everything here is a nascar fan’s definition of poetry raise hell, praise dale.

Every single time i hear " You got him mikey" i always get chills down my spine

No matter how many different times I see it in various editorial styles, seeing how 2001 played out will never fail to move me emotionally. The best screenwriters in the history of television couldn't tell a better story of tragedy, healing, and triumph over the course of 17 weeks.

“If they don’t do something to these cars it’s gonna end up killing somebody” still makes me shiver. RIP Dale.

Damn bro, you can’t make me cry for a sport I got into this year, for a tragedy I wasn’t even born for, and a day before Christmas Eve!

It’s very understandable why Kenny didn’t want to say what he saw in Dales car

I want to give a shoutout to a forgotten victory from 2001. Rusty Wallace won a race at California that would've been on Dale's 50th birthday. While Gordon is remembered as Earnhardt's adversary, Wallace was Earnhardt's true biggest rival throughout his career, and the two men would even become friends. Wallace winning on Big E's first posthumous birthday was another poetic moment, but it has unfortunately faded from memory with the passage of time. I'm shocked no one has made a movie about the 2001 season yet

😢 that "we've lost Dale Earnhardt" still hurts to this day. It wasn't "dale has passed" it was "we lost".. two words any racer hates to say. It was spot on though. We (the people) lost a legend, a driving force, a great man , father, role model, etc. Im not even a nascar fan but have always like the Earnhardts since when i was young and seen they were redskins fans. Rest easy Dale you were loved by all.❤

dale isn´t dead he´s just lap ahead

"i guess hes alright int' he?" really hits hard, the glory of mikey winning the 500 without him knowing the tragedy that occurred behind, dale letting his son and friend race for the win is just heartbreaking to think about

Earnhardt was nascars Elvis Presley, came from nothing and became a icon. Still is a icon, icons don't ever die in our hearts. He's still my favorite driver and I'm 40, great video

Babe wake up Elly Productions posted

10:45 Holy cow Connor, that was the most beautiful video I’ve ever watched, I get goosebumps every time I see anything about this. I always wonder what it would be like if Dale had survived. I can hear you holding back tears in this moment

Though not part of the same tale, Jr winning at Dover a week after the 9/11 attacks is yet another moment of poetry in this crazy sport

I've noticed how close Dale was to being in the big one. Crazy to think if he hadn't slipped through he would probably still be with us. If there was ever a time I wanted him in a wreck that would've been it.

Its DW's reaction that gets me every time. Hes so happy and so proud of his brother but hes also no fool and he knew his friend was likely anything but "OK".

10:51 - 10:56 I could tell you were trying not to cry while reading those lines, and I don’t blame you… 🥺

Greatest driver in NASCAR history. There will NEVER be anyone that can challenge his domination of NASCAR.

I've heard this story a thousand times, and I never get tired of it. I remember watching in tears as a kid when Dale Jr's win happened, and to this day that finish still gives me goosebumps Also, gotta call out the editing on this one, brilliantly done, overlaying Dale's 2000 win with Jr's 2001 win: I'm surprised I haven't seen anyone do that before, but it's genius.

Dale is without a doubt the greatest. The only knock on him is road courses, but when you actually look at it, he was one of the most consistent and statistically best road course drivers in NASCAR history. He also dominated during one of the most competitive eras in NASCAR history.

Incredibly edited, the entire Rockingham section is fantastic. Music and all.

Michael's best day along with his worst nightmare. R.I.P. Dale your Legend will be here for eternity. #3 ✝️

Holy cow. I can’t even describe how amazing this video is. In literal tears. One of, if not the best NASCAR KZfaq video I’ve ever watched. 😭

I was pretty young when Dale passed, but I’ll never forget watching it on tv with my family. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Still makes me cry. Raise hell and praise Dale

I've always though his driving at Talladega should have more recognition!! He literally just plowed his way through that field that day. Kenny Wallace pushing and history was made

Whenever people ask me why I love this sport so much and why I keep watching, I will show them this video now. You've explained it perfectly.

Check out Brock Beard's series "500 Days"! Chronicling the 2001 season, including the smaller lost stories of that season.

I'm actually tearing up, over here. That was beautiful!

I think as sad as Dale’s story is, I’m glad people have found the beauty in it as I have found. He made the ultimate sacrifice in hopes of seeing his own succeed. We never will forget Dale, he was an innovator, a rebel that only listened to himself, and definitely an example of how to be a good man. Thank you for making a video that isn’t completely somber, he didn’t seem to believe in holding your head down about things, especially when you know the price of the game you play.

Dale Earnhardt is one of the last real og’s in NASCAR

Man i miss dale.... the best car is 3

Ah yes my monthly cry over February 18th 2001 right on time

Christmas came just in time

I know it wasn't as flashy, but Rusty winning at California on Dale's birthday that year has just as much meaning

I’ve never seen your videos before. You happened to pop up on my feed as a recommendation. I thought this would be something similar to what I’ve seen in the past. But the time you took in editing, in storytelling, and in making sure everyone could understand you, I stayed through it all. Followed immediately after the video ended.

Man I got a family reunion in 20 minutes and you got me crying now,Rip Dale ❤️

Enough to make a grown man cry 🥲🫡

man im almost in tears watching this.. RIP Dale "The Intiminator" Earnhardt 1951-2001 You will never be missed Dale, even though i wasnt born for the tragedy.

Dale had a keen sense of the tracks groove and a good memory of where each tracks corner ended because of how many times he went full throttle around them. He was the perfect Nascar driver that still can't be met in this day and age

Put this in that do men even cry section of the titanic meme

Can't wait for the next storybook seasons video! Personally I'd go with 2004

You're just a different tier of storyteller and NASCAR historian, man. I can't praise this enough

Starcraft 1 Terran's theme just, fits Dale so well.

Been saying that if I had a time machine the first place I’m going is 2001 Pepsi 400

What if you started a series of covering the best NASCAR races in the modern era?

This might be one of the best story telling videos on KZfaq. I was just watching The Last Dance on ESPN and then started this. The connectedness of the story and the players involved. Bravo.

My parents had gathered all of my friends together to watch the race and celebrate my 11th Birthday. We had no idea. We lived in Kannapolis, North Carolina and even the non-race fans flew the number 3. Definitely the second most tragic thing to happen in 2001.

This was uploaded on my birthday and Dale Sr was my favorite driver.

It’s impossible to watch this without tearing up.

A bit of an epilogue to this great story: September 11 happened, ending a decade of post-Cold War peace and starting an era of paranoia, mass surveillance, and patriotism. In NASCAR, the heads were struggling on what to do afterwards, seeing what was happening around the country, and cancel the race at New Hampshire. In the end, they decided to race with heightened security from the nearby Air Force Base at Dover. The date is September 23, 2001. Crowds wore red, white, blue, had American flags, and chanted USA!!!! in a show of support for the country. For the first time in racing history, the Pledge of Allegiance was recited in the pre-race ceremony, lap 3 was now a silent lap for the 2977 dead in the attacks, the cars were decorated with patriotic displays, and the final lap showed a big American flag getting waved instead of a white flag. And who took that flag? The man who got closure at Daytona last 4th of July, the man who pledged donations for every lap led, and who led 193 of them that day, and with a volleyball as a passenger, Dale Earnhardt Jr. When he won the race, he asked, "Where's that giant flag at?", one of the pit crew members took it from the flag guy and handed it to him, and he drove it around the racetrack in a Polish-style victory lap to the massive cheering of the crowd, and chants of USA!!!! prevailing in the air "It's great to be back in a racecar, I'm glad I could be the guy to win the race so I can carry the American flag around there and.... maybe feel good" -Dale Jr, post race interview at Dover 2001

Dale chose one hell of a way to go out: doing his favorite thing in the world, the thing he was best at, watching his friend and his son scream towards that checkered flag with nothing but empty racetrack ahead of them.

Good day when ellyproductions uploads

U know it’s a good day when Elly uploads 10 minutes after u check if he did

Great video. As an F1 fan in addition to NASCAR, Dale Earnhardt Sr is the NASCAR version of Aryton Senna in my view. There are many similarities between the two in terms of how they raced & their personalities. They also dominated their respective series around the same time (the late 80s-early 90's) with the only difference being that Earnhardt won more titles than Senna. There was mutual respect between the two with Dale Sr going as far offering his condolences to Senna in victory lane at the Winston 500 in 1994 which was held a few hours after Senna was killed at Imola during the San Marino GP. Both were taken way too soon & both Senna & Earnhardt are absolute racing legends.

The 2001 Pepsi 400 will always be my favorite race ever in NASCAR. That finish was on another level.

Rest in Peace Dale

Didn’t expect to break down in tears

I wasn't alive when this happened, but between Mikey's book "In the Blink of an Eye" and this video, I see how this is the greatest recovery from the biggest tragedy.

Bro why is it every time I listen to Dale's life. I cry

During the 500 footage, I can't help but hear Egil say, "your blade... It did not cut deep enough."

Terran 3 is such a good theme for Earnhardt. "YOU WANT A PIECE OF ME BOY"

I was 11 at the time of dale's death and was really into nascar due to him and jeff. My joy for the sport died that day too and I'm 34 now and still can't recover from it. Seeing that live as a kid fucked me up.

Man great job, refrained from using explicit language so I can show it to my family.

man you had me in tears. great video.

Wow, dude, this might be your best video yet. You are a fantastic writer. Keep it up!!

The type of story that may as well be a movie

23 Years ago, to this day, a tragedy would strike. And this sport would change forever. "Raise Hell, Praise Dale!" RIP to Dale Earnhardt.

Dale at dega is one of the reasons why I fell in love with NASCAR

12:08 you can hear how sad and how stunned Darrel was, just in his voice 😢

I always felt terrible for Ken Schrader. He's from my area here in Saint Louis and I've talked to him a number of times at various events and tracks around here. He's one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet. He didn't deserve to see his friend that way.

This video was great. It reminds us about when things end in a bad way there may be time to pick up the pieces and rebuild. Turns what was a terrible moment in the sport into something to build off of. Merry Christmas by the way 😐🫴🎄🎁🎄🎁🎄🎁🍬☕🍬☕🍬☕🍬☕

No matter how many times I watch the 2001 Daytona 500 I always shed a tear. Even tho this took place 4 years before I was born it always hit me like I was actually alive in that moment. It is one of the worst tragedies in motorsport history.

This is why always let Earnhardt choose his drivers

I remember watching the 2001 Pepsi 400. I can remember exactly where I was, with my parents cheering for Dale Jr. As inconsolable as I was after Dale Sr died, this was one incredible moment of healing.

No one would pass the black number 3 hauler on its way back home... the 'traffic jam' was many, many, many miles long...! I bought a poster, taken from an overpass... So sad...! This is why I'm a lifelong Harvick fan...!!! Thanks, keep up your awesomeness...

My favorite driver of all time

I was on my 19th day of basic training for the Air Force, and my first letter from home was from my mom which included a news paper about Dale . Not the letter I wanted to get ..rip Dale Earnhardt

When Elly productions uploads were watching

22 years later still stings I was 21 back then. Both Earnhardt’s were my drivers. What could have been and why still haunts the sport.

Watching this on my lunch break at work with my Dale #3 lunchbox cooler

Harvick coming in and not only taking advantage of the situation, but excelling, was a thing of beauty to watch.

5:38 i already know where this is going...everyone knows

Fantastic video. This video really helped remind me of what Nascar and sports in general are all about. People will only want to talk about numbers and championships but the true allure of sports are special moments and stories. Dale Sr had some of the most incredible and fun to watch moments in Nascar history and the story told here after his death truly says it all R.I.P #3

2001 was the first full season of Nascar I ever watched. It couldn't have started in a worse way. Even now watching this video, I get a tear in my eye watching the clip of Jr's wreck at Rockingham one week after and just imagining the emotions going through his mind in that moment. Now just weeks after the final race of Harvicks career I applaud him for the path that he blazed. 60+ wins, a championship, wins in all the biggest races Nascar has to offer, and many memorable moments to boot, he proved he was the right person at an unexpected time to carry on the legacy of the #3 car. Also great video, giving a window into part of Nascars past, as with Harvick retiring after Phoenix, there are no drivers left whose careers began pre 9/11.

nascar and ellyproductions got me crying 2 days before christmas

22:00 okay these tears are absolutely uncalled for i've always had a rough knowledge of NASCAR, not as full as my knowledge of F1.The Cars movie brought me into cars as a whole and i've always had a soft spot for NASCAR. I knew about Dale's crash, but I never knew about Jr's win. I'm genuinely so emotional side note: this channel has been amazing to watch for so much NASCAR content, you deliver information in such a concise and entertaining way, ur channel is so underrated.

When I first got to NASCAR, in 2016 I really liked Richard Petty and Dale they were so dedicated to the board. It made me want to be dedicated to the sport. It showed me how much people really cared about NASCAR and I became dedicated to the sport as well. I knew somebody in my school who was watching the race live, and he said to me“I already knew he was dead. By the way he hit the wall” it made me want to appreciate how Dale Junior has come in the sport and the big burden that he had to carry for the rest of his career. It showed me to care about the people that are around you care about the people that are with you, and it also showed me no matter what even though people are gone, it doesn’t mean that they’re gone forever they’ll be with us in our hearts rest in peace, Dale, sr

F1 fan here Something similar happened when Ayrton Senna died. Everyone was in shock. He also was an exceptionally talented driver, won 3 drivers championships, 41 wins, but the numbers aren't enough to describe this legend. Prior to him, lots of drivers, from normal ones to talents like him, had died. But this one stuck really hard. And, after he died, new regulations were passed, the cars, the tracks and the helmets became safer, and it would take 21 years to another driver to die. But, even today, everyone remember his tragic death, and specially in Brazil, were he was born and i live, there where several tributes to him, like statues, streets, etc. Both Dale and Senna shall forever be remembered.

I was 10 and i still remember that day it was a rainy day in los angeles

Beautiful 🥲

I can't hear the calls on that last lap without getting goosebumps

Man 23 years later and I still get shaky and misty eyed when the lose of Dale gets brought up. 😢

Dale was before my time but I feel like I grew up with him.

All these years later i still cant believe dale left that day, the most vicious crash of the day was the stewart one however. It was a critical turning point for nascar and safety and now cars are safer than ever and Dale was the last cup driver to pass away because of a crash, i think that is also a legacy he would be proud of

this is an actual masterpiece

The first race I clearly remember was the 1993 Daytona 500. I was just a kid, but became a fan of the sport, and Dale Earnhardt that very day. I've closely followed the sport since. Watching this brought back so many feelings and memories. I remember it all. You did an amazing job with this. Thank you 💯

Tragic Decision at 5:37? I didn't realize you were a Xenoblade fan as well, GOAT material

Man I never realized how similar Kevin Harvick's and Dale Jr's wins were compared to Dale Sr 's last two wins. That was nothing but God!

Seeing Waltrip block for Jr is incredibly heartwarming, I’ll never forget the dynamic duo of mikey and jr ❤💙

To this day it's the most impressive three lap performance I've ever witnessed and ever will.