Mezue ahịrịokwu na-esonụ:
Daytona 500 na Daytona International Speedway na February 18, 2001, Earnhardt nwụrụ n'ihe mberede ụgbọ ala atọ na agba ikpeazụ nke agbụrụ ahụ. Ọ kụrụ Ken Schrader mgbe o metụtasịrị Sterling Marlin ma kụọ mgbidi dị n'èzí n'isi. Ọ nọ na-egbochi Schrader n'èzí na Marlin n'ime n'oge ihe mberede ahụ. Ụgbọala nke Earnhardt na nke Schrader abụọ ahụ si n'okporo ụzọ ahụ na-agbadata n'ime ahịhịa dị n'ime ala ahụ n'ime akụkụ nke anọ. Sekọnd ole na ole ka nke ahụ gasịrị, onye ọkwọ ụgbọala ya bụ Michael Waltrip meriri n'ọsọ ahụ, ebe onye otu ya na nwa ya nwoke bụ Dale Earnhardt Jr. mechara nke abụọ. Ekwuputara ọnwụ Earnhardt na Halifax Medical Center na 5:16 PM Eastern Standard Time (22:16 UTC); ọ dị afọ 49. Onyeisi ụlọọrụ NASCAR bụ Mike Helton kwupụtara ọnwụ Earnhardt n'okwu ọ gwara ndị ntaakụkọ. Nnyocha e mere n'ahụ́ Earnhardt na February 19, 2001, kwubiri na ọkpụkpụ isi ya gbajiri. Ụbọchị ole na ole ka e mesịrị, na February 22, e mere ememe olili ozu ọha na eze na Chọọchị Calvary dị na Charlotte, North Carolina.