America's Race

As the green flag dropped in Sundays Daytona 500, I could not help to think back to all of the previous Daytona 500s I have watched. My first 500 was 1990 and in one race I learned the history of NASCAR. Darrell Waltrip was the defending champion and he had tried so many year before winning his coveted 500 in dramatic style. They replayed the victory lane interview and Waltrips tears spoke the magnitude the race means to drivers. So I knew it was a big deal. Then all race long this black car just killed everyone. He too had never won and come oh so close so many times. Dale Earnhardt was poised to his first Daytona 500 as he rocketed down the back straight. Then I learned why this sport will break your heart. Earnhardt cut a tire in turn three falling off the pace and no name Derrike Cope drove past for his first career win in the Daytona 500. I remember running upstairs yelling to my dad how this guy who is the best but never won this race was going to win and in the 2nd to last turn after 500 miles lost. I couldn't believe it. But hey my driver finished 7th. And so it began, the tradition of Speedweeks each February.



For the 1991 edition, talk all speedweek was can Earnhardt finally win the 500. I learned even more about NASCAR during the race as they had cars representing all branches of the military. NASCAR is the most patriotic sports. Luck is one of the most important aspects in racing. Dale Earnhardt did not have any luck at Daytona. Just a few laps into the race, he hit a sea gull while leading. The damage hurt his car enough to where he was not as dominate and when the laps ran down he could not mustard enough speed to win the race, wrecking with a few laps left while in 2nd. I got my first sense of rage as Rusty Wallace, my driver, was leading with 13 laps left and then was wrecked out of the race. Boy I was pissed.

Recently retired legendary Washington Redskins Head Coach Joe Gibbs formed a NASCAR team and the buzz around the Washington area was his chances at the 1993 Daytona 500. This is the first time I can recall Washington showing any interested in racing. Another first was a rookie named Jeff Gordon making his first 500 start. Gordon won a Twin 125 qualifying race and started 3rd. But the story again was Earnhardt. Could he win. He came off his worst season in many years finishing outside the top 10 in points and was looking to rocket his way into 93 and a 6th Winston Cup Championship. Again Earnhardt led and led. But a new twist was added, Danger. With about 40 laps to go Rusty was showing a lot of strength running in the top 10 but disaster struck. Two cars made contact and Rusty went low but got hit in the right rear sending his car flipping through the air over and over again. When it stopped I felt sick and ran to the bathroom thinking I just watched my driver get killed. After throwing up Rusty got out of the car waved to the crowd like nothing happened. I could not believe it.



Anyway, as the laps wore down Earnhardt still led but Dale Jarrett, Joe Gibbs driver, was in 3rd. I really wanted to Earnhardt win but Joe was in second how cool is this I said. With 3 laps left, Jarrett moved high around rookie Gordon and going into turn 3rd of lap 199 he stuck his nose right under Earnhardts spoiler getting him loose. It's the last lap and they are side by side. Jarrett's father Ned is a race announcer for CBS giving him driving tips and Jarrett follows them as if he can actually hear his dad. Coming off turn 4 we hear those famous lines, "It's the Dale and Dale show as we come off turn 4, you know who I'm pulling for Dale Jarrett, bring her to the inside Dale don't let him get down there, he’s gonna make it, Dale Jarrett is going to win the DAYTONA 500!!!!!!!!!!!! All Right!!!!!!!!!!!" A great victory for Jarrett and great heartbreak for Earnhardt. With Gibbs winning the 500, NASCAR become not just a hobby but an obsession.

1995, same story different year. Rusty crashes and Dale finishes 2nd. 1996, Dale and Dale Show 2. Jarrett wins, Earnhardt 2nd, again. But Gordon finished last this race which made me quite happy and Rusty finished on the lead lap for the first time since I started to watch the Daytona 500.

1997 had a different feel to speedweeks. Earnhardt did not seem so strong and Rusty looked like a contender. Rusty was fast, finishing 2nd in the Bud shootout and running strong in the Twin 125s. Earnhardt got better winning a Twin 125 for the 8th straight year. Rusty looked pretty good at the start. He was in the top 15 when first out stops came around but Rusty never made it out. Blown Engine. I was pissed. Finally Rusty has a good car and the motor pukes. Well maybe Dale will win cause he is looking good today. That held true as Earnhardt was running second in the closing laps then disaster struck. Gordon got underneath Earnhardt pushing him into the wall and Jarrett ran into the back of the black number 3 sending Earnhardt flipping. Another defeat, 0 for 19. Worst of all Gordon passed race leader Bill Elliott with a few laps to go to win the race.

When 1998 came around, Earnhardt had not won in 59 races, Rusty had one win in 1997 and had 12 DNFs (Did not Finish). Speedweeks got off to a bang as Rusty won the Bud Shootout passing Jeff Gordon on a restart with one lap to go while being pushed by his brother Kenny Wallace to the win. To date, that was Rusty's only win in a Restrictor Plate Race. Then the Twin 125s came and Rusty and Dale were one and two most of the race. Dale won again and Rusty finished in the top 5. Race day came and I had mixed emotions. Rusty had a great car but Dale was 0 for 19. Well Dale took the lead early and that Blue Deuce rocketed to the front staying in the top 5 most of the race. After a set of pit stops Gordon took the lead and held it through the next round of stops. A four car breakaway had formed with Gordon leading Rusty Dale and Rusty's Teammate Jeremy Mayfield. While approaching lap traffic Earnhardt went high trying to pass both Rusty and Gordon. Side by side through turn three and Rusty locks in behind Earnhardt pushing the 7 time Cup Champion to the lead. After a caution Rusty is now in the lead. Rusty leading at Daytona I could not believe it. But he earned it. Rusty was quickly passed by Earnhardt and Dale set his sight in the checkered flag. 50 to go. 40 to go. 30 to go. 20 to go. 10 to go and still in the lead. 5 to go still in the lead and her comes a green rocket Bobby Labonte driving non other than Joe Gibbs cars. Labonte in 2nd with 2 laps to go I let Mike Joy of CBS Sports do the rest...



Mike Joy then said if your favorite driver could not win the Daytona 500, then you would ahve wanted to see this man Dale Earnhardt win and he could not be more right because I had tears in my eyes. A note about the race is I taped the race. It was the first time I taped any NASCAR race and man Dale finally wins.

So Dale wins finally now it’s Rusty's turn in 1999. Boy he was on a mission. I just knew he was going to win the race. All week he was lightning fast. The race started and no matter where his car went he was passing people. Rusty led 104 laps and was the best car. But a late caution came out and his crew chief told Rusty to stay out while everyone pitted. Big mistake. Rusty did all he could and with 10 laps to go Gordon went low and Skinner went high. Rusty in the middle all by himself still leading but he could only hold on so long. He fell like a brick in water finishing 8th. I was heartbroken. This is my most bitter race of all time. Also this is the reason I hate Valentines Day. Not because of women but because the race was on Valentines Day and Rusty should have won. And of all people to win, Jeff Gordon. This was my St. Valentines Day Massacre

The pit crew screwed Rusty out of another win in 2000. Bad pit stops led to a 4th place finish.

The 2001 Daytona 500: We've lost Dale Earnhardt



The 2002 Daytona was spent in the hospital. I collapsed my lung the week before the 500 and spent all week watching NASCAR 24/7. As for the race, Rusty was great but no drafting help got him in the back and he finished outside the top 10.

The 2003 Daytona 500 sucked. Rain caused the rain to end after only 107 laps. I'm still mad about that,

In 2004 I knew Rusty had no shot to win the 500. His car was awful so I wanted to see Dale Jr take it home. Running behind Tony Stewart for most of the race Dale Jr made his move passing Stewart with 17 laps to go. He held on winning his first Daytona 500 on the same day as his father did, February 15th.



Rusty's Last Call:
I knew the day had to come and it finally did, Rusty's Last Daytona 500 start. I wanted him to win so bad but just did not have enough car. Rusty was great all day running in the top 10 most of the race. A late race shuffle moved Rusty back to 10th but a top 10 in his last 500 was awesome. What was also great was the finish. # lead changes in the final 9 laps and after a horrible Dale Jr came out of nowhere to take the lead from Tony Stewart on a breath taking move to the outside. Unfortunately he did not win as Jeff Gordon won his 3rd Daytona 500.



The 2006 Daytona 500 did not really happen to me. I just missed Rusty too much.

Finally after more than a year I picked a new driver during Speedweeks 2007. Dale Jr is my guy. I have loved Jr since his first Busch win at Texas on a last lap pass. The green dropped and all race I was quite relaxed. Then the moment came. With under 10 laps to go Martin Truex was being shuffled out and instead of staying low, Dale Jr went high with his buddy and I screamed at the TV, "What the hell are you doing?" At that moment Bradford came out of the room and said "He's back, Dustin now has a driver", as I sit there in frustration knowing Dale Jr ruined his chances of winning the 500. As for the finish. I'll let you watch.