Earnhardt killed in 2001 Daytona 500 crash

The death of Dale Earnhardt from a crash during the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500 is considered the darkest day in the history of NASCAR. The 20th anniversary of his death is coming up on Feb. 18 and the stock car racing community is noting that his legacy includes dramatic improvements in the safety of motorsports.

Following those deaths, safety had become a front-burner issue for the sport, with a debate over possible rules changes and the use of new safety equipment.