An investigation by the Smithsonian Channel series into the whereabouts of Dale Earnhardt’s first race car follows a trail of clues that may lead to a startling discovery. Two rare photographs from the Intimidator’s early career confirm that his very first race car was pink – a Ford K2 that over time has become almost as famous as the driver himself. For years Earnhardt’s family has believed the car was simply sold for scrap, but the SPORTS DETECTIVES may have found evidence to contradict the conventional wisdom.
The complete investigation can be seen in a new episode of SPORTS DETECTIVES premiering Sunday, May 8 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Smithsonian Channel.
SPORTS DETECTIVES co-host Kevin Barrows begins his search in Earnhardt’s hometown of Kannapolis, North Carolina, where he meets with Greg Dayvault, the creator of a life-sized replica of the famed vehicle. Dayvault explains that back in 1970 nobody knew that Dale would become the legend he is today, so the pink K2 could be anywhere – intact or in pieces. Barrows then speaks with Dale’s mother and sister, who shared stories of the Intimidator’s colorful beginnings in a family of racers. Martha Earnhardt, Dale’s mother, recalls that one night “I had a husband, a son, a son-in-law and a daughter all racing in the same night. I didn’t even have a nerve pill or nothing!” Earnhardt would go on to become one of the most celebrated NASCAR drivers of all time until his tragic death in 2001.
Barrows tracks down David Oliver, who was married to Dale’s sister at the time and actually owned the K2. He too thinks it’s lost forever. “How many people can remember their first car when they got done with it?” Oliver said. “It goes off somewhere and you never see it again, you know. And it’s the same thing with that old race car. It was no good to us anymore…We disposed of it. Where it went, we don’t have the least idea.”
Undaunted, Barrows continues his search, following a trail of clues that leads to an extraordinary encounter, tantalizing forensic tests, and a startling conclusion that will have racing fans debating for some time. The iconic pink K2, like the legend of Dale Earnhardt, never really went away. And it might still be out there.
SPORTS DETECTIVES is a docu-series that investigates missing or disputed treasures from some of the most iconic moments in American sports history. Stories in SPORTS DETECTIVES are told through first-hand accounts from the players, managers, announcers, and fans who witnessed sports history unfold. With state-of-the-art technology, sports analysis, and real-life detective work, SPORTS DETECTIVES plunges into the moments that made these objects so coveted, piecing together the evidence for what happened and why.
SPORTS DETECTIVES (www.smithsonianchannel.com/sportsdetectives) is produced by Left/Right for Smithsonian Channel. Executive producers for Left/Right are Banks Tarver, Ken Druckerman and John Marks. Brian Biegel and Robert Harris are also executive producers. David Royle and Charles Poe are executive producers for Smithsonian Channel.
Smithsonian Channel PR
- Acacia Energy Joins KLAS Motorsports and Andy Jankowiak for Talladega ARCA Racing Series Event - April 18, 2024
- Tickets Now On Sale For ASA STARS Return To Hickory Motor Speedway - April 18, 2024
- Hendrick Motorsports Media Advance: Talladega - April 18, 2024