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A Recent Biography of Dale Earnhardt

Biography

Statistically, Dale Earnhardt wasn't THAT much better in 1999 than he was in '98. The seven-time NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion climbed from eighth to seventh in points and won three times, but by Earnhardt standards that's only an OK year.

Still, fans and competitors saw a different Earnhardt on the track in '99 than in the previous couple of years. The swagger and the snarl were back -- which was never more evident than at Bristol in August, when Big E got behind Terry Labonte and "rattled his cage" on the last lap. Whether you liked the move or not, it was undeniably vintage Earnhardt.

Besides, when you look a little closer, some of the numbers were quite a bit better for the man in black in '99. His seven top-5s were a step up, and his 21 top-10s were his most since 1995. Earnhardt didn't contend for a title, but he looked like a man who still can do just that.

The No. 3 Chevy was especially strong in the season's second half. Earnhardt posted 14 top-10s in the last 20 races, climbing from 11th to seventh in the standings in that span. As Earnhardt and crew chief Kevin Hamlin continue to improve their communication -- remember, they've only been together since mid-1998 -- and Richard Childress Racing fine-tunes the new Monte Carlo, the prospects for Earnhardt look brighter than they have in years.

"The Intimidator's" seven NASCAR Winston Cup Series titles offer all the proof needed to those who question his place in history. His aggressive style has helped define a generation of drivers, those who run hard on Sunday then shake hands and exchange congratulations when all is said and done.

Earnhardt was the first driver in the history of the sport to win the rookie of the year award and the series title at the NASCAR Winston Cup Series level.

He was the first three-time winner of the Winston Select (1987, '90 and '93) and he has won three IROC championships (1990, '95 and '99).

Earnhardt credits Rod Osterlund with giving him his biggest break, in 1978. He won the championship for Osterlund, his first, in 1980 before moving on to drive for Richard Childress, for whom he has won six titles.

Earnhardt owns a farm in Mooresville, N.C., where he has horses, dogs, cats, bulls and chickens. He owns a 76-foot Hatteras boat, bass boat, a Lear Jet 31A with two full-time pilots, and KingAir 200.