WATCH: A look back at NASCAR icon Dale Earnhardt and his 24 Hours of Daytona debut

While Dale Earnhardt might be known for his seven Cup championship victories or his intimidating personality, a much lesser known fact about the legend is his participation in the 24 Hours of Daytona event.

Dale Earnhardt's death, till date, remains to be one of the most bone-chilling incidents in the history of motorsports. The seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion lost his life in a tragic final-lap crash during the 2001 Cup Series season-opener at the Daytona International Speedway.

However, two weeks in the lead up to the infamous Daytona 500, Earnhardt, for the first and last time in his career, took part in the Daytona 24 Hours.

The move was a strategic one, aimed at sharpening his road course racing skills. In rare footage capturing the moment posted on social media, Earnhardt could be seen preparing to enter the 24 Hours of Daytona race as the commentators put forward doubts of nervousness on the face of the seven-time Cup Series champion:

"I mean this is a new environment for him. One thing running by yourself, but when you get out there in a race it’s a different scenario. Was he nervous at all before the green?," the commentator can be heard saying.

How did Dale Earnhardt fare in his only 24 Hours of Daytona race?

Teaming up with son Dale Earnhardt Jr., along with Andy Pilgrim and Kelly Collins, Earnhardt competed in his first ever Rolex 24 at Daytona race.

Piloting the #3 Corvette, alongside his formidable quartet, Earnhardt and Co. secured an impressive fourth-place finish overall and claimed the second spot in its class, in what could be termed a respectable finish.

The 2024 edition of the 24 Hours of Daytona race saw Team Penske breaking a 54-year losing streak at the Rolex 24. Former Formula 1 driver Felipe Nasr, along with teammates Dane Cameron, Matt Campbell, and Indianapolis 500 winner Josef Newgarden, secured victory for the Roger Penske owned outfit.

Meanwhile, Tom Blomqvist, the two-time defending champion heading into the 2024 race, finished P2 in the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class. He had previously won the event in 2022 and 2023 but failed to clinch his third victory in a row. Blomqvist teamed up with Action Express co-drivers Pipo Derani and Jack Aitken.

The remaining class victories included No. 18 Era Motorsport in Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2), No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3 in Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO), and Winward Racing’s No. 57 Mercedes-AMG GT3 in the Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) class.