The 2001 Daytona 500 marked one of the darkest moments in NASCAR history when Dale Earnhardt Sr. tragically lost his life in a last-lap crash. His #3 car, known for its fearless driver, collided with Sterling Marlin and Ken Schrader before slamming into the wall, bringing his storied career to a sudden end. As Schrader checked on his friend, he knew something was gravely wrong. Now, after 23 years, Schrader has broken his silence, adding new perspectives on that fateful day, a story that has lingered deeply within the NASCAR community.

No one had a clue about how fatal the crash was and were caught up in Michael Waltrip winning the race. There’s no knowledge of what the Intimidator’s last words were or what his condition was after the crash. It is a secret that only his good friend Ken Schrader knows, and here’s how Dale Earnhardt Jr. has appreciated his father’s best buddy.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. tips his hat to Ken Schrader with an emotional message

“What I saw in the car that day will stay with you. I saw a friend in trouble. I didn’t know for certain (he was dead), but I would have bet. That sticks with you,” said Ken Schrader in his first interview after the crash. The death of an icon like Dale Earnhardt Sr. certainly shook the NASCAR world, and while the world was eager to hear about the details of Dale Sr.’s last moment, Schrader didn’t entertain that thought. Rather, he chose to keep those moments wrapped away from the public domain.

And Dale Earnhardt Jr. was glad that it was Ken Schrader of all people who was bearing the burden of the Intimidator’s death. “I feel pain for you to have to carry that memory, but you carry it for me, you carry it for Kelley, Dad’s family, you carry it for anyone who’s ever cheered for him. It’s a secret that you’ll keep to your last breath. Kenny, I know you sometimes wish you weren’t the one, but I’m glad it was you, and I really appreciate who you are and the friend you’ve been to me.” Junior said this on the throwback episode of the Dale Jr. Download.

During those tough times, a 26-year-old young racer could’ve gone off-trails, but fortunately, he was surrounded by the right people who helped him greatly. “Just that little gesture to give me the most on Kenny Jones; there was a couple drivers in the last couple decades that gave me some great advice in particular times. Just the small thing, you knew it was a big thing to put Kenny with me; you knew how good a person Kenny was; you knew how important he was in your life and how important he would become in mine,” Junior added.

The very next year, Dale Earnhardt Jr. took the wheels behind the iconic No. 3 Richard Childress Racing car and raced his way to win at the Daytona International Speedway. A race which he labeled as a last hurrah to the 7-time NASCAR champion. Not only that, the young driver would even go on to defend Sterling Marlin, who was presumed to be the perpetrator that led to Dale Sr.’s death.

Sterling Marlin needed Dale Jr.’s help

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Motor racing is a risky sport; it was especially back in the day. On the initial view, Sterling Marlin bumping into the back of the #3 car wasn’t seen as egregious. Even Sterling couldn’t have known the severity of the impact Dale Sr. sustained from that crash, which would lead to his death. But for some reason, all the fingers started to point towards Marlin, as he was held accountable for the death of Dale Earnhardt.

It got so serious that he even started to receive death threats and needed Dale Jr.’s help to get the heat off his back. Recalling the incident while speaking to Sterling Marlin on DJD, Junior said, “He’s like, ‘I’m getting literal death threats about this. About people thinking I had something to do with this.’ And I was like, ‘No sh*t.’ And he’s like, ‘Yeah, it’s it’s bothered me, and I think you’re the only one that could fix it… I had to say this and that at that moment, but I was like, ‘Whoever’s got a problem with Sterling or think Sterling has some role in this needs to get rid of that notion altogether.”

It was indeed welcoming for Marlin to see Dale Jr. not hold any grudge against him for the accident that led to his father’s death. In fact, the two shared a good bond on the racetrack until he retired.