I had this race report 75% finished when I heard the tragic news of the loss Of Dale Earnhardt. In my 5 years of doing my page I've been lucky enough to never have a death to report during a race. I really don't know how to handle this. So here's what I wrote so far. I'll try to say more tomorrow.

With his teammate Dale Earnhardt, Jr. pushing him on his rear bumper and Dale Earnhardt, Sr. running interference a few car lengths back Mike Waltrip won the Daytona 500. In one of the most exciting races in years Mike broke an 0 for 462 streak to win his first WC points race.

The race started with the new Dodge of Bill Elliott on the pole with Stacy Compton in another Dodge starting alongside. Elliott was able to hold the top spot to lead the first lap but fellow Dodge driver, Sterling Marlin drove low, took the lead and led the next few laps. Meanwhile Dale Earnhardt, Jr., driving a Chevy was getting help from Chevy teammate, Mike Skinner, and was able to slip by at the line to lead lap 4. By the time the pack, running up to 5 cars wide reached the first turn Sterling drove by again to retake the lead.

Marlin seemed to be the stoutest car, holding the lead without too much trouble for the next 15 laps. Behind him Ron Hornaday was a "man on a mission" having moved from his 42nd starting spot up to 7th by lap 20. At lap 21 Ward Burton (another fellow Dodge driver) slipped by to lead a lap before Marlin went back ahead for another 5 laps. Dale Earnhardt was also doing a lot of passing behind the #40 of Marlin and with help from fellow Chevy drivers, Jeff Gordon and DE, Jr., took his turn at the point for the next 11 laps. Mike Skinner was finally able to wrest the lead from DE at lap 38 and hold it for a few. Marlin, having lost ground when he was dropped from the draft earlier was knocking off cars at ease and retook the top spot at lap 42 up high. Skinner stayed low and with the cars lined up behind him was able to slide back by and lead until lap 49.

Lap 49 saw the first caution of the day when Jeff Purvis looked to lose a tire and turn up into the wall. Luckily he hit it a "glancing blow" (there is really no glancing blows at 185 mph) and was OK. This was the perfect opportunity for everyone to pit as they were planning to stop at lap 50 or so anyways. Good stops by Ward Burton, Andy Houston, Skinner, DE and Jeff Gordon saw them restart at lap 52 as the top 5.

It was now time for Ward to flex the Dodge muscles and run at the point for a while. DE, Jr. managed to grab the lead for a second at lap 56 but Ward went right back by and led through lap 73. Sterling was tired of looking at rear bumpers and retook the lead as he seemed able to do all day at his leisure. Unfortunately for Marlin it looked like nobody wanted to help him with the draft and Kenny Schrader was able to get a push on the following lap to take the lead at lap 75. A few laps later Mark Martin was able to lead a lap before Schrader went back by to lead until lap 83.

DE took the lead at lap 83 but once again the #22 Dodge of Ward Burton went sailing by to lead laps 85 to 94. Marlin had once more worked his way back to challenge after losing the draft earlier. As was true so far Marlin was able to take the lead at his leisure, whenever he wanted. Green flag stops swapped the lead a few more times between laps 100 and 105 but when the field had cycled through their stops it was the Lowe's team that got Mike Skinner out fastest followed by DE, Jeff Gordon, Steve Park and Ward filling in the top 5.

Over the next 30 laps Gordon, DE, Skinner, Marlin and Ward each took turns at the top before Ward once more grabbed the lead for more than a lap or two. He held the lead for about 8 laps before Sterling once more took the lead for a couple. Ward went by again and held on until green flag stops once more shuffled the field from laps 150-155. Luckiest this time was Sterling with the best stop to come out on top at lap 158. Skinner, strong earlier, broke something in his drive train and had to go behind the wall during this round of stops. Gordon overshot his pit box and having to push him back cost him a few seconds.

So as the cars were now sitting with Marlin out front followed by DE, Jr., Sr. and Steve Park it looked like Dale Earnhardt, Inc. was about to swallow the #40 Dodge. Before they were able to do anything Kurt Busch pulled the rookie of the race move when he pulled up on Joe Nemechek and pinched him against the wall. Busch took the brunt of the wreck with Joe earning my driver of the race award for not spinning after getting his whole right side wiped out by the wall and his front end messed up by Busch. The yellow flag came out at lap 158 and since most everyone had just stopped the lead pack stayed out and held their positions.

Green flag racing came back at lap 162 but not before Marlin was forced to dive down pit road with a cut tire, returning to the track a half lap behind the field. Junior took over the point and led through lap 166 before his team mate, Mike Waltrip took the top spot at lap 167. Two laps later it was the last of the DEI stable to take the lead, when Steve Park grabbed the point for a couple laps. Mike was able to get back by to lead lap 172 to 174 when the yellow flew one more time for the worst wreck of the day.

It appeared, although it was inconclusive no matter how many camera angles Fox had, that Robbie Gordon may have tapped Ward Burton in the rear. With all the cars in a "two by" draft all heck broke loose with Tony Stewart getting airborne and about half the field getting a piece of the wreck. Involved were: Jason Leffler, Steve Park, Rusty Wallace, Robbie, Terry Labonte, Mark Martin, Bobby Labonte, Stewart, Elliott Sadler, Jeff Gordon, Jerry Nadeau, John Andretti, Buckshot Jones, Dale Jarrett and maybe a few more I didn't catch. The red flag came out at lap 175 to clean up the mess while Tony Stewart, complaining of shoulder pains was taken to nearby Halifax Hospital.

Sterling seemed to be the only one to benefit from this crash as he was able to make up the half lap he was behind from his flat tire, but also avoid all the wrecks because he so far behind. When green flag racing began again after a quick pit stop by the field it was Jr. now out front followed by Ricky Rudd, DE, Mike Waltrip and Mike Wallace. Marlin was now back to 7th and ready to make his move back to the front as he did all day. In two laps he was high and riding along side Junior slipping by for first once again at lap 182. But once again, since Sterling easily had the best car nobody wanted to help him and as DE went low with new hiree, Mike behind him pushing he was able to get to the front to lead lap 183.

Marlin dove back down and hooked up with Waltrip, pushing him past the boss and taking the second spot. It was here that Sterling made his dumbest move by not staying glued to Mike's bumper. He seemed to like being the lead but I think he would have been better to sit and wait on a slingshot on either the last lap or the white flag lap. Instead, he pulled out to pass and with no one wanting to push the strongest car to the front he once again caught himself out of the draft. Marlin got back in line in 5th but now he had DE and two thirds of DEI in front of him.

At this point I just found out about the loss of DE. My heart cries. I don't know what else to write. It will do no good to point fingers, it will serve no purpose to berate, NASCAR, Sterling, Dale or God himself. This is a tragedy for his family, for the NASCAR family, for every fan of NASCAR and everyone that has ever heard the name Earnhardt.

Mike Waltrip went on to win his first race ever, the Daytona 500, for his boss, Dale Earnhardt in his last race ever. The tragic twist makes me weep. So I will close for now.

Godspeed Dale Earnhardt. You will be missed by everyone. My prayers go out to his family. My soul weeps at your loss.

Keep The Shiny Side Up!

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