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Travel The Dale Trail™ in Kannapolis, Dale Earnhardt's hometown, and visit landmarks relating to his life and legendary NASCAR career. Share the Kannapolis community's pride in its hometown hero on the first motorsports heritage trail in the country. Since Dale's tragic death in the Daytona 500 in 2001, thousands of fans have come to Kannapolis to remember him and to learn about his life. The Dale Trail has become a pilgrimage for those who want to connect with Dale's memory and to pay their respects to their fallen hero.

The tour begins along Dale Earnhardt Blvd., a street named in Dale's honor in 1992. Black, red and white banners proclaiming "The Dale Trail" line Dale Earnhardt Blvd. At Cabarrus County Convention & Visitors Bureau's Visitor Center you will each receive a collectible brochure and map containing information about the stops on The Dale Trail. While there, view historic photos of Dale's childhood and NASCAR career. On the trail you'll visit the Car Town neighborhood where Dale grew up and see the streets where Car Town kids raced their bicycles (Dale always won, his mom says). The trail passes by Old Earnhardt Road where teenage Dale careened around 90-degree curves in his '56 yellow Chevrolet, and it takes you to Idiot Circle where a young Dale perfected the left turn cruising with his teenage friends.

You'll hear about how Dale gained his love for racing watching his dad build racecars in the garage in back of the family home in the Car Town neighborhood in Kannapolis where Dale grew up. Ralph Earnhardt - another racing legend - was known as "Mr. Dirt Track" because he was a racing legend in his time, amassing over 350 victories on the NASCAR Modified, Sportsman and Grand National Circuits. Those were simpler times in racing, and you'll learn how the Earnhardt family would park in the infield at what is today Lowe's Motor Speedway, and Dale's mom and the kids would stand on top of the truck to watch Ralph race.

Along The Dale Trail you'll visit Ralph Earnhardt's gravesite in Centergrove Lutheran Cemetery. It's easy to find because it's the only one with a racecar engraved on it. Further along, you'll pass near the site of old Eddleman's Garage where Ralph perfected his engine wizardry working on cars belonging to moonshiners like Junior Johnson. You will see the stretch of Highway 29 known as the "Flying Mile" where Ralph and other mechanics at Eddleman's tested these fire-breathing, 'shine-running beasts.

A major stop on The Dale Trail is Dale Earnhardt Plaza in downtown Kannapolis. There, the centerpiece attraction is a 9-foot, 900-pound statue of Dale as his friends and neighbors knew him - dressed in Wrangler jeans and cowboy boots. Standing near the status is a granite monument, another tribute to "The Intimidator," contributed by Dale's fans from New York and Vermont. You'll learn about future plans for the Plaza and read inscriptions by other Dale Earnhardt fans on the bricks and benches. You'll also hear the significance of the Earnhardt numerology incorporated into the Plaza's layout. For example, there are seven granite sections of the pedestal where the statue stands - one for each of Dale's seven Winston Cup Championships.

In the Cannon Village Visitors Center, Dale's long-time friend and world-renowned motorsports artist Sam Bass has assembled a collection of larger-than-life murals depicting Dale's NASCAR career. You'll have another chance to appreciate Sam Bass's artwork at his gallery near Lowe's Motor Speedway later on in the tour.

Curb Motorsports Museum provides a rare glimpse of NASCAR history. In the front showroom is the car Dale drove in 1980 in his first Winston Cup Championship - Curb Motorsports Car #2, a blue and yellow Chevrolet. Parked next to it is another Curb Motorsports car, Richard Petty's #43 Car, the Pontiac Grand Prix that Petty drove in 1984 when he achieved his 199th Winston Cup win. (The car Petty drove in his 200th Winston Cup win is in the Smithsonian Museum.)

Along the way, you'll stop for lunch at Punchy's Diner, where you can order Dale's Favorite Sandwich - a tomato sandwich made just the way Dale loved it - on white bread with Miracle Whip. Punchy's serves the tomato sandwich with a glass of Sundrop (Dale's favorite soft drink) and french fries priced at $3.33 for Dale's #3 car.

The Dale Trail continues on North Carolina State Highway #3 (renumbered in 2002 to commemorate Dale's #3 car), heading through the countryside north of Kannapolis to Dale Earnhardt Inc., better known by some as "The Garage Majal." This glittery granite and glass complex is less than 20 miles from Ralph's humble garage in the back of the family's Kannapolis home where Dale first worked on his cars. DEI is home to Dale Earnhardt Inc.'s stable of drivers, and fans can tour the showroom with its ever-changing Dale Earnhardt exhibits and browse for memorabilia in the gift shop.

Those wanting a full-day experience on The Dale Trail can visit the Kannapolis Intimidators stadium where the legacy of "The Intimidator" lives on. Dale became part of the ownership group of this professional baseball team before he died but sadly never got to see his team play.

Within a few minute's drive to the south of Kannapolis is Lowe's Motor Speedway, the superspeedway Dale called home, and Sam Bass Gallery of Motorsports Art with its exhibits of original and fine art prints relating to Dale Earnhardt and other NASCAR drivers.

Less than an hour's drive north is Richard Childress Racing, home shop for Dale's team and his #3 car. Fans can see into the shop from a fan walk and browse among exhibits relating to Dale's NASCAR victories.

Welcome to the Cabarrus County - the Racing Side of Charlotte, North Carolina! Heart and soul of NASCAR country and home to Lowe's Motor Speedway, we have the highest concentration of motorsports attractions in the world including NASCAR Race Shops. Cabarrus is also home to Concord Mills Mall, North Carolina"s most visited tourism destination. This is the official tourism website of Cabarrus County including Concord, Kannapolis, Harrisburg, Midland, and Mt. Pleasant. For up-to-date vacation planning information on hotels, events, attractions and NASCAR race visitor information click here for a free 2007 Visitors Guide.