Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Sr. was an US-American race car driver and American cultural icon, best known for his career driving stock cars in NASCAR's top division. Earnhardt had four children, Kerry, Kelley Elledge Earnhardt, Dale Jr., and Taylor Earnhardt. His widow, Teresa Earnhardt is the owner of Dale Earnhardt, Inc., the race team and merchandising corporation Earnhardt founded with her in February of 1980.

Earnhardt is best known for his success in the Winston Cup Series, now known as the Nextel Cup Series. He won seventy-six races, and his seven championships are tied for most all-time with Richard Petty. His highly aggressive driving style made him a fan favorite and earned him the nicknames "Ironhead" and "The Intimidator."

Earnhardt died in a last-lap crash during the 2001 Daytona 500, the fourth NASCAR driver to die in the nine months prior. Due in large part to overwhelming fan outcry, NASCAR began an intensive focus on safety that has seen the organization mandate the use of head-and-neck restraints, oversee the installation of SAFER barriers at all oval tracks, set rigorous new rules for seat-belt and seat inspection, develop a roof-hatch escape system, and develop a next-generation race car built with extra driver safety in mind, dubbed the Car of Tomorrow.

Earnhardt was born in Kannapolis, North Carolina to Martha Coleman and Ralph Earnhardt, who was then one of the best short-track drivers in North Carolina.

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