[HQ] Jeff Gordon Career Win #40 1998 Pepsi 400 at Daytona [Full Race]

the following is a special presentation of POTUS voice [Music] over 50 years ago NASCAR firmly established its roots in Daytona Beach Florida with legendary drivers like Lee Patty and Tim flock battling for supremacy on the beaches of Daytona and in 1959 through the vision of bill France senior the completion of Daytona International Speedway continued the mystique Ocasek NASCAR's famous characters celebrated rivalries and storybook finishes truly propelling Daytona to Racing's highest pedestal tonight history shines on Daytona again and the world center of speed is viewed in a whole new light Daytona is the birthplace of speed and 50 years ago the birthplace of the organization known as that car stray again [Music] it is an historical night 3.5 million watts of power an hour lighting up the world's most famous racetrack 43 great drivers are ready to strap in and race for 400 miles PNM is proud to bring you live coverage of the Pepsi 400 racing under the lights tonight in Daytona and I'll second that dick let's talk about the points race a minute Jeff Gordon is having a dream season he has 10 wins he has 16 top-five finishes as he tries to win his third cup title but the big number is 288 he leads Mark Martin by that total now bark mark is also head of what's for lunch can burn jelly attitude another day Poornima sprint shirt you got on the green and the chase take Hopkins except arrow [Music] nice shirt ready for some high-speed non-stopping join host Jeff Gordon for TNN solutes our Motorsports it's gonna be a winner you will have a front row seat for critical points races and Winston Cup Busch grand national and NHRA drag racing what's this great race new specials feature in the fat and the famous you'll see profiles of Racing's pioneers and rock as Country Music celebrates the 50 years of NASCAR tnn salute the motorsport starts next week back up to you Mike well our points leader Jeff Gordon is great on super speedways I can see from this graphic he's great everywhere the blue bars are short tracks and road courses the RN super speedways buddy look at the last 16 well hey that's a Texas guy 16 times he's been in the top five I mean this guy's got a string going right now that he did I mean how would you catch this guy you don't have any problems I'd raise a good night Jeff Gordon Dale Earnhardt in the background there waiting to be introduced to this huge wrong here what a year it has been for Jeff Gordon trying to go for another Winston Cup championship the last 16 races as we said he's had top-five finishes and that is tough for anybody to beat this points chase rewards consistency and consistency is what Jeff Gordon has had Mark Martin well he hasn't been near as consistent and he trails now but there are still four races left to go let's go down to Glenn Jarrett and Jeff Gordon's already practicing his strategy he's hiding in a group of people over here got to sneak up on somebody from behind Jeff we're talking about points that the title chase the strategy you've got a partner you've got a teammate Terry Labonte you start slow right up in front of you a couple of rows Mark Martin also has one have you guys discussed that as a team you and Terry running together for as much as you can well me and Terry you know have talked in the past and we've been teammates now for the while we pretty much know how it works you know we help each other when we can and do everything that we can to be you know together and to be nose-to-tail because we know two cars that work together gonna be better but that doesn't always work but it seemed to work pretty good last weekend I hope we can keep it up and every chance I get to work with him I'm going to and I feel the same way for him if your dance card filled or if he is es you go to somebody else who would you prefer that to be you know it just depends because once you get five ten months ago you're on your own nobody's gonna help you and you're probably not gonna help anybody else either but you know up until then you know you maybe kind of find a guy you know last week Jeremy Mayfield and I work together real well to come up through there or at one one time you know there's you just kind of find guys you see a guy that sticks to your bumper you go alright good I got me a buddy and then when you know he gets in front of you you try to help him out - okay thanks Jeff good luck to you now Steve Burns standing by with one of those partners from the other camp that's a lot of people say this thing's over but you know what four races anything can happen and Winston Cup racing anything can happen look at Jeff Gordon here just look at the years here and just look look at what he ended up with as far as points leads I mean anything can happen Mark Martin you throw three races out on him he had good luck in him he'd be all over Jeff Gordon right now anything can happen with four races to go Jeff Gordon being introduced and as usual mixed reaction for our points leader I think they'd do that just to get him really excited but they used to blew our heart when he walked out there they said hey we're pull for him during the race but we want to make you well mad before he starts I did never hear him do Buddy Baker oh yeah oh yeah he'll we've all had our turn he won a lot they booed him the following is a special presentation of team and motor sports when a defendant February of 1959 the world had never seen anything like it traveling nearly 40 miles an hour faster than ever before those first trial laps were sometimes treacherous step into the unknown nearly 42 thousand spectators gazed at all at the start of the first Daytona 500 but much of the history of Daytona and of NASCAR was born of the July Classic they used to call the Firecracker it was at her debut that Joe Weatherly fathered the concept of traffic she witnessed the birth of the sports first Superstars she watched as a president honored a king it is grandest moment and she held their breath as legends Chris Paul for the right to enter her history books tonight we bear witness to another chapter in the history of Daytona as desk cars crown jewel cleans in the floor tonight for the first time this evening the celebration of this cars 50th anniversary continues as TNN Motorsports is proud to present Daytona at the speed of light when you're racing it they thought oh is restrictor plates you could have big trouble there's nothing to do about it you're just out there right especially at Daytona you see guys go three wide you kind of tense up you know you're like oh no please don't do that Jordan is way behind stick a fork in Jeff he's done that's gotta hurt what could possess a man to drive like that Oh gotcha he's making his move back we gotta get him a couple [Applause] Rusty Wallace was quickest actually second fastest and happy hour here yesterday and Jeff Gordon with to Daytona wins the NASCAR Winston Cup Series point leader Jeff Gordon climbing the banking here if they told an International Speedway all he's got to do is finish 16th or better in the remaining races have a NASCAR Winston Cup championship as his Bobby Isaac Samba class Neil Bonnett Leroy Yarborough see Alison this racetrack just shot full of history but to win that first under the lights we'll put you right there at that top of a steel add one thing you can travel anywhere in the world and they'll ask your first question you say what's the top rate they say if you want it they strap in folks glad you're with us on TNN Motorsports enjoy the evening here we go [Music] [Music] [Music] good scramble out front [Music] Superspeedway in the High Line just dropping back riding in 12 [Music] [Music] levy few years ago when you count the Busch Series races the IROC race is the Gatorade 125 no one Jeff [Music] double file running starts in ninth in the one 24 important [Music] damnit two three four five cars three wide behind what if swords help burn horse [Music] back there just got kicked up from the underneath Hortons rear tires Jeff Gordon to the towel ball there you can see he now knows to tell there [Music] Hey [Music] he's in seven cuts that magnet way through traffic there's Wally giving us the bird's-eye view what he did he anticipated certain gallery lunch oh and then Wendy get by the and do what you please course he is two laps down right now their problem that brought him to pit road at lap nine [Music] and might get stuck when you gotta make a pit stop that early in the day because down I'm back now further drifting back as they scramble all around him on the racetrack Tonie fur the crew chief for the 50 team are just getting some information on it fell off the pit wall and what laid on back came off pit road they think he has a broken leg they have taken him to the infield care center Grant Thornton will be in charge tony was the winning crew chief here like six this Jeff boys he's very happy with his race car just before the last car or the first caution rather he told ray evernham this car is running great and I really love more critical on healing the Talladega Northup Cruces told me they just don't get quite the same grip on this racetrack as they do at Talladega [Music] if you take Gordon looking to the outside as they come out caring for bonus points right now [Music] we really don't have derrike cope right behind their toe prat behind a right now they're running side by side and later the front 12 though even with this double file running us go forward a hand Jeff there's reader in the 33 Enys of the seventh fourth year in the Daytona 500 in February look at Jeff Gordon everybody think very but he's up for that scared will whereas he goes through the sparkly in third spot doing a great job super run physically [Music] on your screen [Music] up on top that there we could say [Music] talking to duck Hewitt crew chief on that like 17 wrecks already this year it is a spinner a remarkable number it also been through some tough times of just not being fast and being competitive over the weekend we've been asking a few of the drivers their thoughts about how do you avoid the big one nine times out of ten everything is fun but it's at one time when you know a little something happens just a misjudgment of the apron or of where another car is and all of a sudden you're in it about that time you know you're just you're just thinking man I hope I get through this and if you don't get through it just hold on tight and it seems like it takes forever well he manages to get on through it held on tight Jeff Gordon Carly running in fifth Rusty Wallace as the leader Bobby Labonte is second Dale Earnhardt third Dale Jarrett fourth Gordon is Steph Skinner is sixth per win his seventh and Schrader [Music] we saw Wally Donald back in the 50 there he's trying to get back one of the two that he lost [Music] they're gonna drop back [Music] [Applause] or spot that's not just a car that last week believe it or not it's the same engine put some new pieces in it put the rest of it all back together same car same to go with brand-new equipment Mark Martin direct the machine of a weekend ago I'm Dale Jarrett [Music] bonnie in a second it's going to look around races now in a row that Rusty Wallace has not posted a victory [Music] the Pepsi 400 the other way yeah there it attack their 6800 don't turn nearly to your does you just don't drag him up to 9000 rpm well this Gordon cook in that wheel he is but look what he's under here piano side by side that Jared steeps out ahead of the pack so carrot just out of the screen [Music] moving his way in there I can look up and really magic temple dandera track it's like they run up the pace lap yeah Kenny Irwin in the 28 car was very concerned that no rookie and he's afraid that some of these guys just don't have the confidence to run with it but he is still right up in the front group because she crazy I did joining us Ernie Irvan started the car Ricky Craven took over at a very early pit stop at lap 14 [Applause] [Music] the world [Music] boy could make it work with Erwin [Music] helps not as frightening inside those cars running back close together therefore a real racecar driver to get out there and run [Music] about it you're looking at the race leader Dale Jarrett in a scramble for second place behind him Earnhardt wants to grab it away from court and from Mike Skinner and from Labonte but it's going to be a big scramble what has been a three car draft buddy is well forget about that now well what we have now we have a two car breakaway so his stop will take place a degree while upfront you see the front three Jarrett took the lead about food for now at last 66 Jarret lead lap one Bernhard Resnick series Rusty Wallace little lap Marcus led a lap Wallace let's summon Earnhardt little left stress Theory sitcoms available to you if you're a tech Musgrave Sammy's back after the action he's 33 laps down but he's out there nevertheless Wally Dallenbach will go a third being bypassed by the leaders Schrader's hanging in the air and fourth spot that's the green car run in a much higher line than anybody else in that front pack it's almost like his cars pushing a little bit at the corner Eugene moving up the racetrack there meanwhile Kevin LePage has just walked out of the infield care center Mike what he got he is right here now and it will explaining is he when in turn one ready come out of turn two to car broke loose prime circulars it was a rookie mistake or somebody took the air out before Jack come over and said baby there's somebody behind me 50 rounds boy but I just hate it for all the other guys I hate it for my team I mean they worked all all week long to get this car back together Talladega come here and destroy the car pretty frustrated Kevin how's the shoulder it's a lot of tender right now I definitely won't be playing golf tomorrow but we'll be ready next week Phoenix they say he does have a crack in his scapula he's a tough race driver he'll be back next week that's certainly good to hear that Kevin LePage be back next week very talented young driver from Shelburne Vermont last winter they tested and tested cut seven different bodies off cars working on things broadcast college cars and that team as well rusty was here testing several lights in the night looks awful good right now but you know they such a place nobody seems to be able even with help the telephone carrots past finishes [Music] it's a couple of wins last weekend certainly not at all the surprise one is for came here they thought of father was able to bring him home on that fast f1 a most inspiring thing they ever watched in TV one of the best pieces of broadcast Gordon is way behind stick a fork in Jeff he's done what is he thinking what the heck that's gotta hurt well what could possess a man to drive like that [Music] we gotta get him a couple [Applause] we are back he watch a great scramble for second place behind the race leader Dale Jarrett's coming to the halfway point of the Pepsi 400 three laps behind the furry this is the chair it's radio [Applause] he's also planning what to do with $10,000 on the line for the Gatorade frontrunner award like to pick that up as they come to the cross flags looking in the mirror and going yeah you guys keep rates in side-by-side hundred to hear of your field [Music] might be surprised to see Jeff Gordon running as hard as he is and to be running up front this way when he's pretty well got the point thing locked up with 288 ahead you might think he'd want to be conservative but he said he has got a good the big picture which is what they told him to at Talladega last week when the six car went out I get out there and the instincts just like those kind of instincts for deaf boys you trying to pull Winston Cup Series championship Moscow down to his pit area Steve will he live we're just listening to Ray Evernham talk to Jeff on the radio and what they're going to do on the next pit stop is remove some tape but also bloody beggar what sort of handling effect that has they put about four strips of duct tape I'm off next stop what it'll do it Steve head of canes the amount of downforce to Friday if his runnin huh the benefits of keeping that engine pretty cool the amount of downforce you have on the front there's a battle for the lead Gil downer the whole wine downer [Music] evolution [Music] here's Jarrett gets back in line [Music] rich bickle has gone back to the garage area Derek coke is racing again but he is 13 laps down if you're a fan of his your comes later on the the two-car there was [Music] he's persistent through the pillow in this he's having tonight at Daytona [Music] still out there the great champion wearing that open-faced helmet of his we asked him about it this weekend why do you still wear that I'm more comfortable in it I can feel the area around the car I can feel where the cars under me the air changes you can hear better I don't know it's sort of driving by the seat of the pants kind of kind of old style race and wrecking looked just what I really got used to I've tried the full face helmets are tested with them by the engineer one that I could wear that would be comfortable or give me the vision and give me the feel and the sound that I wanted his never was Compton so I never have evolved into that we talked about it this week everybody a lot of folks if you've never driven you don't quite understand what he's talking about he can feel that air it's very simple you've had to wind it down when you pass the truck on the interstate you can feel the pressure [Music] he has extraordinary peripheral vision well he can see cars coming up and spotters here a bit of a problem it's really difficult for the spotters to make the call so the drivers have a lot more responsibilities of that Vantage for forever Archana 31 times he's been the victory Legree we're now at 85 so closing in on pit stops here at the world center of racing we'll cover it all for you Daytona at the speed of lights Jeff Gordon is the new leader of the Pepsi 400 12 times he is raced here at Daytona he has led the race at 11 of those 12 events he made the move around Dale Earnhardt at lap number 87 pretty straighter with him the second and here's what happened just a half lap ago the same power bound inside Earnhardt and he gets some help from an old teammate there ken Schrader eCos was going on the bottom meaning one thing doctor that Schrader can run anywhere he can run low if he wants he just proved that but there he is back upstairs again maybe the car is happier up there karthick Terry campus crime screen maybe it does it's the green school car Harry Gant for many years ran upstairs and cars that looked just like this one [Music] until we start thinking about fit stops and I'm sure court and said hey I've got a shot here I better take going bonus points [Music] the pack is tied tightly together by seven tenths of a second report back to gravis [Music] a half second further back to the Labonte brothers machine [Music] because he stays on the track while others make pit stops pit stops at lap number 92 for most of the race leaders Gordon is in Labonte is in that's Terry Labonte Ward Burton is there let's go Dempsey Birds and Jeff Gordon said are going to change right-side tires on the Tupac Chevy right now they went to look at the tape on the front of the grill so far they have the tape of the fruit of the grill the water temperature has come down when he took the lead he got a clean air he's down in nineteen point five seconds pit lane behind that the prank races on while reading running so does Parkin pardus Kyle penny is in you can see right there though the new tires are really really guys as they come up through there Jeff Gordon's picking them off he went by Dale Jarrett not long ago crying out there in newtown bobby labonte go big shown as the race leader right now there he is the head that live if you're a Jeff green fan after the accident it's good to know that in an error of superstars big corporate sponsorships and network TV deals there's an organization that also cares about fairness and sportsmanship that realizes its fans are the sole reason for its success and knows it should never go so fast that it can't slow down if there's a good enough reason this is NASCAR and this is the way we've done things for 50 years being shown 11th spot and there's your leader the 24-inch chef Gordon putting a lap on Kyle Petty and following Ricky Rudd track those gentlemen introducing today to push Islam about the two and a half miles has been racing showing the way welcome back the Pepsi 400 at Daytona 23 Cars 2 Bobby Hamilton the race lead held by chef Ford to go to the top spotted after the 100 we're now at lap 105 all right let's test your trivia knowledge pit road is open we'll take a look at all the top runners as they come down the pit lane these stops will be at lap 107 all the leaders are coming in Gort Mayfield and 2nd Earnhardt next Devine Mike Hawk with Dale Earnhardt is in and they are cleaning the windshield putting four tires on the fun hide the toolbox here they are still putting tape on a nose piece they hope to put the bottom piece of the nose on it is yet Bobby Hutchinson something that they have worked hard to try to get this done they're pulling out the done now they're seeing if they can pull it out got it out just the business t-shirt just narrowly misses Jeremy Mayfield and they should be able to go the distance from this point we'll double-check the way everything pitch stops taking place here in lap 107 the work continues Bobby touches the man at the front right there March Monte Carlo there is Jeff Gordon he's running back at night right now teammate right behind him what a year for chef course it really has been a dream season Houston wins 29 starts the numbers are just spectacular no in 1975 from birth at the King Richard Petty 13 wins and 30 starts 21 top five and he won the title by 722 points you know what he won that year - hundred thirty thousand two hundred seventy five dollars that was the point championship and you see some bonus dollars thrown in that's comparison let's go forward the DW Darrell Waltrip installed went to 31 starts at 1981 he want the title by 53 points over Bobby Allison that year check out the bunnies there Lloyd already this year versus what Darrell went for all the 1581 it gets better that guy earn hype 1987 won the title by what four hundred eighty nine points over Bill Elliott 11 wins 21 top fives the Intimidator come from a billion bucks and change [Music] that's eleven years ago guys that's all yeah and you know if you step out of the so-called modern era the greatest season ever was of course 1967 by Richard Petty folks remember that year 27 wins 27 wins a year 38 top fives in 48 starts at one point pause at 10 wins in a row and his paint check that whole season was $130,000 track position [Music] the guitars in town do you before Jeff Gordon to the grass here when the bar [Music] yes sir with a championship at stake Gordon is driving a [Music] from there with touched on the right rear corner there better got Chad little running in 15th right now having picked up five spots away much about Spencer his team hurts back in 21st right now we check it on pit road the steam iron Ray Evernham after that law last caution seven or eight laps ago and he said that was a huge break for them because they could not have made the rest of the race gasoline but they now when partisan trouble turns out to be a big rate right there for Jeff Gordon [Music] Gateway years for racing Rushdie vanish Kenny Irwin now inside outside is he more offensive than the rookies fine right now made you look at the fourth place car he's looking right now he thinking about it make this thing a little tough for these guys to get back jarick this year 34 the first Papa Baker Winterfest weekend at the Winston 504 right there is the lead pack Gordon now running in second with Chariton third they shuffled Mayfield and Wallace before rusty tried his darndest to get back in mine but let's see what Gordon wants to do he'll make the low-side work he left from left 100 through 106 [Music] they go down the back straightaway they should just move them right on back to their faces [Music] 1:22 Jeremy Mayfield [Music] we came here and what a great car key 12th car Jeremy Mayfield what a smart riding that race car and himself extremely well denied here the tribe is being told by his father's caution for rain [Music] take it brain native of Delaware atop the flag stand and they see some of the rain falling interestingly in turn three and four the NASCAR officials in turn one and two say that right now it's tryout that away morning going up and down his staff hold up and thankfully that wasn't it but so yeah seeing rain at one end of the Speedway is not unusual here at the world center of racing a lens there as well info while we learn about every five lakh ready all right upfront Jeff Gordon still shows the way everybody right there had expired for over [Music] up to Jeff Boyd that's what 2.8 seconds looks like on the state auditor - in his feed way the you see the computer address you can log on get the on as we head towards the leadership TNN racing comm check it out it's available to you on the world wide web right now [Music] at the spring [Music] has posted three top tips in the last four races altogether to tell just behind them are smart [Music] Mark Martin and Mike Skinner now elapsed to settle it took the lead at lap 122 these rapes back in the moment [Music] [Applause] here we go [Music] Johnny Benson not on the lead [Music] Jarett can do no he has looked as if he's got the strongest car in the field for quite a while now here's his chance and Kenny Schrader's and another [Music] you know it used to be that slingshot [Music] a little bit frightning when these green flies come out and all these cars are so close together [Music] mr. lunch [Music] [Applause] maybe [Music] every man for himself and the traffic is going to tell the story of how this Pepsi 400 plays out it's a key element we ask the top drivers in how they're gonna handle it you go inside him and try to work with you as much as I can but I can't control every situation that happens out there but then when it comes down to five or ten to go we're all on our own and that's kind of what we saw at Talladega do the same thing here and I dare say we will caution on the Speedway here they come to the straight left 154 sixty for another rain shower little shower we have seen here this is now five laps from the finish [Music] it's not got a lot of time to quit raining for everybody behind that 24 car well we are under a red flag here at Daytona they have put the red flag out some 37 seconds ago for rain with five laps remaining to settle the Pepsi 400 buddy you're sitting there going my goodness I mean what a night what do these guys feel like now well can you believe that five laps to go Jeff Gordon saying hey it's never gonna quit raining he's leading the race of course everyone behind him saying they did the right thing believe me but stop it right now give everybody a shot at this win through Jeff's windshield looking forward you can see a crew member from every team coming out they stopped the cars off of turn four and NASCAR is allowing one crew member from each team to go out there and do nothing but cover the car cover the windshield and if the driver so desires get out of the race car now you can see right on the front of Gordon's car now they're gonna cover it up but the first thing they want to make sure is water didn't run in the back side of the air cleaner there this part right in there where they had that little deal on there you see they covered that up so water couldn't run down into the carburetor area so the red flag is out as part of the third caution of the day brought out by rain okay let's go further down pit road okay Glenn we've got Ray Evernham here ray first of all what is this gonna do to your race car get it wet it you know as long as it doesn't get in the motor it seems to blown over already and really really shouldn't do anything you know hopefully motor everything to be fine you know one day when you shot him off sometimes it's not good but you know with the lower compression and everything's been real good alright so how about the driver have you talked to that guy yeah he's doing a real good job you know he's got a guy a bunch of guys on his butt they're that are that are looking to get by him and it's gonna be tough always this tough on a restart but he's doing a real good job for us ray was looking at the stats before the race and you guys have put up some unbelievable numbers 16 consecutive top-five finishes and your average finish has been second in that streak yeah you know we we've had we've got a great driver and we've got a great race team but we've had a lot of great luck too and I just hope it holds out tonight you know you no matter how good you are you've got to have that luck factor in there and you know like last week you know I'd like to tell you that we had a real great day and we were a big part of it but all we were was prepared when other people had bad luck and we had good luck and hopefully we can have some more good luck and get this finished tonight nice and safe all right it looks like we can put those umbrellas away is quit raining down you guys that's certainly good news right there there you see the red flag for rain light rain but enough to put a temporary halt on this Pepsi 400 just literally a handful of laps away from the finish the man who is leading this event has led many a race this year he of course is Jeff Gordon he most recently took the lead at lap 123 and what a year for Jeff Gordon 20 top-five finishes in the last 21 races twenty three top fives of 1998 away this is keep on tonight he passed Dale Jarrett took the lead they have Earnhardt and took the lead he bypassed Kenny Irwin is up 123 and took the lead that he still holds he has led 43 laps tonight's course Jeff has also picked up five more points now he's led the most laps today 43 of those to Earnhardt's 41 as far as the points are concerned that's how they run at this very moment Jeff Gordon trying to put this baby way before they even get to Atlanta at season's end they face up some more points tonight as it is at the moment but this isn't over yet three times tonight two were quickies this last one though was a red flag for nearly 40 minutes dampened anything the enthusiasm department Jeff Gordon the race leader right behind buster off now remember not on reporting then correct here okay right there and just talking to Bobby Hamilton enter Sterling Marlin the crowd has been eating up all evening law we're set to settle it Buster Otton will pull off the pace car a and B great ago when you get great training [Music] it's urgent get ready or get ready you ready three laps to settle makutsi four to get up to speed distance between himself and Jeremy Mayfield on that star pull back on after you Devils right and if you see [Music] Daphne anyway [Music] works the whole side [Music] yep those three curves those four cars up front gonna just take off if they keep racing side by side back there to go dudes dear stole them and so is Terry Labonte [Music] right now they're running side-by-side turn around [Music] Mayfield here comes [Music] to Jeff Gordon and the ring the challenge involving the body and finishes second Mike Skinner third Jeremy Mayfield fourth Rusty Wallace will finish fifth sixth goes to bombing the body seventh is Wartburg Ricky Craven will finish eighth Schrader got something back today and take those two Dale Earnhardt Jeff good here's an 11-time winner this year Steve Byrnes is what Brahe Abraham well right you look awfully calm on top that fit box what a finish well you can't do nothing but want to thank God first forgiveness the opportunity to do this and where they want to thank all the people all the firefighters and all the people that worked so hard to get this place back in shape for us and and saved that not you know thank you dude DuPont Pepsi Quaker State and that guy driving that car he's he's really awesome and in case all the news media's talking it's October and we've won a race congratulations thank you they have gotten the way and meanwhile Chad little you see him right there took a mean lick he's shut out of traffic and in fact at the inside wall exiting turn for the third Daytona wind protection he won the 1997 Daytona 500 the 1995 and 1998 Pepsi 400 it's the 14th Chevrolet win of the year and the 17th consecutive top-five finish that is the most in the modern era of NASCAR Winston Cup racing Mike Skinner comes home third a superb run and there you see the NASCAR inspectors checking out the angle of the rear spoilers before anybody gets to the car exactly right when they pat you on that chocolate and say go ahead you're okay you know you didn't riding the whole night for free there's going to be 45 degrees anything less than that and you're in trouble for Jeff Gordon it is his fourth restrictor plate win in his twenty fourth restrictor plate race and for that young man from Vallejo California by way of Pittsboro Indiana the hits just keep on coming closing in on yet another NASCAR Winston Cup Series championship his point lead is now 358 that means he only needs to finish 37 more better in the last three races no matter what Mark Martin does 37 forgotten Jeff Gordon would have his third championship in the last four years when Jared is down in victory lane as the Pepsi 400 has gone to chef Gordon when any Lodge chef is unbuckling his safety belts and harness their putting on the cap Jeff it was exciting there I know you were watching that rearview mirror and awfully glad to see those guys going side by side on that last lap well I'm not so sure about that usually when they get side by side somebody breaks away it comes after you and Bobby almost did that I just got to say thank you to all the guys at the engine shop Charlie Seger's Randy dort and Chuck your tunes on it and all the guys back at Hendrick Indians this last these last couple weeks have been the best restrictor plate engines I've ever had and this this DuPont Chevrolet was just been awesome I want to thank God boy yeah he certainly directed me and guided me all through traffic today and in that last restart I'm sure he was riding with me Jeff another giant step toward that third championship I just want everybody to know this is October baby everybody said we couldn't win in October and you know we just tried to think hey this is July race in October and I tell you what it was just a phenomenal effort by everybody this weekend my hat's off to to Rambert hammie he just tuned a car perfect I mean this thing handled like a dream great pit stops by the Rainbow Warriors and I want to thank DuPont automotive finishes Quaker State this a Pepsi race want to thank them this a big day for all of us and this Monte Carlo right here was awesome you took the lead with a lot of laps to go when you came out on that last pit stop there did you guys discussed that was that what you wanted to get out front and make them pass you well I think that's just weren't our fuel window I don't think we're getting very good fuel mileage I think we would like to have come in with a few more guys but as it turned out you know it worked out for us you know Jeremy and I work together real well he tried to hang with me I'm not sure where exactly ended up in that shuffle but I appreciate him helping me there and you know we just came in when we had to and you know I let grey make those calls and he made some great calls I wasn't sure if we're gonna be able to step there especially when Dale Jarrett was behind me he was real real strong and you know hate to see him have his troubles but though we were able to keep that thing out in front of us research man they were making me nervous well he's not too nervous now 11 wins this year 17 consecutive top 5 finishes what a year high remarkable year 40 career wins and finally one is the month of October and the celebration on the fireworks begin [Applause] [Music] special night [Music] high fives all around John Hendricks and the entire Hendrick Motorsports Bunch now let's go back to the last lap and take a look again at everything that shucked down there didn't want to give Chad little Jeff Gordon is in victory lane for the 40th time in his career Bobby Labonte he came home his second then well the celebration continues in victory lane Jeff Gordon right now talking to a microphone that is projecting his voice and picture onto the big Sony Jumbotron screens that are again the point lead is now 358 points Jeff Gordon only needs to finish 37th or better the last three races no matter what Mark Martin does to clinch the championship but when all was said and done the bright lights and the high speeds equaled another win for Jeff Gordon and the Rainbow Warriors a thanks to Buddy Baker the doctor dick Berggren jarick Steve Byrnes mike hogewood on the entire production crew from tnn motorsports thanks so much for joining us here at the world center of racing we'll see you next weekend from Phoenix AZ the nests car Winston Cup season rolls on I'm Eli gold for all of us at tnn motorsports good night Daytona Beach Florida Jeff Gordon took his first lead on lap 87 thanks to some help from Ken Schrader who moved up to second with 70 to go board and decide to pit Earnhardt stayed out at Thornton which has five laps from nailing down the victory when the rains came the race was red flagged for nearly 40 minutes and when they returned to green it was still Gordon he held off five in Labonte for his 11th victory of the year and his first ever in October they were followed by Mike Skinner Jeremy Mayfield and Rusty Wallace Mark Martin finished a respectable 16th but now thrilled by 358 in the point shake anything as far as I'm concerned can still happen you know if we get to have some major problems the next couple weeks you know then we're right back to square one so you know Mark Martin and those guys the next three races are their tracks you know that he runs really really good Phoenix Rockingham in Atlanta and we got to make sure that we step up also and I'm looking forward to going to Phoenix we're going with try and win Phoenix you know and and we came here to try and win this race and we did and got more points than we're going to Phoenix Phoenix is the place we haven't won at we haven't really run real well there and we've got a fresh car and a good motor combination and we're really we're going to race hard at Phoenix so here is how the points shakedown with just three races left Gordon has a 350 eight point lead meaning he just has to finish 32nd or better in the final races to win his third championship in four years if he gains just 12 more points than Martin next week in Phoenix the title is his but we've got a lot more to tell you about of course this morning we're still pumped up after the Pepsi 400 last night at Daytona International Speedway you know the story postponed from July due to the wildfires that raged across much of Florida this summer the first time the cup stars would go racing under the lights at the world center of racing last night and talk about good seats for this one better than Louie the lizard who had the on-track hue during the action last night and Jeff Gordon in the lead group all night long finally wheeling pastor and Hart into the lead 70 laps to go green flag pit stops first wave leader Gordon comes in for fuel up front for 15 laps I left one twenty two three laps later more rain and another caution after a handful have left sundar yellow back to green Gordon still up front lots of shuffling for position the drivers come out of their cars they get back to racing late last night three left - to the stripe Gordon with a good jump Mayfield right behind Bobby Labonte goes to the move outside last left move on Gordon's have little spins into the inside wall they come to the line and Gordon holds off Bobby Labonte for the checkered flag last night Gordon's 11th victory and a points ping race this Winston Cup sees in a terrific year for the three-time well maybe soon-to-be three-time Winston Cup champion when all was said and done it was Jeff Gordon and his number 24 Chevrolet making their way right here to Victory Lane after the race Steve Byrnes caught up with our winner Jeff Gordon gets win number 11 of this 1998 season Jeff you had to dodge the wrecks dodge the raindrops tell us how you did it well I did it with an awesome race car to begin with that a been real fortunate these last couple weeks to have great restrictor plate motors from Hendrick engines and Ravin him you know he just dialed that car in perfect you know tonight it did take a little bit of a handling race car the pit stops work out he worked out to our favor we had great pit stops but we had a fast race car too and getting out front you know which was the key but I didn't think we could stay out there it was just an incredible night for us as restarts were pretty important and I don't know how I was able to stay out from but I was and then

Channel: Jeff Gordon Edits

Views: 8,129

Rating: 4.852941 out of 5

Keywords: 1998 Pepsi 400, Daytona Night Race, Daytona International Speedway, NASCAR, Jeff Gordon, Jeff Gordon Edits, Jeff Gordon Wins, Jeff Gordon Career Win #40, Jeff Gordon Wins Daytona, Jeff Gordon Career Win

Id: m8-ItoExtbo

Length: 62min 25sec (3745 seconds)

Published: Fri Dec 22 2017