x
Breaking News
More () »

'We lost our driver, our best friend, our hero' | Dale Earnhardt's gasman reflects on his legacy, 19 years after deadly crash

This year's Daytona 500 brought back memories for Danny "Chocolate" Myers - Earnhardt's gasman until his death in 2001. He says, after that, racing changed forever.

LEXINGTON, N.C. — Danny "Chocolate" Myers will tell you - with absolute certainty - that Dale Earnhardt was, and is, the greatest that's ever been. 

"We lost Dale 19 years ago today, and we still talk about Dale Earnhardt more than we talk about the guys that are on the racetrack," he said. 

Myers was Earnhardt's gasman in the pit crew for many years, up until Earnhardt's death - when his racecar hit the wall on the last lap of the Daytona 500 in 2001. 

"We lost our driver, our best friend, our hero - all at the same time," Myers said, "Dale Earnhardt was Superman. Nobody thought that Dale could get hurt, nobody thought that anything could go wrong, and then all of a sudden we lose the biggest star in NASCAR."

This year's Daytona 500 brought back eerily similar memories for Myers - and for many - as spectators saw Ryan Newman's car crash and flip in the air, before skidding across the finish line in flames. 

"Right away everybody was looking back to 2001."

But, he says, in 19 years, many things have changed for the better.

"I go back a long time in the sport," Myers said, "My dad lost his life driving a race car [in 1957]. I’ve watched other friends back in the day that lost their lives, but we have done such a good job once again on safety that we have not seen anybody lose their life [in a race] since we lost Dale."

Myers says a big, and important part of Dale Earnhardt's legacy is how the sport made racecars safer after his death. Head and neck restraints, plus safer barrier walls, were two immediate improvements. Even more safety features came later. 

"I think now, with the accident that happened [Monday] with Ryan Newman, I think NASCAR goes back they look at that and if they see a way that they could make that car even better yet, then that’s what we do," he said.

RELATED: Ryan Newman 'awake and speaking' in hospital after Daytona 500 crash

RELATED: Today marks 19 years since Dale Earnhardt died

RELATED: 'I Feel Better Every Day': Two Weeks After Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Tennessee Plane Crash, He is Ready to Race Again

Before You Leave, Check This Out