I’m a bit embarrassed to write that I had almost forgotten about the time when the stars aligned for these legendary drivers to jump in a C5-R Corvette race car and become a part of racing history–and how perfect was it that the dominant record-setting C5-R was assigned the No. 3? I know that just the mention of Senior and the No. 3 elicits both fond and painful memories for racing fans and enthusiasts alike, as tragedy hit Earnhardt Sr. at NASCAR’s Daytona 500 just 13 days after racing the C5-R to 4th overall at the 2001 24 Hours of Daytona. [Author’s Note: This article is FREE and not behind a paywall. If/when any pop-ups occur, please click to make them disappear and continue enjoying the article. One may require two steps–first, the arrow on the left, then the x on the top right.]
As I started to dig through CorvSport’s vast catalog of Corvette content, I was soon reminded that this remarkable collaboration dated back well beyond our 2010 founding, and what turned out to be a once-in-a-lifetime event almost predated even the earliest Corvette Forum, which launched in 1999. Now, nearly a quarter-century later, the National Corvette Museum has launched a creative new exhibit covering this epic collaboration, with the highlight being personal letters that Dale Sr. wrote to Andy Pilgrim.
As the story goes, after Andy Pilgrim pulled off an impressive move (later coined the Pilgrim Pass) to secure the win for Corvette Racing during the 2000 Petit Le Mans, Dale Sr. was so impressed he reached out, with a method that is almost unheard of today–a personal letter sent via snail mail. In that late October 2000 letter (featured in its entirety below), Dale Sr. remarked to Andy that the “drive and determination” it took to win the Petit Le Mans is “exactly why I want you for a teammate in the 24 hours of Daytona.” Dale Sr. went on to exclaim, “That last lap looked like something we do at Bristol.” It became official two weeks later–Earnhardt and his son, Dale Jr., would team up with Pilgrim and Kelly Collins in a Corvette C5-R.
What’s Inside Today’s CorvSport Coverage:
- A quick glimpse at the No. 3 C5-R and its drivers
- The NCM post that started it all
- Both letters from Dale Sr. to Andy Pilgrim
- A full photo gallery from the “Speed Captured” exhibit
- Resources for deeper dives
1) A Quick Glimpse at the C5-R Corvette and its Drivers
2) The NCM Post That Got Enthusiasts Talking & Sharing!
You can click on the “f” in the top right corner of the Facebook post below to join other enthusiasts.
- 4200+ Reactions
- 156+ Comments
- 559+ Shares (one of the highest shares I’ve seen on any FB page!)
The NCM writes:
“During the 2000 Petit Le Mans, Andy Pilgrim pulled off a daring move that secured a victory for Corvette Racing. That moment, now known as the “Pilgrim Pass,” caught the attention of Dale Earnhardt. Days later, Pilgrim received a letter from Earnhardt congratulating him and expressing interest in joining Corvette Racing for the 2001 24 Hours of Daytona.
Two weeks later, it became official—Earnhardt and his son, Dale Jr., would team up with Pilgrim and Kelly Collins in a Corvette C5-R. As Earnhardt prepared for the race, he leaned on Pilgrim’s expertise to master the C5-R, forming a friendship that extended beyond the track.
The 2001 24 Hours of Daytona marked Earnhardt’s only start with Corvette Racing. Just 13 days after the race, he was gone. Now, his personal letters to Pilgrim and the legendary C5-R they raced are on display at the National Corvette Museum in our newest exhibit, Speed Captured.”
3) Both letters from Dale Sr. to Andy Pilgrim
- Written October 2, 2000
- Written February 5, 2001, just 13 days before his untimely death
4) A Full Photo Gallery From The “Speed Captured” Exhibit
5) Resources For Deeper Dives
- You can check out the complete “Speed Captured” feature on the NCM’s website here.
From The CorvSport Archives:
- The Racing Victories Of The C5.R At Le Mans: A Retrospective
- 1999 – 2004 Corvette C5-R
- Racing Legend: Revisiting 8 of the Corvette’s Greatest Victories on the Track
- 10 Corvette Racing Highlights
I hope you have found this Dale Sr. C5-R feature just as interesting as I did. Are you CORVETTE OBSESSED like we are? The team of renowned authors and contributors at CorvSport hopes you sense our passion for the iconic Corvette, and our vast database of articles and guides should prove it–5000+ features since Scott Kolecki founded CorvSport over 15 years ago! Join the fastest-growing Corvette community on our Facebook page, with over 171,000 followers (52,000 since January 2023!). Meet other hardcore enthusiasts and say hello. This is Douglas B. signing off–click here if you would like to see more of my features.
