NBC Sports often uses the “Mt. Rushmore” analogy to highlight the greatest athletes in a sport or for a specific team. Recently, the official X handle of NBC Sports asked fans who would be on their sports Mt. Rushmore and the legendary Dale Earnhardt Sr. showed up on many lists.
Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, and Wayne Gretzky made most people’s lists, though with a few changes here and there. While many fans named the usual choices, NASCAR fans made sure Earnhardt wasn’t left out.
Dale Earnhardt Sr. Has His Face Carved in Stone
As the poll picked up steam, racing fans came together to name several drivers they thought deserved a spot. For most, one name was an easy choice—Dale Earnhardt Sr.
Replying to NBC Sports’ post, X user @jtrip12 wrote, “Racing: Steve Kinser, Dale Earnhardt, A.J. Foyt, and I’d start chipping away at Kyle Larson.”
He also said that for other sports, Jordan, Woods, Gretzky, Tom Brady and Jerry Rice would be his top picks.
Meanwhile, the Brazilian NASCAR fan page joined the discussion, listing Richard Petty, Earnhardt, David Pearson and Jeff Gordon as their favorites.
Plenty more fans also picked Earnhardt for their sports Mt. Rushmore—and for good reason.
Earnhardt Had a Career Full of Wins and Records
A three-time Driver of the Year winner, Earnhardt left a lasting mark on NASCAR fans. Even today’s drivers look up to him. He earned a huge fan base with his bold driving style, which was sometimes hard to believe.
During his career, Earnhardt won 76 races and took 26 pole positions. He also had 428 top-10 finishes, 281 top-fives, and 70 second-place results in 676 career starts.
He led more than 25,000 laps and earned more than $40 million in race winnings alone.
With seven Cup championships, he’s tied with Richard Petty and Jimmie Johnson for the most in NASCAR history. Fans believe his numbers could’ve been even higher if he were still alive.
On the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500, Earnhardt made contact with Ken Schrader and Sterling Marlin. That caused him to crash into the wall. A basilar skull fracture led to his death, which was confirmed shortly after by Halifax Medical Center.
Besides being a top driver, Earnhardt also owned a Cup Series team called Dale Earnhardt Inc. It ran from 1998 to 2009 and later merged with Chip Ganassi Racing. It was eventually bought by Trackhouse Racing in 2021.