All News Brendan Gaughan Brian Vickers Casey Mears Dale Earnhardt Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dale Jarrett Dave Blaney Derrike Cope Elliott Sadler Jamie McMurray Jeff Burton Jeff Gordon Jimmie Johnson Joe Nemechek John Andretti Johnny Sauter Kasey Kahne Kyle Petty Mark Martin Michael Waltrip Mike Skinner Scott Riggs Scott Wimmer Sterling Marlin Tony Stewart

StockCarFans.com RUMBLINGS — DAYTONA:

February 17, 2004 at 12:00 AM
  • They all knew who they had to beat….it just wasn’t gonna get done today! Dale Earnhardt Jr. took the lead for good on lap 181 and led the rest of the way to grab his first ever Daytona 500 victory. Six years to the day from his dad’s only victory in the 500, the Earnhardt’s become the third father-son team to capture the Great American Race, joining the Pettys (Lee and Richard) and the Allisons (Bobby & Davey). It took Dad 20 tries…the son but 5. Pretty select company….
    It was Jr.’s 10th career win (six of ’em plate events), moving him into a tie for 45th on the all-time win list with Sterling Marlin & Donnie Allsion.
    DEI has now won 7 of the last 8 plate races (the rest of the field still has a little catching up to do), and Little E becomes the 29th different driver to win the Daytona 500. His bounty from the over $16M in posted awards was a cool $1,495,070. It wouldn’t be a plate race without a “big one”….and we had it today on lap 72. This time it was a 12-car job, with Michael Waltrip getting the worst of it. All drivers were okay. As scary as that big wreck was, how’s about Johnny Sauter screaming down pit road? What’s up with that![Jayski Note: Sauter was penalized]
    Not too shabby finishing runner-up here….Tony Stewart’s take-home pay this week is over $1M.
    #22-Scott Wimmer (3rd) had his career-best finish today. His previous best was 9th at Phoenix last November.
    #01-Joe Nemechek (6th) had his best finish since he was 3rd at Loudon last September.
    #38-Elliott Sadler (7th) had his best finish since he was 4th at Martinsville last April.
    #88-Dale Jarrett (10th) had his best finish since he was 7th at Bristol last August.
    #1-John Andretti (13th) had his best finish since he was 12th at Loudon last September.
    #41-Casey Mears (14th) had his career-best finish today. His previous best was 15th at Las Vegas last March.
    #23-Dave Blaney (15th) had his best finish since he was 14th at Loudon last September.
    #45-Kyle Petty (21st) had his best finish since he was 16th at Michigan last August.
    #50-Derrike Cope (30th) had his best finish since he was 29th at Las Vegas last March.
    STREAKIN….Jimmie Johnson has 8 Top-10’s in a row. Tony Stewart has 9 Top-10’s in the last 10 races. Jeff Gordon has 9 Top-10’s in the last 10 races.
    The Rookie Report: Scott Wimmer (3rd) is the top finishing freshman today in a slam dunk. He was followed by Brendan Gaughan (19th), Johnny Sauter (26th), Scott Riggs (34th), Brian Vickers (39th), and Kasey Kahne (41st).
    This Week’s Elevator….UP: Operator of the Week is Jeff Gordon (+31), followed by Scott Wimmer (+23), Dale Jarrett (+21), and Mike Skinner (+21). DOWN: The Big Dropper was Mark Martin (-35), followed by Sterling Marlin (-33), Jeff Burton (-31), Jamie McMurray (-29), and Michael Waltrip (-29). This is Gordon’s first Op since Homestead in November of 2002.(StockCarFans.com (Nextel Cup) Newsletter)(2-17-2004)