Sorry, I had the precise details wrong. It was a long time ago, and I did not bother to "google" it.
From the article:
On Feb. 18th. 2001, while racing for fame and fortune, Dale Earnhardt died in the last lap of the Daytona 500. It was surely a tragedy for his family, friends and fans. He was 49 years old with grown children, one which was in the race. I am new to the NASCAR culture so much of what I know has come from the newspaper and TV. He was a winner and earned everything he had. This included more than "$41 million in winnings and ten times that from endorsements and souvenir sales."
He had a beautiful home and a private jet. He drove the most sophisticated cars allowed and every part was inspected and replaced as soon as there was any evidence of wear. This normally fully funded by the car and team sponsors. Today there is no TV station that does not constantly remind us of his tragic end and the radio already has a song of tribute to this winning driver.
Nothing should be taken away from this man, he was a professional and the best in his profession. He was in a very dangerous business. But the rewards were great.
Two weeks ago seven U.S. Army soldiers died in a training accident when two UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters collided during night maneuvers in Hawaii. The soldiers were all in their twenties, pilots,crewchiefs and infantrymen. Most of them lived in sub-standard housing. If you add their actual duty hours (in the field, deployed) they probably earn something close to minimum wage.
The article:
TheVeteransPage