TRAGIC DETAILS FOUND IN DALE EARNHARDT SR.'S AUTOPSY REPORT
By MICHAEL GRIFFIN
History - Science
NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Sr. won 76 NASCAR Cup races and earned over $42 million in winnings, making him one of the most successful drivers in the sport. That all changed on February 18, 2001, when what looked like a relatively minor crash turned out to be fatal, and his autopsy results made the world begin looking at racing in a completely different way.
While racing at Daytona International Speedway, Earnhardt Sr. made contact with another car, and both vehicles hit the concrete wall. Earnhardt Sr. hit the wall at a speed of 150 miles per hour, and the result was fatal blunt force trauma to his head, according to the autopsy result.
He had a host of other injuries, including fractures to his ribs and left ankle, but he was killed instantly from the damage to his head, which included a ring fracture of the base of his skull. Although it was a truly sad day for lovers of the sport, NASCAR developed safer cars that have prevented any fatalities in the races since, which is an undeniable part of Earnhardt’s legacy.