Dale Earnhardt Jr. wins Daytona 500
Dale Earnhardt Jr. was able to manage the longest rain delay in Daytona 500 history and a spate of accidents to score a hugely popular and emotional win at Daytona International Speedway Sunday night.
Earnhardt dominated the final third of the race to score his second Daytona 500 victory and win for the first time in 55 races.
The third-generation driver prevailed in a green-white-checkered finish to bring home NASCAR's biggest prize. Second was Denny Hamlin in a Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, followed by Brad Keselowski, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, making it three Hendrick Chevrolets in the top five.
After waiting a decade to win his second Daytona 500, Earnhardt was understandably jubilant afterward.
"Winning this race is the greatest feeling that you can feel in this sport," said Earnhardt, who had finished second three times in the previous four Daytona 500s. "Aside, obviously, from accepting the trophy for the championship. I didn't know if I'd ever get a chance to feel that again. And it feels just as good, if not better, than the first because of how hard we tried year after year after year, running second all those years, and wondering why and what we needed to do."
"I thought for sure we'd wreck more cars," said runner-up Hamlin, winner of two preliminary races during Daytona Speedweeks. " ... Dale just played it perfectly."
"Congrats to Junior," added Gordon. "The world is right. ... It's going to be a great 2014 season."
The race was rain delayed for more than 6 hours after heavy thunderstorms and a tornado warning hit the Central Florida area mid-afternoon.
Earnhardt dominated the final third of the race to score his second Daytona 500 victory and win for the first time in 55 races.
The third-generation driver prevailed in a green-white-checkered finish to bring home NASCAR's biggest prize. Second was Denny Hamlin in a Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, followed by Brad Keselowski, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, making it three Hendrick Chevrolets in the top five.
After waiting a decade to win his second Daytona 500, Earnhardt was understandably jubilant afterward.
"Winning this race is the greatest feeling that you can feel in this sport," said Earnhardt, who had finished second three times in the previous four Daytona 500s. "Aside, obviously, from accepting the trophy for the championship. I didn't know if I'd ever get a chance to feel that again. And it feels just as good, if not better, than the first because of how hard we tried year after year after year, running second all those years, and wondering why and what we needed to do."
"I thought for sure we'd wreck more cars," said runner-up Hamlin, winner of two preliminary races during Daytona Speedweeks. " ... Dale just played it perfectly."
"Congrats to Junior," added Gordon. "The world is right. ... It's going to be a great 2014 season."
The race was rain delayed for more than 6 hours after heavy thunderstorms and a tornado warning hit the Central Florida area mid-afternoon.
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