Leading Off

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COLOR PHOTO: PHOTOGRAPH BY GEORGE TIEDEMANN Born to Run The signature number 3 car of Dale Earnhardt rips down the track at the NAPA 500 in Atlanta in 1997. Earnhardt, 49, died in a crash on the final lap of the Daytona 500 on Sunday (page 36).

COLOR PHOTO: PHOTOGRAPH BY JIM GUND Good Year Fans, crews and even fellow drivers celebrated when Earnhardt won his only Daytona 500, in 1998.

COLOR PHOTO: PHOTOGRAPH BY GEORGE TIEDEMANN Pit Stop Earnhardt refueled in a quiet corner of a garage in Fontana, Calif., where he was racing in the California 500 in 1997.