Earnhardt memorials ready for Speedweeks.

The Daytona International Speedway will have two additional structures in place before the start of the 2002 Daytona 500 to commemorate the late, great Dale Earnhardt who lost his life at the famed Speedway one year ago this February.

During the pre-season NASCAR Winston Cup testing sessions at the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway much attention was focused on a mysterious new area of development out in the turn four area of the circuit where seven-time NASCAR Winston Cup Champion Dale Earnhardt was killed during the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500.

Last week the Speedway finally confirmed what many were predicting when it announced that a brand new statue and memorial area would open prior to the 2002 Daytona 500 dedicated to the memory of Earnhardt who won a total of 76 NASCAR Winston Cup races in 22 full seasons in NASCAR's premier division.

The tribute, which has been designed and built by renowned NASCAR sculpt John Lajba, is set to open shortly after the new Dale Earnhardt Memorial Bridge situated outside the Speedway. The bridge, which has been constructed at a cost of more than $4 Million will carry spectators to and from the Speedway and will be open for use prior to the Rolex 24 Hour Sportscar race.

In addition to the two tributes at the track where he scored an incredible 34 race victories including the 1998 Daytona 500 and the 1990, '93 Pepsi 400 in Winston Cup competition and an incredible five straight Busch Grand National season opening victories between 1990 and 1994, a statue of Earnhardt is also being erected in his home town of Kannapolis North Carolina.