Posted: Thursday May 27, 2004 4:15PM 
Their Finest Moments
From the bankings of Talladega to the Bristol bullring, the Earnhardt family legacy has touched every NASCAR track. Here are our choices for the Top 20 most memorable moments. Compiled by Richard Deitsch.
Want more on the racing lives and times of the late Dale Earnhardt (a.k.a. The Intimidator and The Man in Black) and the sizzling-hot Dale Earnhardt Jr.?
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Hardbound Collector's Edition
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No. 1
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Daytona
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February 15, 1998
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With "disappointing" and "Earnhardt" on the verge of becoming synonymous at the Daytona 500, the Intimidator finally managed to avoid the late-race mishaps that had contributed to his 19 years of pull-your-hair-out futility on the sport's grandest stage.
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No. 2
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Daytona
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February 15, 2004
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Three years to the week after his father's death in a crash on the final turn of the Daytona 500, Junior outdueled 2002 Winston Cup champ Tony Stewart to win the Great American Race. Playing the superspeedway drafting game perfectly, Earnhardt juked high, then dived low to pass Stewart on Lap 181 and then held him off to the end.
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No. 3
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Talladega
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October 15, 2000
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For what would be the last of his 76 career wins, Earnhardt made one of his most memorable charges. Trapped in 18th place with five laps left, he maneuvered his number 3 Monte Carlo through traffic toward the lead. With two laps remaining he caught Mike Skinner and John Andretti to take the checkered flag at the Winston 500.
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No. 4
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Charlotte
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May 17, 1987
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With 10 laps left in the Winston, Senior went low around a spinning Geoff Bodine and Bill Elliott to take the lead. Three laps later Awesome Bill tried to intimidate the Intimidator, bumping him from behind, sending the number 3 car down the banking and into the infield. Earnhardt, never letting off the throttle, charged back onto the track without giving up the lead -- a move that would forever be known as the Pass in the Grass -- and went on to win.
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No. 5
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Daytona
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July 7, 2001
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It was a story line from the heavens: The son wins at the same track at which his father was killed just months earlier. Junior charged his number 8 Chevrolet from seventh to first in the final seven laps to win the Pepsi 400. "He was with me tonight," Earnhardt Jr. said of his father. "I dedicate this win to him."
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No. 6
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Bristol
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April 12, 1987
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The Intimidator? The menacing moniker was never so apt: Senior repeatedly tried to pass Sterling Marlin, then nudged him into the wall en route to winning the Valleydale 500.
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No. 7
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Atlanta
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March 12, 2000
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Starting in 35th position, Earnhardt worked his way to the lead by Lap 306, then held off a determined Bobby Labonte to win the Cracker Barrel 500 by one hundredth of a second.
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No. 8
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Bristol
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April 1, 1979
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At age 27 Senior wins the Volunteer 500, the first of his 76 Winston Cup victories. It was the first time a rookie had won a Grand National Race since 1974. Call it the birth of the legend.
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No. 9
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Talladega
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May 1, 1994
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Some say it was the greatest finish in the storied history of Talladega. A tenacious Earnhardt held off Ernie Irvan by .067 of a second to win the Winston Select 500.
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No. 10
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Bristol
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Aug. 28, 1999
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In front of a crowd of nearly 140,000, Senior spun Terry Labonte into the backstretch wall to take the Goody's 500. Did the Intimidator go too far? The fans rained down boos after the race, but Earnhardt wasn't exactly apologetic. "I didn't mean to turn him around," he said, "but I wanted to rattle his cage."
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No. 11
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Texas
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April 2, 2000
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Add another Earnhardt to the list of Winston Cup winners. After back-to-back Busch Series titles, 25-year-old Dale Jr. -- driving in only his 12th Winston Cup race -- won the DirecTV 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. In Victory Lane, Junior was greeted by his winning owner: his father.
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No. 12
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Richmond
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Feb. 23, 1986
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One of NASCAR's wildest finishes saw Senior tag Darrell Waltrip (number 11) with three laps to go in the Miller 400. Both men wrecked, leaving Kyle Petty free to win his first race.
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No. 13
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Texas
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April 5, 1998
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Coming out of Turn 4 with a lap to go in the Coca-Cola 300, Junior used a perfect bump-and-run to pass leader Joe Nemechek and go on to his first Busch Series victory, at age 23.
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No. 14
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Talladega
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April 6, 2003
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Though forced to start from the rear of the 43-car field because of an engine change, Dale Jr. managed to pass the field and go on to win the Aaron's 499. In so doing, he became the first driver to win four straight races at the 2.66-mile superspeedway.
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No. 15
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Charlotte
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May 20, 2000
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Dale Jr. became the first rookie to win the Winston when he stormed past Dale Jarrett with two laps to go. He was joined in the winner's circle by his father -- a three-time winner of the annual all-star event.
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No. 16
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Atlanta
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Nov. 2, 1986
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With a Winston Cup championship hanging in the balance, Earnhardt won the Atlanta Journal 500 in record time. The victory clinched his second title.
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No. 17
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Japan
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Nov. 22, 1998
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Earnhardt vs. Earnhardt. In the first race in which both competed, in Motegi, Japan, Junior finished sixth and Senior eighth.
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No. 18
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Michigan
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Aug. 20, 2000
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The Pepsi 400 featured a trio of Earnhardts (Dale, Dale Jr. and Kerry), only the second time a father and two sons ran in a Winston Cup event.
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No. 19
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Charlotte
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May 30, 1993
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At the Coca-Cola 600 Senior rallied twice from a lap down and won going away over a rookie named Jeff Gordon (24).
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No. 20
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Atlanta
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May 16, 1980
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The number 3 is forever associated with the Intimidator, but on this day number 2 was No. 1. Driving the number 2 car for Rod Osturlund, Earnhardt Sr., in his second season, won the Atlanta 500 from the 31st starting position?one of two victories in races he started from the 30th position or lower. He remains the only driver to win a championship while using the number 2 for a full season.
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