NASCAR Cup Series

Dale Earnhardt, Ayrton Senna still sorely missed 23 years later

Published May. 1, 2017 2:57 p.m. ET

Tom Jensen

Twenty-three years ago today, on May 1, 1994, Dale Earnhardt drove to victory at Talladega Superspeedway, where he won the Winston 500.

That triumph was one of a record 10 for the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion.

But it was a poignant victory.

Earlier that day, Formula One great Ayrton Senna was killed in a crash at Imola, Italy, something Earnhardt knew before he climbed behind the wheel of the black No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet at Talladega.

So in Victory Lane after the race, a somber Earnhardt paid a heartfelt tribute to his fallen fellow racer. It was a show of respect from one of auto racing's greatest drivers ever to a peer who was as good at his form of racing.

And even today, both are sorely missed.

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