 The Earnhardt family of Kannapolis began its association with NASCAR with Ralph Earnhardt.His son Dale would become a major star in the sport, winning 76 Cup series races and tying Richard Petty's record of 7 championships before his death in the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500.Dale's son Dale Jr. was also highly successful and was considered the face of NASCAR until his retirement from racing after the 2017 season.