It’s been 25 years since Dale Earnhardt drove the iconic No. 3 Corvette C5-R in the 2001 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona, with his son, Dale Earnhardt Jr.and other team members. In his only start, Dale Earnhardt was the second driver in his class and earned 4th place overall. Fans still remember the striking yellow Corvette with the number 3 today. 25 years later, fans will be able to see it again.
For the greatest pleasure of NASCAR community, Dale Earnhardt’s Corvette is once again painted gold and black. And this time, it’s the fourth generation of the Earnhardt family who takes the wheel.
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Bobby Dale Earnhardt brings back his family’s classic colors
Bobby Dale Earnhardt drove the color scheme during his first day of testing at Daytona, as he prepares for the 2026 ARCA Series season. Bobby will be driving the No. 89 Chevrolet for Rise Racing this year.
The No. 3 C5-R holds a special place in the memory of the NASCAR community and the Earnhardt family. The 2001 24 Hours of Daytona was the last race completed by Dale Earnhardt. It was also the last race that Dale Earnhardt Jr. drove with his father. A few weeks later, Dale Earnhardt would lose his life in an unfortunate accident during the 2001 NASCAR Cup Series. Daytona 500. As such, the yellow and black livery constitutes Dale Earnhardt’s final legacy in motorsport.
Photo credit: John Brooks
Bobby Dale Earnhardt, who currently competes in the junior divisions, feels the same way. He was almost 24 years old when his “Pawpaw” lost his life to motorsport.
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“Yeah, this project… it’s really special to me. It’s basically a recreation of the Corvette that Pawpaw (Dale Sr.) drove in the Rolex 24 in 2001 with Dale Jr. and the team. That yellow with the black panels – it just screams Earnhardt heritage. To see it on the car today, especially here at Daytona where so much history happened… it’s emotional, man.”
From his words, it’s evident that Dale Earnhardt’s eldest grandson has a deep emotional connection to his grandfather’s final painting. Even though he started his racing career quite late, Bobby Earnhardt still carries the torch of his family’s legacy.
The first day of testing gave him a positive attitude. It seems the car gave him the answer he needed, and he was more than happy to complete the required laps. Needless to say, in his own words: “I think we’re ready for Daytona. »
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The yellow and black paint could not bear witness to the greatness of its rightful owner. However, with Bobby Earnhardt behind the wheel, it seems he gets to witness the racing greatness that runs in the family. Bobby’s successful test for the ARCA series is the first step in this direction.
When the late Earnhardt Sr. pushed the No. 3 to victory
It was January 2021, the 20th anniversary of Dale Earnhardt’s only start at the 24 Hours of Daytona. Once again, the No. 3 Corvette in yellow and black drove on the oval. This time it was driven by Wayne Taylor and his co-driver Nicky Catsburg.
As fate would have it, the car won the race. In fact, Corvette Racing was solid throughout the race. And when the drivers got out, they voiced the thoughts we all had in our minds.
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“Today we were doing our passes on the high banks, so maybe we had a little Dale Sr. in the car with us.”
The track that took Dale Earnhardt out of the world of auto racing is also the one that brought him his greatest success. For Dale Earnhardt, Daytona was extremely special. In fact, even on the day he died, the Daytona 500 was won by his team by a one-two finish. Earnhardt Sr.’s fame extended beyond stock cars.
Daniel Ricciardo ended up adopting the No. 3 as his racing number in Formula 1 in homage to Dale Earnhardt. Even today, the Intimidator continues to be among the best in NASCAR, if not the best.
The position Dale Earnhardt’s grandson pays tribute to ‘Pawpaw’ with moving Daytona tribute 25 years later appeared first on EssentiallySport.
