Earnhardt 2nd in Daytona 500 Dale Earnhardt fought the odds of an ill
handling car early in the race. Once the push in the car was corrected by his pit
crew then the primary ignition system failed and he was forced to go to the backup
ignition system. Earnhardt masterfully worked his way back to the front to be in
contention for the win. With just 25 laps remaining, under caution, Earnhardt pitted
for tires and fuel. On the restart he was eighth. Within a lap he was third.
Earnhardt, Skinner, Gordon and Kenny Irwin all took their shots at getting around
Rusty Wallace, the race leader. Finally, Earnhardt hooked up with Jeff Gordon and
pushed him around Wallace. Earnhardt followed. For the last 10 laps Earnhardt
went high, went low and every way he could to pass Gordon for the lead. "I was
just trying to get some help," said Earnhardt, who came within a car length of
winning his second consecutive Daytona 500. "The 28 car (Kenny Irwin) and the 31
(Skinner) were trying to race each other. I couldn't really muster much on Jeff. His car
was stronger from the center of the corner off than I was. I just never could get to him.
If I could have got to him, I could have got a bumper under him. After crossing
the finish line, on the cool down lap, Earnhardt put his signature on Gordon's car.
Pulling along side the 24 car Earnhardt rubbed his tire on the door panel of Gordon's car,
leaving a donut mark as a reminder that as the Dupont Monte Carlo sets in Daytona USA this
year that it was the 3 car that pushed him to the front. Race Results
Earnhardt Jr. survives Speed Week and learned some
lessons Dale Earnhardt Jr. took some bumps and bruises
during Speed Week '99. He was caught up in an early wreck during the IROC race on
Thursday. The during the last Busch Series practice on Friday was caught up in another
wreck causing him to have to go to a backup car for Saturday's NAPA Auto Parts 300 and
forefit his 16th place starting postion and start in the back of the pack. Even on
Saturday, after working his way up to second, he was caught up in yet another wreck on a
re-start, but was able to complete all 120 laps of the NAPA Auto Parts 300 for a 14th
place finish. Race Results
Earnhardt Wins 23rd Annual Tru-Value IROC! Feb. 12,1998 - DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. Dale
Earnhardt passed Mark Martin in turn four of the final lap of the 23rd Annual IROC series
race to take the checked flag and win. This is Earnhardt 33rd victory at Daytona
racing events. Bobby Labonte followed Earnhardt around Mark Martin just edging
Martin out for second place. Mark Martin finished third, Kenny Brack - fourth, G.
Moore - fifth, Jeff Gordon - sixth and Dale Jarrett - seventh. Dale Earnhardt Jr. was
taken out of the event early in the race when Rusty Wallace wrecked and collected Dale Jr.
NASCAR's Gatorade Twin 125
Race Results
Race 2 Dale Earnhardt Wins 10th Consecutive Gatorade Twin 125!
Tony Stewart led the first seven laps of race 2 then Earnhardt took the lead on
lap eight and never looked back. Jeremy Mayfield, Dale Jarrett, Rusty Wallace and Mike
Skinner finished nose to tail behind Dale Earnhardt to round out the top-five. Tony
Stewart finished sixth. Earnhardt has
won all 10 consecutive Twin 125 races in the 1990's. Earnhardt said, "Now this race
is put to bed, we can go on and win the Daytona 500." For Earnhardt,
he extended his record to 32 victories at Daytona, while Labonte captured his first. "All I can
say is I love Daytona and I just have a great race team," said Earnhardt. "It
has just worked out. I come back every year thinking, this is going to be the year I lose
the qualifying race--and then we go out and win it again." Posted awards
for Sunday's Daytona 500 are $8,067,929 with more than $1million going to the champion. It
is slated for a green flag at 12:15 p.m. and can be seen live on CBS Sports and heard on
MRN Radio. Dale Earnhardt
couldn’t resist a dig or two at rookie Tony Stewart, who started first and finished
sixth in the second Twin 125. While complimenting Stewart as a “good little
racer,” Earnhardt also called him a “mirror-driving son of a gun” after
Stewart forced him low during Dale’s move for the lead. What about Jeff Gordon,
winner of the past two NASCAR championships? “Wonder Boy don’t bother me down
here,” Earnhardt said. Asked when anyone would equal his record in 125s, Dale said,
“It’ll be at least 10 years.” And a final mot from Earnhardt, when the
interviewer asked if there were any more questions: “Save some for Sunday,
guys.”
Race 1
Bobby Labonte wins the 1st race over Jeff Gordon, Jeff
Burton, Ken Schrader and Mark Martin round out
the top-five. Steve Park finished 12th and is guaranteed a starting position in the
Daytona 500.
Earnhardt 
"I was
just trying to get some help," said Earnhardt, who came within a car length of
winning his second consecutive Daytona 500. "The 28 car (Kenny Irwin) and the 31
(Skinner) were trying to race each other. I couldn't really muster much on Jeff. His car
was stronger from the center of the corner off than I was. I just never could get to him.
If I could have got to him, I could have got a bumper under him.
