The death of Dale Earnhardt occurred the afternoon of February 18, 2001, when American stock car racing driver and team owner Dale Earnhardt was involved in a collision in the 2001 Daytona 500. In the final lap of the race, Earnhardt crashed into a retaining wall after making contact with Sterling Marlin and Ken Schrader. He was pronounced dead at Halifax Medical Center a short time later. The cause of death was a basilar skull fracture, which was determined to have killed him instantly.