He crashed on the last turn of the last lap vying for third place at the front of a tight five-car pack. Dale Earnhardt Jr. The elder Earnhardt grazed Sterling Marlin's car, crashed into the wall at the high-banked fourth turn going about 180 mph, and was smacked hard by Ken Schrader. He had to be cut out of his car. An autopsy completed Monday showed Earnhardt died of blunt force injuries to the head but couldn't determine if a head and neck brace would have saved his life. This is a prototype of a HANS device made for CART driver Michael Andretti.
Officials say additional tests are needed.
N.H. Two months later, Winston Cup driver Kenny Irwin also was killed at New Hampshire International Speedway. In addition to his wife and eldest son, Earnhardt's survivors include another son, Kerry, a driver who failed to qualify for the Daytona 500, and daughters Kelly and Taylor.