Garry Hill print captures Dale Jr. 500 victory

Could you imagine a more fitting title than "Born To Win" for a print featuring Dale Earnhardt Jr.? Absolutely not.

"Born To Win" is the latest limited edition print being offered by renowned motorsports artist Garry Hill. The latest installment in Hill's highly-acclaimed "Great Moments in Racing Series" commemorates Earnhardt Jr.'s stirring triumph in the 2004 Daytona 500, the 46th running of The Great American Race.

"It is a tremendous honor to have the opportunity to create the artwork celebrating such a historic victory in the career of Dale Earnhardt Jr," said Hill, a native Virginian now making his home in Mooresville, NC. "I had the privilege of working with Dale Sr. and Richard Childress Racing a few years back on a piece to commemorate Dale's win in the 1998 Daytona 500. Even after seven championships, three victories in the all-star race and more than 70 wins, Dale said winning the '500' was his biggest win. It is overwhelming to be able to work with Dale Jr., DEI, NASCAR, and International Speedway Corporation to put this package together for a third generation driver whose family has contributed so much to the sport."

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"Born To Win" is an entirely original composition, not an image derived from a photograph. The illustration depicts Junior's No. 8 Budweiser "Born on Date" Chevy flashing under the checkered flag after 500 miles of all out war.

"It was a hard fought battle," Hill noted. "Dale Jr. had a strong car throughout the race, even though Tony Stewart actually led the most laps. In the end, it was Dale Jr.'s day. The number of hours that DEI put into its superspeedway program is probably unparalleled, and that proved to be the difference."

A total of only 500 limited edition prints and 50 artist's proofs are being released. Each has been signed by the artist.

For nearly two decades, Hill has captured on canvas the pivotal moments of NASCAR's most historic races. In addition to the "Great Moments in Racing" collection, his "All-Star Series" chronicles NASCAR's annual all-star clash at Lowe's Motor Speedway. The inaugural release in that collection commemorated the 1987 event and became the first signed and numbered NASCAR print ever published.

"I always try to showcase the defining moment of each race featured in my artwork," Hill explained. "One of the most difficult aspects of what I do is choosing that particular moment. Everyone says a picture is worth a thousand words, but it's up to the artist to prove it. Picking that one defining moment is paramount."

Hill is perhaps best known for his print entitled "The Pass in The Grass," which showcased Dale Earnhardt's daring move to the inside of Bill Elliott in the 1987 running of The Winston. That artwork was the initial release in the Great Moments in Racing Series, and is one of the most recognizable racing prints of all time.

Look for limited edition prints from Garry Hill in the NASCAR.COM SuperStore, or check out the artist's web site at www.garryhill.com.