Blk3GM's NASCAR Winston Cup News - Earnhardt 2nd in the Pepsi 400

Earnhardt 2nd in Pepsi 400
July 3, 1999

Earnhardt looked like he was setting Jarrett up for one of his trademark last-lap moves in the draft. But the yellow flag came out after Jeremy Mayfield spun coming out of Turn 4 with two laps to go. And the red-white-and-blue car of Jarrett came out on top again.

It marked the sixth time Earnhardt has finished second in either the Pepsi 400 or the Daytona 500.

"Our guys did a good job all night," said Earnhardt. "Our car was a little tight and loose and I think a lot of the guys were off, too. I told the guys before that last stop that if we didn't get right side tires, I didn't know if we would finish at all. I said 'Give them to me and we'll suffer the consequences. Maybe I can make up time, maybe I can't.'

"It really didn't hurt us, maybe one position. The No. 22 pitted and it caught us back up. I wasn't aware of Jarrett's problem, if he was going to run out of gas or be close, or whatever. I was fortunate to race back up through there. The No. 99 car got right-side tires and we were hooked and were coming up through there."

"I think if it had stayed green, we could've got Jarrett," Earnhardt said. "It was a key to get those right side tires on that last stop and I've got to hand it to the guys, they did a great job. We just ran out of time. I think we could've beat him if we hadn't run out of time."

Owner Richard Childress had said in an interview on the CBS broadcast that the No. 3 car was going to only take on a splash of gas on the final pit stop. But Earnhardt changed the plan.

"We wouldn't have finished second if we didn't put on tires," said Earnhardt. "I told them we weren't going to finish the race, because I would have run into the wall. That put us right back up there with them and enabled us to race by."

Earnhardt seemed to have what he needed to challenge the No. 88 Quality Care Ford. But after racing back to the stripe under caution on Lap 158, the seven-time Winston Cup champion could do little than hope Jarrett ran out of gas.

"If he would have run out (of gas) it would have been great," Earnhardt quipped. "(Being) that close to a win and not winning is tough."

Earnhardt led four times for a total of 18 laps, but he was right in the mix throughout the 160-lap race.

The second-place finish was Earnhardt's was his sixth runner-up finish in a points race at Daytona. It also was his 22nd career top-five finish at DIS. Earnhardt has 33 top-ten finishes in 43 starts at Daytona in Winston Cup Points races.

Qualifying Order Thurs Practice Friday Practice Qualifying Results Race results

Earnhardt top Fridays Practice Session at Daytona
July 2, 1999
Dale Earnhardt led the pace in Fridays Practice Session at Daytona in preparation for the Pepsi 400. Earnhardt led the field with a fast lap of 47:371 seconds, for a top speed of 189.989 mph. Friday Practice

Earnhardt has 33 victories at Daytona, Qualifies 10th and is set for another notch in his belt
July 1, 1999
Earnhardt already has more victories at Daytona International Speedway than any other driver and he'll try to add one more to it this weekend. Tonight Earnhardt qualified 10th for the Pepsi 400 and has qualified in the top 10 for the past 12 Winston Cup Races at Daytona, a streak that dates back to 1994. Saturday could be another Intimidating night. Full Story
Qualifying Order Thurs Practice Friday Practice Qualifying Results

Winston Cup Wins
   *1990 - July race Pepsi 400
   *1993 - July race Pepsi 400
   *1998 - Feb race Daytona 500 (This was the 40th Anniversary of the Daytona 500)

*6 time Winner of the Busch Clash
   1980, 86, 88, 91, 93, 95

*12 Wins (10 consecutive) in the Daytona 125 mile Qualifying Race
   1983, 86, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99

*5 IROC races at Daytona
   2/14/92, 2/18/94, 2/17/95, 2/16/96, 2/12/99

*Seven-time winner of the Goody's 300 Busch race at Daytona
   Five of these were consecutive (82, 86, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94)

Dale Earnhardt's 'favorite track' still Daytona
June 29, 1999
Earnhardt has won 33 races at the famous tri-oval. "I'm at my favorite track," Earnhardt said with a wry smile. "I should be the favorite." Full Story

Earnhardt poised for win, record in Pepsi 400
June 18, 1999
When Dale Earnhardt returns to Daytona International Speedway for the Pepsi 400 on July 3, he will be looking for the win that so narrowly escaped him in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series season-opening Daytona 500. He also will be poised to break a long-held record by Cale Yarborough as the all-time Pepsi 400 lap leader. Full Story

NASCAR
Winston Cup Series

Earnhardt fans, check out That's Racin's new wallpapers

The Life and Times of the "Intimidator"

We are a Link Partner with:

Blk3GM's Dale Earnhardt Site was born on July 26, 1998 and is owned and maintained by Gary Harris. This site is a tribute to "NASCAR's Greatest Driver" and his up and coming son. We are not affiliated with any official Team, Sponsors, Media Group or NASCAR. This site is solely for entertainment purposes. Information and statistic's on this site have been collected from various NASCAR related sites on the internet, from Winston Cup Scene, Newspapers, Television and our personal experience at Winston Cup and Busch Grand National races. All statistics are believed to be accurate at the time they are updated but cannot be guaranteed.