DAYTONA BEACH -- Dale Earnhardt died from a severe fracture to the base of his skull that caused bruising and bleeding to the soft tissue in his brain. When his race car smashed into a concrete wall at an estimated 180 mph Sunday at Daytona International Speedway, it broke eight ribs, his left ankle and his breastbone. read more
Seat-belt failure did not cause the head injuries that killed NASCAR great Dale Earnhardt during February's Daytona 500, a court-appointed medical expert who studied the racer's autopsy photos reported Monday. read more
Soon after Earnhardt's death, NASCAR began developing the Car of Tomorrow (CoT), which was used in competition in the Sprint Cup Series until it was replaced by the so-called "Gen 6" car for the 2013 season. The design of the CoT incorporated the result of research conducted in the aftermath of Earnhardt's death. read more