Waltrip drove a car owned by Earnhardt.
"This is undoubtedly one of the toughest announcements that I've ever personally had to make. But after the accident in Turn 4 at the end of the Daytona 500, we've lost Dale Earnhardt."
"I don't know for sure what happened. We all spread out going down the back straightaway. I knew that was going to happen. I was just hoping we'd get someone to go with us. They spread out, so I just hung with the guys on the outside. I guess someone got into Dale because Dale got into me and then we went up. We hit pretty hard and Dale hit harder."
"NASCAR has lost its greatest driver ever, and I personally have lost a great friend."
"No matter where it happens or how it happens or even how prepared you think you might be for it, losing somebody close to you hurts. My heart just breaks for Teresa and the family."
Petty's son, Adam, was killed last year in a crash during a Busch series practice session in New Hampshire.
"Dale Earnhardt was the greatest race car driver that ever lived. He could do things with a race car that no one else could. You never think anyone will get killed, but he was the last one you'd think that would happen to. "He had a tremendous impact on NASCAR racing. He's done so much to help the sport get wherces. It's going to be hard for anyone else to take it there. He leaves a big, big void here that will be very hard to fill."
