 Intimidator Camaro SS, which was offered to the public by Dale Earnhardt Chevrolet. Yeah, the Ford and Mopar guys aren’t going to like this commercial, especially since it goes on about how this limited-edition F-Body is going to be a future collectible, but these things are grabbing the attention of more collectors, so we expect values will continue to rise as the years pass by.
While the 381-horsepower on tap sounds cute by today’s standards, back in 2001 it was considerable for something right off the lot. Plus, the note from the chambered exhaust is pretty brutal at a time when kids were flocking to Civics with ridiculous mufflers. What’s most impressive is this special edition packs a performance punch, something which hasn’t always been the case.
In the second segment, Earnhardt shows off the Rolex 24 Corvette he’s taking to the event in a few days. While not the car he was inside at the time of his death, it still bears his number 3 and the rest of the man’s race livery. In the video segment, Earnhardt goes into what he loves about the racing Corvette, which surpasses his personal ‘Vette on every level. What’s more, having Dale and his son in the race drew plenty of attention. Little did we know such a father-son event wouldn’t be repeated.
Finally, the third segment shows us Dale Earnhardt, the classic car enthusiast. He showed off his own ’57 Chevy, which was all original. Now, you’d think all the race car driver would want is fire-breathing hot rods, but he remarks how relaxing the straight-six makes when just cruising on the highway.
At the same time, he talks about a ’56 Chevy he’s turning into quite the hot rod, complete with a hard-hitting engine, Corvette suspension, and a 6-speed transmission. The man had a need for speed, but also appreciated the simplicity of certain vehicles.
Anyway, check out the video segments for yourself and enjoy seeing Dale Earnhardt in some of his final appearances on camera.
Images via YouTube
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