(
February 23 ,
1928 —
September 26 ,
1973 ) was a
NASCAR racing legend. He was the father of
Dale Earnhardt , and the grandfather of
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and
Kerry Earnhardt .
Ralph was born in
Kannapolis, North Carolina where he spent many years working in a cotton mill. One of the only ways out of this poor living was racing. Ralph started his racing career on dirt tracks where he was famous for keeping his car in top condition throughout each race.
In 1956, he won the NASCAR Sportsman Championship. He had a second place finish in his first
Grand National (now NEXTEL Cup) race in 1956. In 1961, Ralph had his highest finish by finishing 17th in the Grand National point standings.
Ralph Earnhardt died at the age of 45 on September 26, 1973 from a heart attack.
