Braves legend Chipper Jones honors NASCAR icon Dale Earnhardt ahead of the 24th anniversary of his passing

During his playing days, Atlanta Braves legend Chipper Jones was known for his proficiency in producing home runs. Now that he has hung up his gloves and cleats, the Baseball Hall of Famer has been busy on social media, particularly on X (formerly Twitter).

In a tweet on Tuesday, the former slugging star recalled and paid tribute to NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt. Known as "The Intimidator" or sometimes "Dale Sr." (as his son Dale Earnhardt Jr. would also carve out a racing career of his own), Earnhardt was one of the best drivers of his generation, winning seven Winston Cup Series titles.

"He was so cool…..and a huge Braves fan!" Chipper Jones wrote on X.

In the photo, Earnhardt was photographed sporting a 1995 Atlanta Braves championship hat.

Motorsports fans, particularly NASCAR fans, hold an annual tradition of paying their respects to the racing icon during the Daytona 500, or the opening week of every NASCAR top-flight season. This is because Earnhardt died during the 2001 version of NASCAR's most prestigious event due to an unfortunate accident.

In the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500, Dale Sr. was running in third and protecting the lead of his driver Michael Waltrip and son Dale Jr., who were running first and second, respectively.

Earnhardt was then caught in the left rear fender by a charging Sterling Marlin. His famous black No. 3 car would then wobble to the right and collect Ken Schrader at the top of the track as it slammed into the wall on turn four of the Daytona International Speedway in Florida. He was pronounced dead at the Halifax Medical Center due to a basilar skull fracture.

Dale Earnhardt's close ties to the Atlanta Braves

Dale Earnhardt was a huge supporter of the club and was good friends with former long-time Braves coach Ned Yost. After Yost was selected as a manager by the Milwaukee Brewers after his stint in Atlanta, he wore No. 3 in honor of Dale Sr.

During the lockout-stricken 1994 MLB season, Yost was called upon by Earnhardt to be a part of the squad as its "hydration engineer." The longtime baseball coach cited the experience as one of the factors that helped him be a better bullpen coach during Atlanta's 1995 World Series-winning campaign.