Doctor Who Tried to Save NASCAR Legend Dale Earnhardt Opens Up About What He Saw
It’s been nearly 25 years since legendary NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt tragically lost his life during the Daytona 500.
As the Daytona 500 kicks off today, the doctor who was among the many medical professionals who responded to Earnhardt’s crash has spoken out about what he saw that day.
In an interview with OutKick, Dr. Steve Bohannon, who served as the Medical Director of Emergency Medical Services at Daytona International Speedway on the day Earnhardt crashed during his final lap, revealed that when Earnhardt made it into the trauma bay, he knew he wasn’t going to make it.
Bohannon shared, “I went in and checked his pulse, and saw the blood coming from the ears and from the airway, and knew it was a basal skull fracture and that he had no sense of life.”
EXCLUSIVE: 25 years after Dale Earnhardt’s death, the doctor who rode in the ambulance with him is finally speaking out on the final minutes of Dale’s life.
“I saw the blood coming from the ears and from the airway … we tried to do everything we could.”https://t.co/4vpzEFU37M pic.twitter.com/6UBaXotFuv
— Zach Dean (@TeamZachDean) February 14, 2026
Per Outkick:
“I think everybody knew at the scene,” he said. “Everybody knew that he had passed away at impact. I knew all the medics, and they shook their heads when they saw me walk up. I went in and checked his pulse, and saw the blood coming from the ears and from the airway, and knew it was a basal skull fracture and that he had no sense of life.”
Bohannon later added that while the crash itself didn’t look fatal, he wasn’t surprised at the end result. “When the car stops, the body keeps moving,” he said. “And when your body quits moving, your brain keeps moving and decelerates inside your skull, and the forces are tremendous.”
Still, they had to try. “We gave him the benefit, like we do, all the drivers, and tried to do everything we could,” he continued. Earnhardt was put on a stretcher and loaded into the ambulance, along with Bohannon. Halifax’s trauma center is less than a mile away. The two sat in the back. Bohannon intubated him, administered IVs, and “did what needed to be done” to save Earnhardt.
When they got to Halifax, the trauma team immediately went to work. Over the years, the story has changed. Some say he was quickly pronounced dead. Not true, said Bohannon. “We worked on him for at least 30 minutes,” he recalled. “We took x-rays, put chest tubes in, you know, we did a lot.”
In an effort to honor Earnhardt, Richard Childress Racing will have a black No. 3 on the back of all of its cars at the Daytona 500.
LOOK:
In remembrance of Dale Earnhardt on the 25th anniversary of his passing, all @RCRracing cars will carry this black No. 3 decal at @DAYTONA. pic.twitter.com/67OT0gFfEX
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 15, 2026
Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.
RIP Dale.
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