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| Dale Earnhardt Jr perfect so far in 2008 |
Dale Earnhardt Jr won the first Gatorade Duel at Daytona leading 26 laps and making it two in a row for his Hendrick Motorsports team. Reed Sorenson and Ryan Newman followed Earnhardt Jr across the line while Casey Mears and Carl Edwards rounded out the top 5.
Claiming the two transfer spots and racing their way into the Daytona 500 were Kenny Wallace and Brian Vickers.
Earnhardt's win continued his Daytona "happy time" since NASCAR's most popular driver started his season with new car owner Rick Hendrick Saturday night by winning the Bud Shootout.
He was one happy dude. He was happy again Thursday, but the happiest guy on the race track had to be Kenny Wallace. And the second happiest had to be Brian Vickers.
Both drivers had to "race" their way into Sunday's 50th anniversary of the Great American Race, the Daytona 500.
Wallace finished eighth behind Earnhardt, Reed Sorenson, Ryan Newman, Casey Mears, Carl Edwards, Bobby Labonte and Juan Pablo Montoya.
Vickers finished a few spots further back in 11th behind Sam Hornish and Paul Menard.
It was an amazing run for Vickers who had to overcome an early spin plus an extra pit stop.
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Quick in and quick out
Photo Credit: John Harrelson/Getty Images |
Earnhardt diced it up at the front with Sorenson, Newman and others en route his win. Once again, he was happy and hoped the fans enjoyed the race.
"That was fun" he said. "These new cars are a handful, but we'll sort that all out. It reminded me of the old days with the cars slipping and sliding around."
Brian Vickers brought out the caution on the second lap, spinning across the track out of turn four after being tapped from the rear by Boris Said.
Fortunately, Vickers' Toyota escaped damage, and he returned to the race at the back of the field.
Seven cars, including Daytona 500 pole winner Jimmie Johnson, started the first race from the rear after engine problems in practice forced a change. Casey Mears, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., AJ Allmendinger, Clint Bowyer, J.J. Yeley and Scott Riggs also started from the rear.
Joe Nemechek roared to the front early on and showed his Furniture Row Chevy was quick. Nemechek, Newman and Sorensen swapped the lead while Kurt Busch dropped from contention on the ninth lap with mechanical problems.
By lap 15, Edwards and Truex sped to the front of the field. Two laps later, Earnhardt completed his charge from the back of the field to the front.
Full Results
|
FIN |
ST |
CAR |
DRIVER |
MAKE |
SPONSOR |
PTS/BNS |
LAPS |
STATUS |
| 1 |
5 |
88 |
Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
Chevrolet |
AMP Energy / National Guard |
PE |
60 |
Running |
| 2 |
18 |
41 |
Reed Sorenson |
Dodge |
Target |
PE |
60 |
Running |
| 3 |
9 |
12 |
Ryan Newman |
Dodge |
ALLTEL |
PE |
60 |
Running |
| 4 |
3 |
5 |
Casey Mears |
Chevrolet |
Kellogg's / CARQUEST |
PE |
60 |
Running |
| 5 |
15 |
99 |
Carl Edwards |
Ford |
Office Depot |
PE |
60 |
Running |
| 6 |
23 |
43 |
Bobby Labonte |
Dodge |
Cheerios / Betty Crocker |
PE |
60 |
Running |
| 7 |
19 |
42 |
Juan Montoya |
Dodge |
Texaco / Havoline |
PE |
60 |
Running |
| 8 |
11 |
187 |
Kenny Wallace |
Chevrolet |
Furniture Row |
PE |
60 |
Running |
| 9 |
20 |
77 |
Sam Hornish Jr. * |
Dodge |
Mobil 1 |
PE |
60 |
Running |
| 10 |
16 |
15 |
Paul Menard |
Chevrolet |
PEAK / Menards |
PE |
60 |
Running |
| 11 |
6 |
83 |
Brian Vickers |
Toyota |
Red Bull |
PE |
60 |
Running |
| 12 |
2 |
78 |
Joe Nemechek |
Chevrolet |
Furniture Row Racing |
PE |
60 |
Running |
| 13 |
7 |
84 |
A.J. Allmendinger |
Toyota |
Red Bull |
PE |
60 |
Running |
| 14 |
17 |
1 |
Martin Truex Jr. |
Chevrolet |
Bass Pro Shops / Tracker |
PE |
60 |
Running |
| 15 |
8 |
66 |
Scott Riggs |
Chevrolet |
State Water Heaters |
PE |
60 |
Running |
| 16 |
22 |
21 |
Bill Elliott |
Ford |
Little Debbie |
PE |
60 |
Running |
| 17 |
10 |
01 |
Regan Smith * |
Chevrolet |
Principal Financial Group |
PE |
60 |
Running |
| 18 |
21 |
07 |
Clint Bowyer |
Chevrolet |
Jack Daniel's |
PE |
60 |
Running |
| 19 |
4 |
160 |
Boris Said |
Ford |
7-Eleven Slurpee / No Fear |
PE |
60 |
Running |
| 20 |
12 |
70 |
Jeremy Mayfield |
Chevrolet |
Junior Johnson's Midnight Moon |
PE |
60 |
Running |
| 21 |
25 |
109 |
Sterling Marlin |
Chevrolet |
Miccosukee Resort & Gaming |
PE |
60 |
Running |
| 22 |
14 |
19 |
Elliott Sadler |
Dodge |
Best Buy |
PE |
60 |
Running |
| 23 |
1 |
48 |
Jimmie Johnson |
Chevrolet |
Lowe's |
PE |
60 |
Running |
| 24 |
27 |
08 |
Carl Long |
Dodge |
MILLSTAR Tools / Rhino's Energy Drink |
PE |
59 |
Running |
| 25 |
26 |
96 |
J.J. Yeley |
Toyota |
DLP HDTV |
PE |
59 |
Running |
| 26 |
24 |
45 |
Kyle Petty |
Dodge |
Wells Fargo |
PE |
59 |
Running |
| 27 |
13 |
2 |
Kurt Busch |
Dodge |
Miller Lite |
PE |
9 |
Out of Race
|
Daytona 500 Lineup
| POS |
CAR |
DRIVER |
MAKE |
SPONSOR |
SPEED |
TIME |
BEHIND |
| 1 |
48 |
Jimmie Johnson |
Chevrolet |
Lowe's |
187.075 |
48.109 |
Leader |
| 2 |
55 |
Michael Waltrip |
Toyota |
NAPA AUTO PARTS |
186.734 |
48.197 |
-0.088 |
| 3 |
88 |
Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
Chevrolet |
AMP Energy / National Guard |
- |
- |
- |
| 4 |
11 |
Denny Hamlin |
Toyota |
FedEx Express |
- |
- |
- |
| 5 |
41 |
Reed Sorenson |
Dodge |
Target |
- |
- |
- |
| 6 |
20 |
Tony Stewart |
Toyota |
The Home Depot |
- |
- |
- |
| 7 |
12 |
Ryan Newman |
Dodge |
ALLTEL |
- |
- |
- |
| 8 |
24 |
Jeff Gordon |
Chevrolet |
DuPont |
- |
- |
- |
| 9 |
5 |
Casey Mears |
Chevrolet |
Kellogg's / CARQUEST |
- |
- |
- |
| 10 |
9 |
Kasey Kahne |
Dodge |
Budweiser |
- |
- |
- |
| 11 |
99 |
Carl Edwards |
Ford |
Office Depot |
- |
- |
- |
| 12 |
8 |
Mark Martin |
Chevrolet |
U.S. Army |
- |
- |
- |
| 13 |
43 |
Bobby Labonte |
Dodge |
Cheerios / Betty Crocker |
- |
- |
- |
| 14 |
6 |
David Ragan |
Ford |
AAA |
- |
- |
- |
| 15 |
42 |
Juan Montoya |
Dodge |
Texaco / Havoline |
- |
- |
- |
| 16 |
29 |
Kevin Harvick |
Chevrolet |
Shell / Pennzoil |
- |
- |
- |
| 17 |
187 |
Kenny Wallace |
Chevrolet |
Furniture Row |
- |
- |
- |
| 18 |
16 |
Greg Biffle |
Ford |
3M |
- |
- |
- |
| 19 |
77 |
Sam Hornish Jr.* |
Dodge |
Mobil 1 |
- |
- |
- |
| 20 |
44 |
Dale Jarrett |
Toyota |
UPS |
- |
- |
- |
| 21 |
15 |
Paul Menard |
Chevrolet |
PEAK / Menards |
- |
- |
- |
| 22 |
34 |
John Andretti |
Chevrolet |
Makoto |
- |
- |
- |
| 23 |
83 |
Brian Vickers |
Toyota |
Red Bull |
- |
- |
- |
| 24 |
18 |
Kyle Busch |
Toyota |
M&M's |
- |
- |
- |
| 25 |
1 |
Martin Truex Jr. |
Chevrolet |
Bass Pro Shops / Tracker |
- |
- |
- |
| 26 |
7 |
Robby Gordon |
Dodge |
Jim Beam |
- |
- |
- |
| 27 |
66 |
Scott Riggs |
Chevrolet |
State Water Heaters |
- |
- |
- |
| 28 |
17 |
Matt Kenseth |
Ford |
DEWALT |
- |
- |
- |
| 29 |
01 |
Regan Smith* |
Chevrolet |
Principal Financial Group |
- |
- |
- |
| 30 |
28 |
Travis Kvapil |
Ford |
K&N Filters |
- |
- |
- |
| 31 |
07 |
Clint Bowyer |
Chevrolet |
Jack Daniel's |
- |
- |
- |
| 32 |
38 |
David Gilliland |
Ford |
FreeCreditReport.com |
- |
- |
- |
| 33 |
70 |
Jeremy Mayfield |
Chevrolet |
Junior Johnson's Midnight Moon |
- |
- |
- |
| 34 |
22 |
Dave Blaney |
Toyota |
Caterpillar |
- |
- |
- |
| 35 |
19 |
Elliott Sadler |
Dodge |
Best Buy |
- |
- |
- |
| 36 |
31 |
Jeff Burton |
Chevrolet |
AT&T Mobility |
- |
- |
- |
| 37 |
96 |
J.J. Yeley |
Toyota |
DLP HDTV |
- |
- |
- |
| 38 |
26 |
Jamie McMurray |
Ford |
Crown Royal Cask No. 16 |
- |
- |
- |
| 39 |
45 |
Kyle Petty |
Dodge |
Wells Fargo |
- |
- |
- |
| 40 |
40 |
Dario Franchitti* |
Dodge |
Dodge Journey |
- |
- |
- |
| 41 |
78 |
Joe Nemechek |
Chevrolet |
Furniture Row Racing |
- |
- |
- |
| 42 |
00 |
David Reutimann |
Toyota |
Aaron's Dream Machine |
- |
- |
- |
| 43 |
2 |
Kurt Busch |
Dodge |
Miller Lite |
Champion's Provisional |
