TIMELINE
THE 1950s

WEDDING PICTURE
Apr. 29, 1951: Ralph Dale Earnhardt is born to Martha and Ralph Earnhardt in Kannapolis, North Carolina.

BABY DALE
Baby picture of Dale Earnhardt at age 2.
THE 1970s

1956 FORD VICTORIA
Dale’s first race car, given to him by his neighbors.

WORLD 600 AT CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY
May 25, 1975: Dale makes his Cup series debut in the #8 10,000 RPM Speed Equipment Dodge, finishing 22nd, just ahead of future car owner Richard Childress.

SOUTHEASTERN 500 AT BRISTOL INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
Mar. 1, 1979: Dale captures his first Winston Cup victory driving the #2 car for Rod Osterlund.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
1979: Despite missing 4 races due to a broken collar bone, Dale wins Rookie of the Year honors, finishing 7th in overall points.
THE 1980s

ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
Jan. 14, 1980: Dale Earnhardt, Incorporated is born. Dale forms his own race team with his wife Teresa as co-owner and 1st employee.

1980 NASCAR AWARDS BANQUET
Dale clenches his first Winston Cup Championship, becoming the only driver to win Rookie of the Year and the series championship back-to-back.

DRIVER OF THE YEAR
1980: Dale named Driver of the Year by the National Motorsports Press Association.

GOODYS 300 AT DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
Feb. 13, 1982: Dale wins the 1st race of the newly reorganized Busch Grand National Series.

Talladega 500 at Alabama International Motor Speedway
Jul. 7, 1984: Dale takes the checkered flag in the Talladega 500, his first driving the legendary #3.

Komfort Koach 200 at North Carolina Motor Speedway
Mar. 2, 1985: Dale brings home DEI’s first win in the Busch Series at Rockingham.

1986 NASCAR AWARDS BANQUET
Dale wins five races, earning his first million-dollar season and a second Winston Cup Championship.

PASS IN THE GRASS
May 17, 1987: Dale’s famous ‘pass in the grass’ win over Bill Elliott becomes the defining moment of the The Winston at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

1987 WINSTON CUP CHAMPION
Dale retains his title with an astounding 11 wins, 21 top 5 and 24 top 10 finishes, leading to a 3rd Winston Cup Championship.

DRIVER OF THE YEAR
1987: Associated Press poll names Dale American Driver of the Year

MAIN IN BLACK
1988: Dale’s first season with GM Goodwrench sponsorship. New paint scheme leads to nickname ‘Man in Black’.

Heinz Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway
Sept. 3, 1989: Dale wins the race just days after his father Ralph is inducted into the Darlington Hall of Fame.
THE 1990s

1990 WINSTON CUP CHAMPION
Dale wins nine races on his way to a fourth Winston Cup Championship, earning a then-record $3,083,056.

1991 WINSTON CUP CHAMPION
Dale edges-out Ricky Rudd by 195 points, winning his fifth Winston Cup Championship.

COCA COLA 600 AT CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY
May 30, 1993: After being assessed a one-lap penalty for rough driving, pit stop crew violations and speeding on pit row, Dale still gets his 55th victory in the first night race at Charlotte.

1993 WINSTON CUP CHAMPION
Dale retains his title yet again with an incredible 6 wins, 17 top 5 and 21 top 10 finishes.

KERRY, DALE JR, AND KELLEY
1994: Dale and Teresa start Chance, Inc. for children Kerry, Kelley and Dale Jr. Each competes a full season in the NASCAR late model series.

1994 WINSTON CUP CHAMPION
Dale wins his seventh Winston Cup Championship, tying Richard Petty for most career titles, topping the $3 million mark in earnings for third time in five years.

BUSCH CLASH AT DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
Feb. 12, 1995: Dale clinches his 6th Busch Clash victory taking only 15 minutes and 55 seconds to win the 70-lap race.

Save Mart Supermarkets 300 at Sears Point Raceway
Jun. 7, 1995: With two laps to go in the Save Mart 300, Dale passes Mark Martin and holds him off to win his first and only road course race.

BRICKYARD 400 AT INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
Aug. 5, 1995: After a four hour rain delay, Dale takes the lead at lap 133, going on to win by 0.37 seconds over the field.

GREGOR GRANT AWARD
1996: Dale becomes the first American driver to win Autosports Magazine’s Gregor Grant Award for his long-term contribution to motorsports. Award was presented at their awards banquet in London.

1996 CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP
Dale Earnhardt, Inc. driver Ron Hornaday wins 1st Craftsman Truck Series Championship for DEI.

MILLER 500 AT POCONO RACEWAY
Jul. 21,1996: By qualifying for the Miller 500 at Pocono, Dale becomes the third driver to start 500 consecutive Winston Cup races.

DEI UNDER CONSTRUCTION
1997: After many years of planning, construction begins on Dale & Teresa’s new corporate headquarters.

DALE WHEATIES CEREAL BOX COVER
1997: Dale becomes first race car driver to appear on box of Wheaties. Four different designs were used on the cereal box.

BellSouth Mobility / Opryland 320 at Nashville Speedway
Apr. 19, 1997: Dale Earnhardt, Inc. driver Steve Park picks up the first Busch Series win for DEI by a driver not named Earnhardt.

1997 BUSCH SERIES ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Dale Earnhardt Inc. driver Steve Park wins Busch Series Rookie of the Year.

DAYTONA 500 AT DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
Feb. 15, 1998: On the 50th anniversary of NASCAR and after 20 previous tries, Dale finally conquers the Daytona 500 for his 71st career win.

Press Conference at Twin Ring Motegi Oval Course
Nov. 22, 1998: Dale Earnhardt Inc. enters two cars in the Coca-Cola 500 exhibition race in Motegi, Japan.

1998 CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP
Dale Earnhardt, Inc. driver Ron Hornaday wins second Craftsman Truck Series Championship for DEI.

1998 BUSCH SERIES CHAMPION
Dale Earnhardt, Inc. driver Dale Earnhardt, Jr. completes the season with seven victories taking Rookie of the Year honors and the first Busch Series Championship for DEI.
THE 2000s

NAPA PRESS CONFERENCE
Deal Earnhardt announces a third DEI Cup team with sponsor NAPA and driver Michael Waltrip.

ESPY AWARDS
2000 – Dale named ‘Driver of the Decade’.2000 – Dale named ‘Driver of the Decade’.

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway
Dale holds-off Bobby Labonte by a nose in a neck-and-neck race to the checkered flag.

DIRECTTV 500 AT TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
Dale Earnhardt Inc. gets first Winston Cup Series win with driver Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

Pocono ARCA 200 at Pocono International Raceway
Dale Earnhardt, Inc. driver Kerry Earnhardt gets first win and celebrates with his proud father in Victory Lane.

Global Crossing at The Glen at Watkins Glen International
Dale Earnhardt, Inc. driver Steve Park brings home his first Cup Series win.

76TH CAREER WIN
Dale goes from 18th to 1st in the last three laps for his final career victory at The Winston at Talladega Superspeedway.

DAYTONA 500 AT DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
Dale Earnhardt, Inc. driver Steve Park brings home his first Cup Series win.

DURA LUBE 400 AT NORTH CAROLINA SPEEDWAY
Dale Earnhardt, Inc. driver Steve Park scores an emotional victory one week after the loss of Dale.

PERSON OF THE YEAR
2001: Dale Earnhardt Inc. CEO, Teresa Earnhardt, is named NASCAR Illustrated Person of the Year.

CANDLELIGHT TRIBUTE
Feb. 15, 2002: The first Candlelight Tribute in memory of Dale is held at DEI.

DALE EARNHARDT DAY
Apr. 29th, 2002: The first annual Dale Earnhardt Day is held at DEI.

DALE EARNHARDT FOUNDATION
Teresa Earnhardt unveils the Dale Earnhardt Legacy Program, whose cornerstone is The Dale Earnhardt Foundation.

DALE EARNHARDT HIGHWAY
2003: NC Hwy 136 in Mooresville, NC is designated Dale Earnhardt Highway 3 by Gov. Mike Easley.

DALE EARNHARDT TRIBUTE CONCERT
Jul. 1st, 2003: Scores of fans attend The Dale Earnhardt Tribute Concert at Daytona International Speedway.

BUSCH SERIES CHAMPION
2004: Dale Earnhardt, Inc. driver Martin Truex, Jr. wins the Busch Series Championship during his first full season.

25TH ANNIVERSARY
2005: DEI Celebrates 25 Years and its 100th NASCAR win.

2005 BUSCH SERIES CHAMPION
2005: Dale Earnhardt, Inc. driver Martin Truex, Jr. brings home a second Busch Series Championship.

HALL OF FAME INDUCTION
Oct. 14th, 2009: Dale Earnhardt is named to inaugural class of NASCAR Hall of Fame inductees.