Dale Earnhardt picked up $1 million and continued his reign at Talladega with a victory in the 2000 Winston 500. Tragically, it would be Earnhardt’s final win.

Ralph Earnhardt was an aggressive stock car driver and a man’s man, but he was also a father who was idolized by his son. Dale Earnhardt, who grew up in Kannapolis, N.C., was only 5 years old when his papa won the NASCAR Sportsman championship, and it would be a while before Dale began following in his father’s footsteps.

At age 22, Dale was a working man while his dad was a racer. With only a 9th grade education, the younger Earnhardt made ends meet in a textile factory.

That same year – 1973 – Ralph was tinkering with his car when he died of heart failure.

Suddenly, the patriarch of the Earnhardt clan was gone, and it was up to Dale to carry the torch.

A ham-and-egg driver while trying to feed his family with a full-time job, Dale Earnhardt was determined to break into the sport he and his father loved – and succeed.