He walks away from that one. Almost five years later, he gets in a wreck that doesn't look nearly as bad and dies instantly. You never know.

notice how the center of the roof and windshield caved in, theres now a roll bar running down the center of the windshield and its called "the earnhardt bar" it was added as a safety feature because of this crash.

Two weeks later he sets a new track record grabbing the pole at Watkins Glen road course with a broken clavicle and broken sternum.Dale will always be the man.

Dale also said the reason he walked is he tried to sit down on the stretcher and the level of pain just started going up so he walked because he was trying to avoid more pain and people put a spin on it saying he walked on purpose.

Getting pulled from his ride at Indi after starting crushed Dale worse than the wreck at Dega itself. It pissed him off in a way that made him more determined to kick ass than ever before, his "Hurt so good" qualifying lap at the Glen is a good example of a determined Intimidator...Doc Jerry Punch later commented about hearing the bones crunch as the crew strapped Dale into the #3 car for what would be his record breaking qualifying lap at Watkins Glen. Richard Childress was begging Dale to let someone else qualify the car but Dale was determined to prove to himself and everyone watching that he belonged in the car. I wish I could find the actual video from qualifying that day, all I've found are copies used on nascar shows that are edited. The wreck at Dega just 3 weeks before would of been fatal had Dale been using a modern (modern at that time) seat, he made his own seats that were more like an old bench seat than the standard racing seats. He learned toward the door as he drove, his open face helmet nearly against the window net. Had he been in a standard racing seat he likely wouldn't of survived. When rescue workers started cutting and using the jaws to get him out I believed his racing career was over. It was surprising to see him walk away and giving a wave and the thumbs up as he went to the ambulance...he refused to take anything for the pain, not even aspirin or tylenol or ibuprofen, nothing. He was attacked by a dog as a child and even then refused anything for the pain, he had several lacerations to his head and face from the dog. He truly was "One Tough Customer"... The wreck at Talladega from multiple cameras... kzfaq.info/get/bejne/kNeKrKWAy83XnGQ.htmlsi=qN63ApN0EcsIFd_0

Dale walked away from this one, but he was never quite the same driver in my opinion afterwards. Only showed flashes of his former self, like the '98 Daytona 500, or the 2000 Talladega race.

I was sitting about 10 rows up right at the point where Pressley hit Earnhardt in the roof. That was one of the most miserable races I've ever been to. Although, I'm sure it was far more miserable for the drivers in this wreck, particularly Earnhardt. We sat in a rain delay for hours and they ended up shortening it after the red flag came out because of this race. Glad nobody was killed because it was the most frightening wreck I've ever seen in person. On a side note: This race was one of the reasons they stopped scheduling Talladega in the middle of the summer. After the lengthy rain delay, they sun came out and created sweltering heat. Several people were treated for dehydration and some even hospitalized. One guy a section down from where I was had a heat stroke. It was a horrible evening and I never went back to Talladega in the middle of summer and I never will.

Something I noticed in this. Ken Squier says that he has at least a broken collarbone. Granted Dale was holding it when he was heading to the ambulance but it's still kinda amazing how Ken just knew.

And sat on the pole at Watkins Glen 2 weeks later

I was at this one...they were interviewing Martin or Irvin after the crash...he was trying to give his b.s. version of the incident, but the crowd wasn't buying it, and they started booing him...a lot...lol

Dale was really lucky right there. Not only the initial hit but also had the driver side roof of car hit while on his side. Scary one

He started the Brickyard just 6 days later one tough customer! R.I.P Dale

If Russell Philips crash didnt happen before this, Earnhardt would have died when Cope and Pressley hits his roof, but they made changes to it after Philips terrible death

1:56 Oh, That's Robert Pressley! That's Robert Pressley in the Car 33

People are so stupid saying this looked worse than 2001. The car took a side hit and deflected. Notice the car barley Lost any velocity. 2001 looked absolutely terrible. I’ve raced since I was a child and I’ve wrecked in multiple series including stock cars. These wrecks here your head rest would save you on a side hit. Notice In 2001 it went full frontal which means nothing was around to stop your head. 2001 looked terrible you could see the velocity lost watching the video of the car hitting. This here is simply a deflection. Yes in the 90s we would get hurt wrecking broken ribs and sternum was the most common also we broke out feet and legs a lot from the floor pan either slapping our feet or we slid down with only using a 5 point and we ran into the floor pan.

One tough customer indeed! That's our Dale Sr! He was one of the best ever and our favorite! Have not watched races after Dale drove thru Heaven's gates! Have a nice Memorial Day! The Oppermans from Tx

I was in elementary school when this happened and I thought that was the end of Dale Earnhardt right there

I don't get how he survived that crash.

Damn near identical to his crash with elliott here 2 years later

2:22 R.I.P camera ????-1996.

That was a Wild Ride I Ever Seen.

Ernie Irvan was a dangerous driver. He caused this wreck

I think what saved him in this crash is his car was rotating some if it had hit the wall head on likely could have died in that race.

Who else is here after watching Donut Media?

When Earnhardt Hit The Wall a Piece Of Debris flyed under Terry's Car and Lifted The Front Up so Terry Drives On His Rear Wheels

this looked kinda like Ryan Newman's Wreck at daytona this year.

0:11 Irvan attacks Earnhardt Jr and Marlin

Miracle survival by One Tough Customer.

Neil Bonnett's Ghost did save Dale

They think a big part of him surviving that was the way he sat in the seat. Off to the side like rolling through the ghetto lol.

I thought for sure the number 4 car was Bobby Hamilton and Sterling Marlin drove the Coors Light number 40.

The irony that Marlin was the man here who made contact with Earnhardt (even though the wreck wasn't his fault) on this awful wreck and the wreck that would cause his death. Must have been tough for Marlin.

Anybody else think it's crazy that sterling marlin was involved in dale's worst two wrecks

Its obvious Ernie Irvan caused that one. He kind of made a career of this sort of thing. I think Sterling was pissed and tried to fight him in the garage area the next week? Remember now, this is 1996, these drivers crashed head on into a concrete wall at 190mph with no SAFER Barrier to protect them. I wish we had had them in these days. I'm certainly glad we have them now. I'm also glad full face helmets and the HANS Device are mandatory now as well.

Earnhardts worst two wrecks involve Sterling Marlin.

Sterling Martin again eh?

The two worst wrecks Dale ever had in his Nascar career (this one and 2001 Daytona 500 which cost him his life) both of them involved Sterling Marlin no fault of Sterling (but Erine Irvin was at fault here) but wow.

So he survives this crash that looks identical to his fatal crash that took his life but walks right out of this... Wierd, RIP dale

1996 : Hits by Yellow Car And Hit the Wall and Injured himself 2001 : Basically the same thing but He died instantly Rip Dale SR hope your child is Doing well at racing

Hymn and eye @ it

Eerily reminiscent of the crash that killed him.

Man in black #3

First earnhardt bounced off the wall as everything stayed in motion. The rescue crew wanted to cut him out of his car but he refused. He told them that it would make the sport look bad on tv. The wreck that killed him was he shot straight upward and stopped immediately forward motion, Schrader was pushing in side ways. A liittle fact. He had surgery in the off season on his neck.Rumor has it he probably had loosened the seat belts to go celebrate.

So when you only have one eye you don’t have the ability to have depth perception. I would put money on it Ernie had this wreck because of only one eye and he caused it over no depth perception.

This actually put Earnhardt out for most of the 96 season.

marlin was always a fckin buffoon. Almost killed dale in this race. Unreal.

He walked away from that one but he died in a lame wreck years later.

Irvan at fault there...

#3

Goddamn Sterling trying to kill him then too.

Sterling Marlin had a knack for wrecking Earnhardt.

Sterling Marlin caused this one

Marlin tried to kill Big E here but he finally killed him.

Two weeks later he sets a new track record grabbing the pole at Watkins Glen road course with a broken clavicle and broken sternum.Dale will always be the man.

Two weeks later he sets a new track record grabbing the pole at Watkins Glen road course with a broken clavicle and broken sternum.Dale will always be the man.

Two weeks later he sets a new track record grabbing the pole at Watkins Glen road course with a broken clavicle and broken sternum.Dale will always be the man.

Two weeks later he sets a new track record grabbing the pole at Watkins Glen road course with a broken clavicle and broken sternum.Dale will always be the man.