Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Sr. (April 29, 1951 – February 18, 2001)

Daniel Sexton Gurney had been a race car driver, constructor, and team owner
since 1958. Gurney also won races in the Indy Car, NASCAR, Can-Am, and Trans-
Am Series. At the 1968 German Grand Prix he became the first driver ever to use
a full face helmet in Grand Prix racing.

Dan Gurney won his first Grand Prix victory with his Porsche in the French Grand Prix at Rouen in 1962.

                         Terrence Stephen "Steve" McQueen 

                         (March 24, 1930 – November 7, 1980)

Steve McQueen was top box-office draw of the 1960s and 1970s. He
received an Academy Award nomination for his role in The Sand Pebbles
(1966). His other popular films include The Great Escape (1963), Bullitt
(1968), and The Towering Inferno (1974).. In 1974, he became the
highest-paid movie star in the world.

McQueen was an avid racer of both motorcycles and cars. While he studied
acting,he partially supported himself by competing in weekend motorcycle
races and bought his first motorcycle with his winnings.

McQueen in a scene from The Great Escape

 
 
Steve McQueen in Bullitt

Sometimes referred to as "The Great American Race" or the "Super Bowl of Stock
Car Racing”, the Daytona 500 is a 500 mile-long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race
held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. 

The first Daytona 500 was officially held on February 22, 1959. Lee Petty, the
father of racing legend Richard Petty, was the first winner.

The winner of the Daytona 500 is presented with the Harley J. Earl Trophy in
Victory Lane, and the winning car is displayed for one year at the Daytona
500 Experience, a museum adjacent to the speedway. 

Lee Petty

             Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Sr. (April 29, 1951 – February 18, 2001)

Race car driver Dale Earnhardt, known as “The Intimidator”, died of injuries 
received a crash during the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500 at Daytona
International Speedway. He has been inducted into numerous halls of fame, 
including the inaugural class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.