Remembering Earnhardt a daily thing

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – It’s just a number: 20.

This February we mark the 20th anniversary of Dale Earnhardt’s death on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. In five years, 10 years and so on, we’ll mark it again.

It means a lot, given his place in racing history – especially NASCAR history. But in a way, it means nothing.

You don’t have to set aside chronological markers for the memory of a man like Dale Earnhardt, because his legend still drapes heavily across the shoulders of stock car racing.

Who better to speak for all than Richard Childress? At first, he was the team owner who put Earnhardt behind the wheel of the No. 3 Chevy and ignited not just a racing juggernaut, but a cultural phenomenon. In short time, he and Earnhardt became best friends.

Says Childress: “It’s been tough, and not only tough on me and the family. … The race fans, I think a lot of them haven’t gotten over it yet. And I haven’t gotten over the loss. There aren’t many days that go by when I don’t remember something about Dale.

“It doesn’t seem like it’s been 20 years when we all lost Dale, and wow, what do you say? We all just miss him.”

You can’t talk about those ensuing 20 years without acknowledging the lone – yet enormous – fallout from Earnhardt’s death that soothes the sense of loss. While Earnhardt was the fourth NASCAR racer to crash and die in just a nine- month period, up to now he’s also the last.

An unprecedented “safety revolution” saw NASCAR turn to outside sources for guidance, resulted in the building of a safety- focused researchand- development center, and brought mandates of “soft” walls and head- neck restraints, as well as a dedicated medical team and policies.

The last lap of the Daytona 500 on Feb. 18, 2001, brought about a cultural change, regarding safety, no one could’ve imagined up to Feb. 17, 2001.

You can’t help but assume it might’ve taken longer if not for the enormity of the loss, which was due to the enormity of the legend Earnhardt had built.

With half the grandstands booing him and the other half ready to nominate him for sainthood – and all respecting what he could do with that black Chevy – Dale Earhnardt had truly become the face of NASCAR.

In the aftermath of his loss, it was common to hear someone say, “No one will ever replace Dale Earnhardt.” We’d nod in agreement, but deep down many assumed someone would eventually come along and fill that void. That’s the way the world works, you know.

Well, how long has it been, 20 years? We’re still waiting.

JOHN BYRUM A portrait of Dale Earnhardt sits in a memorial at his race shop on Feb. 19, 2001, a day after his death.