What Might Have Been

Feb 19, 2001 - © Seth Ronald Eichhorn

"I never pondered it very much...I didn't have the time, or never the right situation or whatever. I ended up going in a Winston Cup car and winning there, so we're part of Indy history."

Dale Earnhardt, Sr. on the Indianapolis 500

He never set foot in an Indy Car. He never competed at the Indianapolis 500. He never had his image engraved on the Borg-Warner Trophy, but Dale Earnhardt, Sr. was a part of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and a driving force behind the phenomenal growth of motorsports.

Just as NASCAR, in its early days, benefited from the popularity of Indy Car racing, so the IRL benefited from the current popularity of NASCAR. Originally, stock cars were not a part of "The Brickyard". But in 1994, the "Brickyard 400" became reality and Dale Earnhardt finally came to Indy. He didn't win that year, but the next season, he finally visited Victory Lane at Indy.

Many drivers have made the crossover between Indy Cars and NASCAR. Tony Stewart, Robbie Gordon, A.J. Foyt; the list goes on and on. Dale Earnhardt was not on this list, but everyone who loves racing, in whatever form it takes, knew and admired "The Intimidator". Whether a fan of Formula One, CART, IRL, World of Outlaws or any other racing format, if asked to name 5 race drivers, it could be assured that one of those would be Dale Earnhardt.

Who knows, maybe someday he would have tried his hand at open-wheeled racing. After all, nobody ever thought they'd see the day that Dale Earnhardt would be in a sports car at Daytona. But it happened this year. One can only imagine what it would have been like to have Dale Earnhardt, one of the greatest drivers in history, take a shot at the pole for the "500". Now we'll never know, for Dale Earnhardt's time behind the wheel is finished. Taken before his time by a tragic incident in Turn 4 at Daytona, he personified what a race driver is all about. His courage, skill, patience, competitive spirit and love of the sport transcended any sanctioning body and reached the very soul of racing.

All of us in the racing community and racing press share in this loss with his family. They have our prayers, our thoughts, and our promise that Dale Earnhardt's spirit will live whenever we hear someone say, "Gentlemen, Start Your Engines!"

"I'll race you next time, and we'll have just as much fun."
Dale Earnhardt's last words to Eddie Cheever, Jr. following the opening IROC event at Daytona
The copyright of the article What Might Have Been in Indy Racing League is owned by Seth Ronald Eichhorn. Permission to republish What Might Have Been in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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