NASCAR Full Race Replay: 2004 Daytona 500

and now it's our pleasure to welcome the President of the United States George W Bush to the Daytona 500 welcome mr. president I am really glad to be here if you've never been to a Daytona 500 it's hard for me to describe what it's like to be down here with the drivers and to see the huge crowd and to feel the excitement for one of America's great sporting spectacles well there are 200,000 people here in million more millions more watching on television they took the day off from work so we'll make this a race related conversation related conversation you've been to some great sporting events including throwing out the first pitch at the World Series after 9/11 can you tell us about that experience sir well that was one that happened you know when the the Yankees were helping to lift the spirit of the New York citizens and I walked out there and the chants of the crowd were loud and it was just an exciting moment it was a it was a historic moment for me personally because it was after such tragedy a little nervous about getting my fastball over the plate well you did a great job you've been to the Salt Lake Olympic Games to the army-navy game how does this compare well this is huge just as god this covers a lot of territory you know the track is big the expanse is big there's people in the infield there's people been camping out here this is this is more than an event it's a it's a way of life for a lot of people and you can feel the excitement when you're here and it's I'm really looking forward to watching a lot of the rice now in December you had several drivers to the White House you allowed them to park their grass their little cars on the ground very nice of you sir well it takes a special person to be allowed to be parking on the grass there at the White House but it's neat to meet these are drivers they're courageous people they know no fear and yet there good shape they're well conditioned in order to stay in the and he's a small little car as for as long as they do and obviously got great reflexes and so I and meeting them I was meeting some great athletes now is there any truth to the rumor that Tony Stewart asked for a presidential pardon after he you know he came in as the champ he wasn't asking for any pardons he was asking for a photograph when I was happy to to pose with him because he was the champ and and I saw him i needled into when I came by because he's got you know somehow sometimes you get a reputation where you're in public life and but he's a good solid citizen a good fellow your motorcade moves pretty fast any desire to a ride in one of these well I'd like to but I'm afraid to agents wouldn't let me you know I you know I flew fighters when I was in the guard and I like speed and it would have been fun to drive up on these banks people don't understand how steep these banks are though to you sim in person and I was with Bill Elliott who was telling me that he set the course record here at 210 miles an hour I can't imagine taking a bank at 210 miles an hour all five branches of the armed services represented here this weekend on the track and I know that's important to you sir well it is and one of the things about NASCAR and the NASCAR fans is they support our military we've got a lot of really good young men and women who are sacrificing for our country and these fans and the people of the France family and the drivers they stand with our military and for that I'm grateful I'm the commander-in-chief of a great group of people to know that citizens who support NASCAR support them makes me feel good I know you're a sports fan and I know you had ownership interest in the Texas Rangers the big news is a rod going to the Yankees yeah I was just as surprised as the Yankee fans and the Boston Red Sox fans when I opened up my paper today it obviously is a big deal and it looked like the deal is going to happen at least the sports page just said they were close to concluding the deal hey rods a great player and the Yanks are going to be a heck of a team with him in the infield mr. president it's truly an honor thank you for attending the Daytona 500 enjoy your dad thrilled to be here good to see you sir thank you sir back upstairs to Allen okay bill thanks but already special day Daytona 500 made all the more so by the presence of the President of the United States now it's butterfly time for the drivers they begin buckling into their machines the start is coming up [Music] NBC Sports live at Daytona International Speedway where the Daytona 500 is Mullens from getting started we go trackside for the invocation national anthem and command to start engines [Music] apparently the president is still walking around shaking some hands and they're still getting the motorcade organized so we can get the oh that's why he's busy with some important people the military and since he's the one that's going to say a gentlemen start your engines they want to make sure he's ready to go before they put that into play huh be a good idea tell you what you could just feel the energy in this crowd just bill talked about early but you could just feel the energy surge but that motor came the motorcade came rolling around the track how cool is that BP president come to see us it is a big deal I've been here for three presidents now breaking the back in 84 and his father was here in 1992 and now George W the president visiting with some members of the Armed Services before coming out to the head end of the field to conduct his duties to get this race underway there's the first lady just behind him I don't get to see anybody there it's got enough nerve to go up take a moment sir president yeah he's gonna set the agenda here exactly which is perfectly fine and the drivers some of them matter of fact just before the president walked up to the members of the military he was speaking with Greg Biffle whose car is lined up in the first position for the pace laps and Greg just climbed into his car so he needs a couple of minutes to get strapped in and get all of his safety equipment hooked together properly before he's ready to roll off and begin this race some NASCAR officials there as well some of the NASCAR executives now being greeted by mr. Bush and now you see the flag ceremony being gathered the national anthem singers as well and as the president makes his way toward the center of pit road we are closing in on the invocation national anthem and his command to get the 46 running of the Daytona 500 underway some 200,000 ready now for the start of the great American race let's head trackside now they should be about ready to get the final portion of the opening ceremony underway ladies and gentlemen please rise and remove your hats as colorguard representing all five branches of the military Army Navy Air Force Marines and Coast Guard presents today's colors now please welcome Reverend Hal Marshman as he delivers our invocation Almighty God and father all mankind we thank you for this great world in which we live and for this great nation and for those who lead our nation and we pause to give thanks to your goodness and bless us all and help us know that you're our God and we are your children Shalom and our men ladies and gentlemen please remain standing and welcome Curb Records recording artist and Grammy winner LeAnn Rimes as she sings our National Anthem can you see by the dawn's early there what's up [Music] whose broad stripes had bright stars through the perilous path for the ramparts we watched were so again [Music] bombs bursting [Music] I was still there hoo-hoo say does that star-spangled [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Thank You leann rimes let's hear it for the b-2 stealth bombers out of Whiteman Air Force Base that you have 15 from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base also a thank you to the beautiful Eagles from SeaWorld Orlando and now ladies and gentlemen please welcome NASCAR Nextel Cup Series championship driver mr. Bill Elliott ladies and gentlemen for the most famous words in racing the president of United States thank you Bill Laura and I are honored to be here for this fantastic spectacle we asked God's blessings on the drivers NASCAR fans and on our great nation now it is my honor to start this race gentlemen start your engines [Applause] ten days of preliminaries a wonderful pre-race ceremony and now it's time it's time for the 46th running of the Daytona 500 [Music] filled of starters in today's Daytona 500 still sitting along the pit lane warming the oils and fluids in the cars before they roll off to begin their parade and pace laps and approach the green flag in today's great American race Budweiser the official beer of NASCAR is proud to sponsor the bud pole award given to the fastest qualifier at each NASCAR Nextel Cup race Greg Biffle second-year driver from Vancouver Washington earned his first bud pole award zipping around this two and a half mile track at an average of over 188 miles an hour since 1979 anheuser-busch has awarded more than eight million dollars his title sponsor of NASCAR's pole award program unfortunately for Biffle he won't get to keep that pole position because of an engine change in his car since Thursday's qualifying races by rule he'll have to go to the back of the field still we show you the starting grid for today's Daytona 500 in the order in which they're scheduled to take the green flag pit bull and Elliott Sadler alongside each other on the front row but everyone in that inside lane when Biffle drops to the back is going to move up a spot VP which will put the third place car Dale Earnhardt jr. number eight on the pole Tona 500 sterling marlin whilst on second Tony Stewart's car repaired after a crash you heard about that earlier gonna go from row number three Bart Bart his 20th try in the Daytona 500 he's not won again and Jamie McMurray very fast had looked last year's winner Michael Waltrip inside rot Row 5 Wow Jeff Burton Matt Kenseth the defending Series champion is all number six we heard from Bobby Labonte earlier on countdown to green one of Joe Gibbs two entries in row number seven with Joe Nemechek in the US Army sponsored machine ricky rudd driving for the Wood Brothers starts back at roll number eight his 27500 most of drivers in today's race Rusty Wallace with gloved with his 500 has never won the 2002 Winter Ward Burton in row number 10 with Brian Newman hoping not to end up upside down like he did a year ago rookie Johnny Sauter inside row 11 jeremy mayfield on the outside Ohio's Dave Blaney at Michigan's Johnny Benson mo number 12 Californian Casey Mears and Wisconsinites Scott Wimmer in row 13 rookie driver Casey came row 14 the replaced Bill Elliott this year he'll get going to run a reduced schedule there's John Andretti uncle Mario won this race back in the late 1960s Robby Gordon there with him you look at the rest of the starting field BP fire up the OL onboard radio over there let's try to talk to Greg Biffle hey Greg Benny Parsons you got me he's talking to his crew talking about what the tachometer is thirty-seven hundred rpms and cylinder that will be hit roast beef give him five miles per hour cars do not have speedometers I have to go by attack home let's try again greg biffle Benny Parsons you get me Pepe Pig hey for a week you've been on the penthouse the 25th floor in about one laughs you're going to the basement to the very back of the field your thoughts National Guard cars really really fast this round source power out to the hood I don't think I'll be there very long I got a really good race car you know the but polo trophies at my motor home and they've made the check out to me so step four we got to go to the back but we think we got a really good race car can you beat junior if I'm in front of him I can beat him but I'm not gonna be for quite some time so we'll see it strategy's gonna be important to it this cars out front it's really fast good luck brake greg biffle getting set to pull out of line and drop to the end of the field on this pace lap after the engine change in his number 16 Ford couple of drivers trying to qualify for the 500 unable to make the field Kurt shell Burdine and Andy Hillenburg had the heartbreak on Thursday you'll have to watch today instead of being in the great American race as you can see not only Biffle goes to the back of field Scott Riggs Ryan Newman Ricky Craven derrike cope all will move back from their starting position to the rear of the field which may not be a bad place to be about that earlier I mean if you know you first couple laps boy are very tense everybody feel their cars up one nice thing about is if you're driving these cars right now and all the butterflies are gone you're ready to go those engines are running so let's go raise them bright yellow cars 2004 chevy corvette coupe the official pace car of the Daytona 500 pretty appropriate Corvette kind of an American icon if you will in performance cars Wally I guess your driving lessons paid off my student he looks good Ben Affleck I can understand that before parade and pace laps want to get in one more commercial break before the start so we can show you as much green flag racing as possible we're back in a minute what Assizes the Daytona International Speedway packed with fans sold out some 200,000 here looking on as the 46th Daytona 500 is one and a half pace laps away from getting the green flag drivers all buckled in getting their cars ready to go let's check down on pit road with the crews state birds and about Sterling Marlin guys talked to Sterling just after he finished up business with the president down here and Sterling told me that they didn't change a thing on his car since yesterday's final practice session he's very pleased with this car he's also pretty happy about where he's starting today he's starting fourth and he started fourth when he won his very first of two Daytona 500s back in 1994 Matt Jeff Burton starts 11th back in July of 2000 Dave Jeff Burton gave Cardinal Jack Roush his first Daytona Nextel Cup car win now he wants to try to give his first Daytona 500 win but a victory today would go a long way in helping his team the 99th he only has no sponsorship through May so meanwhile he'd be a great place to get that trophy for the mantle it would be great for the checkbook to keep that team alive Marty Snider Matt here in January testing Ricky Rudd out of car that was so fast they didn't want to draft with it because they were afraid they would record here in speed weeks has been equally as fast the one bad thing not in his favor right now though whether ricky was hoping for cloudy cool conditions instead today it's hot and sunny that does not play to their hand even though he's tried 26 times and never won this race bill Ricky Rudd said it's a beautiful day for a Daytona 500 win Marty during January testing I talked to Dale Earnhardt jr. about just how big this race is and here's what he told me there are great drivers that never win the Daytona 500 and great drivers that never win a Series championship he said he doesn't know what would bother a driver more ending his career without a Daytona 500 win or without winning a Series championship he added he hopes he never has to find out Allen he's on a lot of people's minds as a heavy favorite to win this Daytona 500 this year but we know that many many times the fastest car does not win this race it's always filled with dramatic twists and turns as we get into those final laps that is the entrance to pit road and BP it can be tricky yeah you it new rule first of all you have to come in single file and you've got to be single filed by that line right there BP those two pylons that white line and here the car is running about a hundred and ninety miles per hour 185 190 miles per hour and by here you've got to be 55 miles per hour and it is very very hard to bring these cars down from 185 mile per hour it's a 55 in that short distance because the brakes aren't really good on these cars plus you've got to judge the speed a lot of times you'll lock the tires up getting down into the pits which you've got to be very careful on and you're a very heavy traffic on pit road when somebody stopped short in front of you sometimes things go wrong Thursdays 125 Kasey Kahne the red car hits the brakes in front of Jeff Gordon Jeff runs the back of him spins him on pit road completely take you out of being in the race as Jeff damaged to those of his part of the point that had overheated and knocked him out of contention on Thursday the first pit stop keep an eye out for it usually someone makes a mistake and costs themselves a chance to win this race and we got a lot of rookies that aren't used to coming down to this pit lane and that could be a problem the problem you get to 55 miles per hour your pit stall is on down pit road you feel like after running 185 you feel like you can walk faster than that you end up slotted through your pit and now that'd be people you can't imagine however you can imagine if a lot of people can imagine how hard it is coming down pit lane you see all those colors and all those pit words flying it's hard to find your pit sometimes you've got to have your crew chief go ten nine eight count you down to where you're getting close to the pin something to keep an eye on as we get in toward that first set of pit stops when this race gets underway 60 million dollars in Awards on the line better than a million dollars to the winner and the drivers all looking toward the starter stand as they come off of turn number four the honorary starter for the 500 as the green flag in hand in a minute she's going to set 200,000 voices yelling in the air as these 43 drivers set off on their once a year chance to win their sport's biggest prize the Daytona 500 [Applause] to be toonder get in front of that extra because justin sir 58 card gets in front he's so fast a lot of cars were locked in don't forget we've had a lot of rain here so the track is greener not a lot of rubber so the high side was really good for some guys so there's a little bit of feeling around right now to see how your car's gonna react and where it's gonna be accessed first few laps always [Music] Tony Stewart is in the middle that's where these cars are running really close you got a watch in your mirror you got to put a block on because if you get put in the middle you're probably going to go backwards but somebody's going to try the middle they're going to feel like well maybe I can use the middle to go forward Tony Stewart movie look how the a card shot away from him when those two cards [Music] inside Lee started to advance a bit now it's Jamie McMurray in the 42 up to the inside of Chateau for third the 15 car the winner of last year's Daytona 500 partner right now sterling marlin knows how to craft as well as anybody on this racetrack so he can keep sterling there and he makes his pushing right back to the front that is first before [Music] and right now is the best these cars are gonna feel is the tires will start wearing and these parts will start sliding [Music] [Music] you see the visor back just a little bit to keep them far this really gives you an idea how violent that these cars are [Music] just doesn't look like that outline that sidelines got is just simply so fast Johnson [Music] will seem had to change the engine village different race how about that yeah led the field to the green flag same junior wasn't really pleased with it yesterday they worked on it to try and make him happy today Dave practice crashed yesterday in the pre-race show today Tony's team worked on that car this morning I said well did you get it to a field dressing stinger as a better than man and he kind of laughed and said it's better than that it's not as perfect as we want it Marty countdown to green and reiterated to me before he got in the car I will work with the a call he will work together our number one it starts today it's every man for himself now some good grip up there actually been he's been out there really he's going up there because he lights it up there because baby his car's tight especially in the early run while you can talk about this he wants to save that right front tire if he tried to keep the car on the bottom and force it down to be on the bottom it'll wear out that right front quicker you're right it's easier we got the smart car hang on I think market still can't see it I don't think out of that car Robby Gordon bounce it off each other that car was just completely filled with smoke mark did a great job there kind of keep it as straight as possible he really Mark Martin good it felt like he had something today to win the Daytona 500 Dave BP I talked with Mark Martin right before the start of today's race and asked him about whether or not they had conquered the problems they had on Thursday marks believed that they had he said he hadn't had any problems on Friday unfortunately looks like there's something deeper in their motors yeah that's deep when he's had that much smoke come out of the exhaust pipes watch a car up there at the high bank you'll see a little bit of smoke here for a second and then boy it just pours out watch everybody dive underneath and he can't see anything and I tell you what looks like he took the 99 and 17 might have made some contact teammates of Mark Martin Kevin Harvick I'll bet he's got a windshield full of liquid right now so he'll be having to make a pit stop probably martinet Angela go wow maybe a little bit of contact there with I don't think it did too much damage the 17-bit boy great job everybody on that now fit note is going to be open I wonder this early in the race eight laps into the race if anybody will come in I would say so leaders come by the opening of pit road first one is Kevin Harvick he's going to jump in there and get his windshield cleaned right from tenth spot qualify some of the other cards farther back you see Matt Kenseth in the 17 is in after the contact he had getting squeezed in that little little shuffle update and of course count Harvick needing to come in and take care of that windshield no report on exactly how bad it was but if the but it was going to be obviously covered they'll work on him get it cleaned up and get it back out change four tires at the same time bill Rusty Wallace still looking for his first when did they codified fuel and the first test of how good poor new tires are going to go up against all what's Rusty's goal that he's on his way that's gonna cost somebody knows that their code ran right over the cone and that's a new tire somebody was trying to put on the car you can tell by the sticker that's still on it as it rolls around there somebody under the car that's still sitting there see the tape with a little white sticker on the left side of that tire that means it's a brand new what they call a sticker tire that's Skinner I don't know they they had to go fish another one out from behind the pit wall and put it on so caution early in the Daytona 500 after mark Martin's 20th try to win the race literally went up in smoke it wasn't a pretty sight for Kevin Harvick who was running behind Mark Martin let go you're watching that song on NBC a gorgeous day in Daytona Beach Florida for the 46 just underway before a sellout crowd of over two thousand two hundred thousand excuse me we're under the first caution after Mark Martin lost attention up and turns three and four on the ensuing set of pit stops we showed you the tire that rolled loose it came from Mike Skinner's car and I will show you why Ricky Craven was pitting in front of Skinner and the right rear tire changer Rose a tire back across the wall back over to the wall there's a tire that watched the tire carrier for the 33 car start to come out trips over that tire Falls and the his tire rolls out on the pit road he took a shot he did it's good thing to wear those helmets so yes sir Matt Yocum and the crew member that was injured Alan is John Wallace he also pits Ron Hornaday the NASCAR Busch Series just some facial lacerations the EMTs are looking at his forehead and also his wrist which he is holding but it appears like a very very very lucky incident here it could have been much worse Marty Matt Matt the smile on the mark Martin's face before the race was was very wide not a very big smile now the second engine problem what happened mark well this is our first one you know I don't I don't know all I know is that I couldn't see man I hate it I probably missed some guys up out there but I didn't know I couldn't see the wall I couldn't see the track I couldn't see anything thank goodness his spotter he kept telling me to stay up but I didn't know what up was just like putting a blindfold on me and their day is done and Wally he said right before it blew it made a sound you probably heard that before haven't you yeah yeah that's an ugly sound and it's even worse when he can't see Matt Kenseth has been back on pit road for a second time under this caution flag he saw the contact between he and Brendan Gaughan as a mark mark was trying to feel his way around to slow down and Mark is listed as the owner of the 17 car so are coming to the e restart Dale Earnhardt jr. leads Tony Stewart is second Jamie McMurray third Michael Waltrip fourth Jimmie Johnson fifth the drivers who pitted are all pretty deep in the three [Music] now this is a great chance for these cars behind go by jr. but can they I think they can't the line so if Tony Stewart to pull out and they all would go with Tony they would chassis a car fail our heart senior let's see if that's what they wanted is skinny a couple quick updates here no penalty from Mike Skinner's team for that tire giveaway obviously it was not an error and also the first of the cars that pitted and the restart is Kevin Harvick that he's 18th in line you guys were just talking about how long these guys will stay in line or what will happen Tony's father comes down and says impossible if you keep it on the bottom board because if with you when you come up a little bit he walk to the front okay I'll just give him a headlight down there if he wanted to clean him you know clean lift front headlight good out fantastic is that the junior said I'll give him a headlight put some downforce on that 20 car to help the car turn and help save that right front tire I think they're gonna come fast 18 car up there you got brick pimple you got some new tires of that outside lane right there Kevin Harvick in the green part of 18 and meeting that outside lane there there's Bobby one of the guys who come in Harvey Terkel might have been bivolo got in the wall it was creepy when you hit the wall like that even if it's a little thing you lose a lot of momentum e you lose a lot of positions we also lose a lot of downforce on that right rear bill and he'd already had overheating problems Benny they elected not to bring him in under the caution is not going to work here today not belong oh look at that car just go right through the middle trying to go through the middle [Music] the back just a minute ago about 16 car coming up off turn two just makes contact right there left the tire bark on the wall and these fenders are so finely tuned they spend weeks in what to be just the perfect shape and he's just rearranged it yeah and it turned to is the trouble spot on this racetrack for a part of course or not and if you just get the right cars around you and you get the wrong position all those it feels like you hit I said you go sliding up the racetrack that exactly what it looked like Biffle had no grip in the front these guys have been pretty good so far but some of these fellows are getting that's when you have some trouble 26 cars give us the pack then a little separation of the rest of the deal this is where you seen how your car handling you can keep the gas pedal down you've got a really good hand race car right now but some of these guys are float in the throttle because their cars are not turning so they're having to back off the gas this is where you're gonna start thinking about what changes you have to make so much very very high off the corner over there [Music] the NASCAR racing 2004 the series sponsor of course next today birds there's a lot more nuance for this race as well they've come in to give fuel all year long to these teams tool that they can trust you will think and trust for its quality and because fuel runners from every team will be bringing their duck cans down here and getting them filled and the dump cans are new to the guys that goes up and gas the car on pit road well those weigh over 90 tons now it's not an easy job and they'll be some of the busiest people on pit road today all right now these cars I've just watching they're starting to move around a lot more Benny these cars are starting to slide around look like the seventh car Jimmy Spencer his car's not working really good he was up there the top ten this is where the Heylin is really going to start showing the Spencer started 40 and worked his way up to about the top 10 on that check out our singer the wireless race Hawk poll early in this Daytona 500 put a lot of drivers who've been here for a lot of years who've never won the race which of these drivers did you think has the best chance to end his 500 winless streak [Music] we should've showed this earlier huh yeah we can walk off the list anyone any other one of those three guys got a good shot faster ballot your thoughts Dale Earnhardt jr. has led every lap with the Daytona 500 so far n-b-c just completed the first 50 miles at the 46 Daytona 500 Dale Earnhardt jr. lead in the 4 car break away from the rest of the pack included in that group Harvick impressive running up to the fourth base because wherever he did our departure back at lap number eight Casey Mears 41 car slow on the apron of the racetrack penny right front down a 23 laps could it be the two right front tires Lord that the balance is not correct on this car I don't forget that here in Daytona and our most of the larger tracks in NASCAR they want an inner liner like an old tube inside a bicycle tire in case you have a flat at 190 miles an hour it's something there to keep you from going completely down on the rim under green right-side tires started to roll forward a little bit to her months naked his foot off the brake they come around to the left side put on the left side tires they'll send it back out sequence away from the pack this could be a long day now II just got a hope and pray that all these other cars before a caution flag should come out hey fanny let me ask you something about the guys who didn't stop under that this stays green you're right if the they pit then the caution flag comes out they could be a lap down he could in Dale Earnhardt jr. bill check up our fourth will you say what I'm so impressed with Kevin Harvick he says taking third spot away from Jimmie Johnson he's got ten lap do tires that anybody else 18th when we went back under green at lap number 11 Jimmie Johnson slipped back a position to forth when Harvick made that past 40 game Harvick was making that past Jimmie Johnson let him go he felt like the 29th decided not to bill Matt all four tires on the 41 appear to be okay so maybe it was a feel thing but especially the right front they don't look to be okay James still looking at him now but there again you come off the corner you get yourself in the right position in pocket all the trouble [Music] the bottom Jackie bring here their checks break by the tnt machine is just that a double dribble hey panty yeah remember we talked to the 16 bunch this morning they greg biffle broke a rocker Stan's boat yesterday so Doug case this morning changed boats on all the eight engines they had here Jeff Burton to pit road safely we stay under green that's certainly going to make the other teams nervous right now [Music] try to run down the second-place driver toy store losing a spot there for bush signing him for a jet boarding that'll be four sixteen seven places his bike outside Jeff Gordon take that spot pretty easily these guys that didn't piss before so let's take a break we'll come back in time for the visits to control general leaves live at they told her trouble getting in the grass while the rest of the leaders come to get serviced Marty Michael Walters had freed me up just a little bit I'm a little bit tight buy me the body pulls it install safely behind him half a pound on the right-front day no t-shirts car is a little loose on entry but pretty neutral they decide to make no chassis changes for fresh tires and fuel from Bertoni Phil Earnhardt jr. Jason a chassis adjustment his car was for tires bobby labonte we talked about it earlier getting on a pit lane so tough to get the car broke down sometimes without locking up the front tires try to cut out of the herd at this point with no drafting help Kevin Harvick is the new leader here comes Sterling Marlin and some others to pit road there's Harvick check out that rush to pit road again watch part of the body and the pylon that I talked about earlier that you got to be between he cleaned that pylon out just ran right over it she's okay I can make my pit let me go cross pit road here that's the long way to the pit Dave Elliott Sadler is in they changed four tires and he's already gone no chassis adjustments darling Marlin Ricky rod also and Bill and he they had trouble with the left rear trouble with the lawn [Music] and chassis adjustment he could not hold the car in the middle of the track drifting up the wall Ricky Craven and Jimmy Spencer also leaving after green flag pit stops there Spencer in the 70 lap down yeah that's the thing now kevin harvick stopped at lap eight along with a number of others so they can run that much farther before they have to pin it if the caution comes out now all these guys who just pitted under green have got a problem Marty Allen Bobby Labonte said nothing about missing pit road when he left pit road all he said is how bad is it his crew chief Michael McSwain said don't worry about it the valence has rolled under just a little bit but we should be fine [Music] trouble turn four got a car there's that yellow they didn't need oh I'm telling you Jr stays on the lead lap caution flag is out the 1990 Daytona 500 winner has hit the wall up in turn four great break for Harvick Gordon and boys let's see Tony Stewart Dale jr. Jimmie Johnson they're all gonna stay on the lead lap michael waltrip as well here he comes that that's luckily a one car accident with his pack of cars coming up behind him he lost it way way up there where he just about who's that he bounced off him might have it Scott Riggs but it happened way way back up there between three and four when he started losing it yeah but it's when he came back down the track bounced off of somebody and then went back up toward the outside wall I think it was the ten car for a Scott Riggs what this car it is fact reached his strives by he's got some pretty significant damage on the right side of his machine so that's who it was see all these cars just going by the pace car the pace car will come out and pick up the leader who is Kevin Harvick so Tony Stewart Dale jr. Jimmie Johnson Michael Waltrip Jamie McMurray bush it looks like greg biffle all managed to stay on the lead lap at that caution by getting off pit road just in front of Kevin Harvick that was close on board with Dale Jarrett as he drives up on the accident [Music] the spotter has warned him there's trouble you drop down on the apron the racetrack look like it's fine [Music] Jeffrey he's gotten Dale to a lot of wrecks his career hasn't he yeah sure happy so the pace car in front of leader kevin harvick when they come back around to the opening of the pit lane see how many of these front runners mega stops that the lucky dog there Ward Burton yep no I believe he was in front of Kevin Harvick and when he slowed down double-check this book when he slowed down Harvick got by him and he got so that's why he's been sitting around the pace car our Budweiser aerial coverage of today's Daytona 500 they've been down along with the sunshine on this beautiful East Central Florida day Lucchese must be having fits it was cloudy and overcast and cool this morning when they had to prepare their cars and get him through inspection now the sun's out and here's another chance for him to make some adjustments as they come to pit road here at lap 35 Dave Kevin Harvick gives up the lead to come in his car was just a little bit tight according to crew chief Todd barrier they will wake a wedge adjustment that's the Reds going in the back window but change nothing else on the 29 car bill Ryan Newman in the middle of the triple split has been a feeling out process for Newman this is for tires and fuel no chassis changes bass fill for the second straight stock no adjustments for gentlemen Chevrolet absolutely beautiful Harvick will win the battle obviously the hovers between neutral and loose it is great party to a Nemechek came down pit road running third the car just a little bit loose they decided to make no changes to it they're happy with number primers did not pit under this caution flag will reset the running order for you in just a moment today tone of 500 under caution at the Daytona International Speedway it's going to be a glory day for one [Music] [Music] and at Daytona International Speedway we're wrapping up the second caution flag of the 46th Daytona 500 yellow coming out after Derek Hope spun off of turn number 4 NASCAR Busch Series update for you yesterday the race stops by rain after just 31 of the schedule 200 laps the mercies kisses 300 will resume on Monday at 11 a.m. Eastern Time we'll have live coverage for you on TNT the Dale Earnhardt jr. leading the race when we stop for rain Friday night spectacular freshmen Truck Series race here in Daytona Carl Edwards came back from like three different problems during the race to win he held off a fierce field charging toward him in the checkered flag in the draft Craftsman Truck sneck strace about a month from now it had plant up you notice on the racetrack Tony Stewart is in front of Dale Earnhardt jr. this is when they were coming to pit road for the green flag stops back about 29 and watch how Stewart got the lead yes Stuart just got in to the pit lane faster than Dale jr. and like I said earlier very hard to judge to slow your car down and up you're really on the brakes you're down shifted and like BP said you got to be at 55 right there beginning right there to the next line you've got to be at 55 miles per hour Jr not taking any chances he knows he has a great race car so now Tony Stewart in front of Dale jr. and Stewart is the race leader there are a handful of cars in front of him on the racetrack in that outside lane though those are all the pace car came out picked up the leader those cars were all a lap down at the time the leaders peeled off the pit these cars didn't the leaders came off pit road behind them they basically got two and a half miles to make up on Tony Stewart they are sticky little dicey there's your leader Tony Stewart these guys have keep Tony Stewart back so they don't get put a lap down got Elliott Sadler there in 38 light-skinned 133 a team two and a half miles behind the leader Tony Stewart this is where you got to have patience penny this is where guys patience speaking of patience the leader and the 14 car was slow on that restart Larry point [Music] you said where should I follow Tony yeah guess I look there three wide don't want to be in the middle Jimmy Johnson to the inside he's racing for that lead as well sandwich stop traffic now these guys Tony Stewart and he'll treat me the really using the mirror penny he's got to block the move if you can you don't want to get past to put a lap down Spencer caught me Center in the 7 o'clock I'll let them that just says I can't win got to be on the lead as long as you're on the lead lap you've always got a shot Ricky siga Jimmie Johnson in the 48 on the inside lane Tony Stewart in the 20 in the outside lane they're racing for for Jimmie Johnson [Music] my reports car has seven car so Kenny Johnson takes the lead we tried so hard / that's close contact there Jr in store yeah Earnhardt jr. foot before we called bump-drafting you kind of guy idiot you only want to do that a little bit more speed so Jimmy Johnson chose the lane that - that good traffic jam he jumped down to that inside lane that has gotten first Stewart got a big there's no joking in the middle is he gonna make it three wide Kasey Kahne is slow 20 cars wow that's a handful [Music] Tommy Baldwin just as Casey isn't running or is it coasting he says it is coasting they told him to try the back of his mission box to see if that might help the race car fire Casey just said it's something big yeah it's broken that is smoking it's big Matt he's got big smoke Jr just pushing Tony Stewart down that backside Jimmie Johnson in the 48 Tony's turn pulls up behind the roof he said [Music] [Music] sorry see Wisconsin native [Music] what he's got on a straightaway phone he'll hit barb Ricky Craven push Ricky like I said he got the real scrapper you don't want to do that too late getting into the corner either because he gets you sideways when you get it before it is really a to be careful to be straight when you do that when solder jumped out he wasn't exactly straight he almost got turned sideways got a smoker in the pack suck over the round brush another round car beeping that looks like a right front fender to me maybe had some contact with somebody did he just say cool running fourth now who's the other guy that kind of damage somebody else's got some damage somewhere you did the 97 here Junior's car there you see down on the bottom he gets right into the left foot left her entire Dale jr. yeah but just hit the tire Junior Paul be okay boy looking at look at all of us damage there doesn't take much to life Allen was talked about earlier these guys spend so much time getting these bodies perfect just a little bit of a rub is gonna hurt the handling of your race car go ahead Dave Kurtz guys go to work on the right front they've already they've jacked it up to change the two right-side tires try to get it close to the aerodynamic beauty that it used to be [Music] and that's to rauch aid citizen chef if you are still out there would you be concerned you know when you see with Greg site yesterday has certainly caught this cause I'm concerned that we don't even know I don't even know if the two things the same you might have two separate incidences I don't know really hard and you know this is this what happens when you're trying to progress your deal we're trying to make our deal better and sometimes it it works really really good then you'll have a setback this is a setback but it's a temporary setback jr. on the track and all that his spotter Stevie Reeves on the radio the whole time walking Earnhardt through traffic a lap ago that's because in practice we said he's never seen anybody that aggressive in practice over the race he gave some advice to Brian Vickers the twenty-year-old beginning traffic we've seen you jump being followed and learned that's exactly what he's doing an excellent day so far for Vickers Rick Hendrick told me today his advice he told him just be patient and don't get frustrated you've got a great car back to the front that's exactly what he's done and hooked up at 435 Park for Hendrick Motorsports behind his older and more experienced teammate and I'll tell you what sitting in one of these race cars this is madness I mean you're doing everything you can you've got the hands you are so busy right now that race car with these race cars slide around and these guys are driving hard right now so the traffic starting to feel it Ginny Johnson has slipped back in front of Tony Stewart and Earnhardt jr. jr. Stewart the top-three your guess from there on back there all right there the big pack you're watching NASCAR on NBC [Music] Jr is just stuck to those or the Budweiser Chevy Oh yeah pretty good contest right now two nearly three laps down after the cares earlier Highline probably helped his teammate the 18 car boggle apart and try to stay close to that thought to get his lap back decided to go low was the choice of eight r18 team mates it's gonna have to go on his own bill work deals being made down there now whether talking to to the inside all over the track 20 team and the 18 they've been running together Junior move to the outside the a car was gonna put out my 31 but when they found that the 20 was going to come a lap earlier they came that I told you 30 on the track coming on 31 they said no no the body on the outside Benny eighteen car the walk through turbo champion the only raise your youth ages in five dollars young guns dot-com for details twice during 2004 and May at the coca-cola 600 and in November for the Ford 400 a chance to win a grand prize of five Wow if you picked the ha jr. he holds all the wins today's race Dean gets in front of the 20/20 decides to follow the 18 look at all sorts Matt Kenseth right behind the body in the 17 is is the face Jr would go with him but he goes by Elliott Souder anyway all these other cars he's racing with about Jimmie Johnson Matt Jimmy says the car is just a tick on the tight side Jimmy has never was canal's has gone to Victory Lane here in the 500 as a crew member at Jeff for his team last night while doing media in victory lane when it was all said and done he reserved it for later today come on you see Matt Kenseth up on the front there you never realized they had some damage or they have and an outstanding run so far for greg biffle when the poll here a week ago today had to start at the rear of the field because an engine change this morning he said he was confident but somewhat concerned with that new engine but he's hot and whether we keep it on these sets of tires that come off the cars of the tires Mac Dave the Gordon Vickers combination made at the 5th and 6th in Jess has been coming through that pack you know I'm thinkin watching he were seeing a different kind of Daytona 500 and we have the last few years and it's because of these new tires the NASCAR asked boutonnière to develop if you're not familiar with the story the tires and past healers have been so durable and so good that you didn't need tires you basically want to set all day long and they wouldn't lose any speed and it became where the first guy off pit road changed by NASCAR so that a cars handling in a drivers skill who once again more of a factor in deciding a race Goodyear did that and Tony Stewart in these guys able to drop back in the pack and then come back passing I think the fans wanted it boys in the back you know I occurring it probably right but these guys the teams that can adapt to change the best is still gonna be the best teams they're gonna have the cars they're gonna be the fastest but I think one sauce Oh trouble back straightaway Rusty Wallace Jeff Green I'm off behind you back it down come to the College that's Ken Schrader's nice traitor Schrader's and rusty in the 43 car there's Jeff green so rusty will not win a Daytona 500 in 2004 Rusty Wallace in his 22nd Daytona 500 try and scored 54 wins at NASCAR's top level but this race its biggest has not been one of them Kurt Busch's going to get one of his laps back and it's a turd we'll come back around be on the tail end of all those lead lap cars Labbadia be the lucky dog the lucky dog let's see what happened here okay the ref seawalls just got squeezed here the 42 car Jamie McMurray came up the racetrack right across the left front of Rusty Wallace turned rusty into the 43 car of Jeff Green and collected trainer see Johnny Benson there come whistling by in the grass that had to be a hairy ride that's one of those deals where you know most of the time two three the other cars they're just at the wrong place at the wrong time there's nowhere they could have gone Mary just had no idea that rusty was moving up on his outside and rusty had to avoid the 42 car and I watch these guys to the right here is jeff green spins come whistling through the grass [Music] now run through the grass hundred eighty is always exciting oh there's John Andretti just barely getting by on board Dale Jarrett he just barely gets fine this is Jeremy Mayfield and he's got a double drats yeah this is not good for Jeremy because you got to slow down a lot before hit the graph that was good here we go here they come down pit road party first all on pit road for Matt Kenseth VP he said it's about as loose as I can stand it at the beginning of the rock by the track it's getting slick leave it like it is for tires no changes Dave Tony Stewart said I'm loosing time so I'm tied in time so I'm having fun driving this thing don't change anything except change the tires and fill it full of fuel bill yes minimal damage on the eighth car from that contact with the nineties the right rear and a great stop by Matt Kenseth's team looks like they're going to pick him up two spots on pit road and get him out second so what else is new Kenseth career hangout spots on pit road let's check the camera Mahmoud at the line where they score the cars coming at pit exit Tony Stewart Matt Kenseth and now watch this for third I'm gonna give it to Little League barely Jr Arthur Jeff Ward's off fourth caution for the third time in the Daytona 500 after trouble on the back straightaway he's our cab this is Bryan chase the jack man for Michael Sheen at Daytona International Speedway NBC Sports with live coverage of the 46th Daytona 500 race under caution for a third time after a three-car accident off of turn number two involving Rusty Wallace Ken Schrader and Jeff green as we watch again here watch 42 in the boundary screen he floats up doesn't know Rusty's there turns rusty right into the 43 and collects Kenny Schrader as well what I don't how frustrated that is [Music] we'll get that for you in a bit we've lost a lug nut on the pit stop Marty well and I'll paraphrase for you he was upset very upset and Schrader you had a chance to watch the replay like everybody else at home did your opinion change at all rusty everybody's tight you know not everybody weird a little bit loose but it just run that room you know we're back there everybody's just kind in cruise mode and I guess 42 gets into the 42 and then they get the damage into into my car camera business up but I just got apologized Schwan's this is how we started this thing making 86 and we'll do better this time but 42 it's the two who's under the 43 and I'm behind the 43 and here we are sometimes you just run out of room bill on that pit stop guys Ryan Newman's to sustain some right rear damage and here's what was happening after his pit stall after his pit stop rather he was boxed in so he backed up about the time he was going to back up the 31 behind him decided to leave so if they made contact a couple of crew guys went down everybody's fine two came back in and bandaged up the right side of the 12 car and sent it back out the biggest thing for Ryan here is he's got Buddy Baker working as a spotter on the backstretch telling him look we're just 62 laps into this thing relax we'll be fine so Ryan Dulin back out in track runner caution the Daytona 500 [Music] just past 150 miles see the Daytona 500 or bent pace car hits pit road Tony Stewart the leader brings the feel up to speed on the restart for Jimmie Johnson fifth rush to the top ten off the pit lane and Dave leading 27 cars on the lead lap after that last caution he was the highest scored non lead lap car we generally call that the lucky dog award lucky dog there is that jumping down there is that Ricky Rudd and guys he was racing with leader his teammate Tony Stewart they have two-way radio communication so he radioed to Tony didn't mean to get in your way buddy but I wanted to be the lucky dog and Tony said that's alright underneath and junior who's he gonna go with he's chosen the 17 car I don't think Tony Stewart I think Jeff kind of close the door here comes Jeff Gordon and his teammate Jimmie Johnson in the 48 car believe outside accident rusty and has torn up number two racecar back here in the garage and what happened just really needed to get past them - thought I had him cleared off a - and didn't give enough room I just got my right rear quarter panel and his left front fender and turned us both into a wall and that was it he had a good sense of humor about it he said I mean you think this racetrack doesn't like me anymore they have not had too much luck here in the last few years or at least in the garage with a chance to win [Music] potentials is getting little down which of these drivers who has never won the Daytona 500 has the best chance of winning today will mark martin without with an engine failure earlier Rusty Wallace was your pick now he's been in a wreck over the body and Ricky Rudd still in contention Ronnie running 16th and rod running 34 will change the name to see who's gonna be left running races he with one will be left that Ricky Rudd is a lap down Tony Stewart leaning back Kenseth second the race for third then went back in again for another pitstop like today that Highline is just not working at all Gordon finally squeezes down gets at the inside and outside man what about the 24 that caution juice slow him up that's exactly what he needed to get to the bottom that's where his car works the best really hasn't been at the front of the field mostly playing a waiting game because Slugger Labbe Michael Walker when you talk to with that car [Applause] that they are fast a challenge - that part there in the middle trying to get through top speed lap 70 these fastest [Music] and that's a speed of an average all the way around the racetrack not the speed Jimmie Johnson in that 48 car get down in that bottom line and pick up the draft of those first four bars [Music] who was that that was pushing ricky rudd their jet bush this curveball sure he gotta run gotta run ninety-seven fire okay what's your 21 car right on by at 97 that's three times from there's a lot of good cars right there's that Sterling Marlin in there forty cars in it that's Michael Waltrip's car upside down i'm terry smith see i'll move it there at the left side of the car as we look at it caution flag is out the field has slowed safety and rescue workers already there attending to Michael Waltrip's car and the others involved in this big crash down the back straightaway that is this is why NASCAR slowed these cars down on the caution flag to let the rescue workers get there to attend to these drivers they've got they've got there so much faster right now that they used to and wall-e you know from your experience inside these race cars with all the safety ratings and so on it's not a big cockpit area that a driver has to move around in and Michael's not a small guy now Michael's big guys you've got your Hans on Michaels got some extra wires connected to the this helmet because of the camera that he's carrying like I was yesterday so there's a lot of things that connect to you you can't move on top of that you're upside down it's hard to get the steering wheel off and then when you let go of the belts you got to be careful not to fall on top of the steering wheel column so you got to really try to get your bearings it's just if you're not hurt just take your time those guys are there the fire guys are there and if you just take your time and get yourself unhooked I think you know obviously the cars on fire you're gonna create ways to get out quick but there's Brian Vickers out of his car Jamie McMurray in the accident driver with the star in his uniform back left of the screen he's out of his car and the work continues around the michael waltrip machine and also the way the seats are around you the headpieces is very difficult for somebody like Michael if he's okay the car over and if he's okay [Music] more good news for Tony Stewart's no chassis changes this time for fresh tires plus the news that Michaels okay Webber this should be routine for tires for the eight car in fuel seemed to take a long time on the right front Matt [Music] got there first yeah it stopped the team's exiting pit road after their stops and the work around the michael waltrip car to extricate him from that machine after it turned over at least three times down the backstretch when the car slid off into the grass I saw him one of the tires leave the machine and when that rim that was left on it dug into the grass it just sent the car kind of car freely over on its roof and when you're in a situation like that you are just a passenger especially when these cars start turning to each other here you see looks like Johnny Sauter slid up in the 30 car into Brian Vickers in the 25 a chain reaction it's like he barely got through there so you see the tire come off of Michael's car then it got into that grass softened by the rain and it just dug in just like we saw Ryan Newman's last year and sent the car over there's Harvick Kevin LePage Johnny Benson Terry the body sonic Mauryan Vickers okay here we go this might be your best shots the car the bottom there blue the yellow car slides up right just ever so little contact which doesn't look like a lot whenever 185 miles per hour it's a lot I just gonna dig in there goes all the tires and Allen talked about very violent you hit that grass hang on now the 30 car he comes up and just it's like you said Wally another six inches probably would have not been an accident and it looks like the 32 me got a little bit loose down there you get a little bit loose he corrected but what he corrected he slid up the racetrack two cars on the outside of them at least 10 cars involved in this accident it's hard to tell if he got looser he pushed up there but the end result result the same yeah hit by robby gordon and then here's the dig right there dick because he just how high that he throws the dirt as the car goes over other cars almost got on their lid to that was Kevin LePage and the four car got some air i watch this I think Biffle gets to it without too much damage ha'penny he just said on the radio they should show it from my onboard [Music] that should be the lucky dog such a good time he said oh this one of these sliding to stop did you even say we're done by the harsh kill spots the 30s he pushes her he gets loose it gets loose yeah so the back end breaks loose first and when he's trying to correct and catch it rise when he slides up into Vickers and Vickers pinches Waltrip and off they go let's add a couple more to this how about 12 cars in this accident now get all the numbers in the cars coming back around damage this Ryan Newman yeah he was almost through it 25 car Victor's came down and just tagged him page in the air sterling Marling up under him there's Benson in the Oh nine [Music] I said there's just no place for you to go a lot of times it's just it's called bored Michael Washington 25 got into it that they are talking to Michael the safety workers are but we talked about the tight cockpit Michael being a big guy he's just trapped inside the car that's right I mean turn the thing over okay job I think probably the reason they don't turn it over bp's if he does have any kind of injury especially to the neck or the back that's the last thing you want to do that's a good idea so precautions being taken to extricate michael waltrip from his machine tomorrow we continue to monitor that let's check with mark ryan newman hammering on the 12th car right now and said that he would rather talk he's wants to calm down for a second very upset about what happened out there and sometimes BP as you know you can use a hammer to take out some frustrations can't you hit that fender Ryan hit it hard hit Marty Ryan Newman we got the car up on its side and looks like they're flipping it over don't let hit so hard oh you're gonna stop that you see they continue to work father look at the heavy damage for that machine [Music] so they continue to work to get michael waltrip out of his car again though the report from NASCAR is that he is talking to the rescue workers there and a big list Wow in this accident talked about earlier it's not if it's when so in this case the big wreck happened at lap 72 of the 200 schedule in today's daytona 500 mile race the defending 500 winner an unfortunate starring role [Music] see different rescue crews there the tow trucks to remove all the vehicles involved in the accident the EMTs and the medical workers to the firemen of the extrication tools that's inside Michael Waltrip's car you can see if it's out close everything goes in there very confined plus you got the roof on you the dash is all crushed on you the back can see that huge applause that Michael gets as he gets out and wave to the crowd that distraction put it back we don't need so not the kind of day michael waltrip hoped for certainly in this Daytona 500 he was hoping to come away with his name inscribed on the Harley Earl trophy for a third time as a 500 winner instead he's competing every eleven o'clock Sports gasp tonight with the spectacular flyer through the infield that's a roof cam watching all these guys pick the debris up trouble off turn 2 involves 12 cars and since michael waltrip for a flying double caution flag is out in the 46 Daytona 500 frightening scary moment fortunately [Music] as we come back to the Daytona 500 you see the remains of Michael Waltrip's car being hauled away the most important part to note that center cage area you see for the window door in the window area the front back if that crushes that's fine but that Center cage where the driver sits Benny and Wally that's the heart of the safety of a race car and we can see the integrity is still there and projected michael waltrip especially for something like Michael sighs he's the best six foot five camera still works he talked about flipping that car back over BP this was the view upside down right side up now we take the wheel off and see about getting out of this car just look at the dirt on the dashboard and remember Ryan Newman told us on countdown to green the piece of sod he ended up with in his car after his flipped last year he took home with it MacDonald sponsors a championship a contest for pit crews throughout the season teams who spend the least amount of time on pit road it's called the McDonald's pit crew championship fueled by Powerade Dale Earnhardt jr. steam was the victor a season ago and the teams will be contesting for that race within a race throughout 2004 just had around two pit stops here you saw that Jeff Gordon won the race off the pit lane now all the teams will be running down to the Sunoco gas station to get some more fuel for the next round of pit stops Sunoco just one of the new things in NASCAR racing in 2004 didn't have a board you know my dad when he raced back in the late 1960s at a local track up in Massachusetts I was just talking this morning had a big Sunoco decal on the car the local Sunoco dealer used to give gasoline that's what a sponsorship was in those days Marty wall ride for a lot of drivers including Brian Vickers what started all that Brian yeah I'm not sure I think the 30 car make out loose was something and got into us and I got into Michael and just kind of went from there I hate it for everybody out I really hate it for this you may see Chevy team it they work their butts off it's the best car we had a leak we went from 35th to the top 10 we were running top 10 there the last part of the race beforehand but the guys did a great job I can't think of I want to thank the president for coming today and all the support we have the fans out here when all that happens what's your view what's my view what do you see out the windshield anything hold on I see a lot of smoke a lot of dirt flying a lot of cars and it usually hurts pretty good but I'm fine now got a couple a little bit sore but other than that it's just hold on and let go of the wheel he feels fine but he's only 20 years old remember that to Dave Artie Sterling Marlin drove his car and what was your view of the wreck there I don't know well we're into each other on straight away somebody got into somebody in front of us up there and Saints the smoke everything look good and you know I was going good straight to somebody help me in the right rear and turn me head-on in the fence so I don't know what time do all idiots this car was too tight ain't even cuts for off and make them loose everybody's pushing and you get three dates front end just takes off on them and it's nothing to do about it so they need look these rooms and put some his bowler off and let's get him hung out sideways all right sterling marlin not able to win his third Daytona 500 today guys still cleaning up on the back straightaway so let's take a break we're approaching 200 miles in the 46 Daytona 500 a dozen cars involved in the big wreck back straightaway michael waltrip I don't think any question about it not the most of the whole deal Chevrolet Corvette official pace car of the 2004 Daytona 500 hanging a left and getting out of the way caution period is over Jeff Gordon leads the field to the restart as the race reaches 200 miles [Music] a lot of shoving right there 20 while watch the cars come up to speed well Michael Walsh if you look a little dirty but are you okay yeah I'm fine just unfortunate I was on the outside and the I survived one rookie being on the inside of me but I guess when the second one decided to dive in there was too much they got to get into the wall and that grass down on the backstretch dangerous feel you know you hit it is it quiet like everybody says when you're upside down like that now I was pretty hard bounces off the road and then when the car stopped that was pin way bad it felt like one of those dudes the circle whatever it is I was in a box and I couldn't get out and I didn't appreciate safety workers were going about it I was trying to tell them just to turn the car over you know I just flipped ten times or five times or two times I don't know how many times 180 and survived it all had to do is head it back over and get out they were cutting bars the whole car was on top of me I don't know what bar they thought they were going to cut that would have alleviated the paint that all the great ones had flipped at Daytona frustrating was it to be pinned in like that Michael well you know racing cars is not the most it's not the safest thing maybe at times it's not even the same this thing you do so you understand you're gonna get in some bonds and you don't worry about what you get yourself into you look forward to people helping you get out of it and I couldn't see where they were doing a whole lot of good to get me out so I was trying my best to explain to them what needed to happen and what do they eventually do after me screaming and yelling for ten minutes flipped it over and I got out so I hope that was a lesson learned we'll take a dirty Michael Waltrip as long as he's a healthy microwatt Michael just fine so Michaels chance to win a third Daytona 500 crash down the back straightaway you've been watching the pictures you've seen Johnny Sauter 'he's 30 car smoking after the restart it tyre was rubbing one of the fenders Jimmie Johnson looking for a spot on Dave my backfire Johnson losing some ground instead over a lap and a half and finally it cut into the tire he says now I've got a left rear going down the bring a thirty car to pit road Dale jr. Tony Stewart side by side instead of nose to tail like they've been all day and here comes Jr stuck in the middle in the 8 car Jimmie Johnson for the lead on his teammate Jeff Gordon nobody's going to go up Terran help not at the moment [Music] [Music] the race lead to I'll tell you what Dave Blaney ran so well last Saturday in the bud shootout he continues today terrific work there y23 car [Music] that's squeezing it down there and from the 8 car bill jr. okay I'll let you finish the phone yeah but and Benny like you were talking about he was a little better finished he did not get it last Saturday night and you know this is a team that at the race in Rockingham North Carolina next day the sponsorship that's on the side of their body here is for this Speedweeks only they don't have backing for the rest of the season not planning on next week I talk with crew chief belief Lopez the story by side and each one of these guys to get from the back to the front that's what he told bill and I this morning see Jimmie Johnson trying to give the 2010 Ford some help it's up the high side gives us mouthing but Gary left the bottom open Lupul he said as long as he had somebody behind it push that good okay he's got hey Allen up possible he goes then so then he saw I'm doing we started the show talking about how the prepared to make this field but we didn't talk about how the slow 20 car became the fast I talked to Greg Zipadelli later in the week about the change the transformation they had made on this 20 car Gregson I went back to our library of notes I read everything we'd ever done at any restrictor-plate track Talladega and Daytona every year and I study when we changed and we came up with the solution you just don't pick up time at Daytona like the 20 car picked up this week it's amazing the transformation that has taken place last Sunday in qualifying I made this statement unless they pick up the speed they can't win the Daytona [Music] last accident also treated and released from the infield Medical Center Ryan Newman drive their cars into the garage and getting them worked on there the most laps today those who have fought among the six drivers to return a stone Jimmy Johnson Jeff Gordon Kevin Harvick and Kyle Petty boats and laps under that last caution to the ways impede michael waltrip Snapple machine brian vickers martin the latter three out of this Daytona 500 [Music] Stewart Steve about at 48 car gotta run and I don't know little loose there with Biffle down on the bottom the spark got a little sideways on him that's going to cost him a little bit he told me that his car is bottoming out the front crossmember Austin got in the left rear the 48 he told me that his car is bottoming out down between one and two the FIR Crossman that's probably what happened to him there what he'd better not do that with somebody on his bumper he's gonna be sideways because here Dale jr. was like that when his car bottomed out sideways that's always control just delivering the message flyer and they just told Phil on the radio just go run some laps Greg just run some laps right now talk about storage team before we did this team Tony Stewart's car damaged in a crash than yesterday's final practice they had Pender's that come in early this morning we got the suspension on the right side of the bar they put it on the racetrack that the fenders fitting is on those tires they were concerned about that obviously they've done it to perfection nothing wants to get out front bad and I think what he would like to have his father cut line down and say Earnhardt will go with you if you want to go because he's gonna need help [Music] so far feel safe would say of the best is you have to come NBC Sports live coverage of the Daytona 500 from Daytona Beach Florida glorious afternoon 200000 including the President of the United States on hand wilee changes so far and a very heavy jr. right now in the 8 car the wide eight is backing up to the 48 see if there was two guys can't get together and make the run on this front to 12 lead changes today about six drivers championship race for the new NASCAR Nextel Cup Series in series spots are getting a pretty good at ovulation today the 48 can hang there Benny take a look right now I don't know with Jimmie Johnson can we run that bottom line like be a car of Dale jr. I talked to Brian Watson this point and also tatka now from crew totally different you had a little time off at the holidays I know you've missed this it's time you five for the Aflac NASCAR Nextel Cup trivia quiz and this won't be much of a quiz for BP who had the fewest is the last two left I took the lead here's some sparking off turn two so I let those two laps and you started way back in 30 seconds I said he put it around the bottom he passes on the bottom I think junior backed up a little bit too much to get that run who's gonna get three guys lined up now he's in position to get back see if the caution comes out he's the first car on the lead lap in scoring chance to do this yet in this very action-packed Daytona 500 but let's do it now how about a top 10 the field we start with the race leader Tony Stewart in Dave burns well BP led that one lap it looks like Tony Stewart that you mentioned with that repair one thing he didn't mention just how far the rear end back knocked over six inches down that's a lot anywhere especially here at Daytona bill greg biffle wanted to follow the twenty so he tried to follow the lines [Music] 200 teammates Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon running food and forth back to almost neutral after that significant chassis adjustments a few stops as well just a fresh stick of gum meanwhile Jeff Gordon says his car is running very well right now no complaints he's just riding in traffic Ville Dale Earnhardt jr. lost a few positions trying to battle it back car tightening up just a little bit us and has a tendency to do late around 110 just an outstanding run for the 23 car of Dave Blaney Alan told you the story the sponsor only for this race we've had feel-good stories of the Daytona 500 that ended after Davis said yellow and black for Talladega race car Marty and Scott says that car is very strong bad 217 team has got it done on pit road today but on the last stop Russ trucks Jack Brooke it took him seven pumps normally about two pumps to get the car up in the air he fell back in the field now he's made his way back up to eighth Dave Kevin Harvick's car was adjustment to compensate for that does the only take tape off the grill it would get tight again Elliott Sadler well his cars tight too but when he comes in around lap one or two or three Arthur run off his pack here in the Daytona 500 as we've just crossed halfway 250 miles down in the 46 running of the great American race halfway [Music] to give such a terrific run on him here coming late on this set of tires for today burns so Biffle loses second third earlier in the week a lot of talk about Jimmie Johnson wound up knows the tale there Michael Walter while he was in the race Junior but Tony Stewart into he refers to out Thursday even though they don't race for the same team well they were teammates in the 24-hour race two Sundays ago special relationship with each other don't you think bill absolutely in fact it's so special especially on the track today 20 it's the only car they can run with place driver ate Jeff's got no help he's behind the end of that next-to-last car in the inside circle he was two laps down remember earlier he and Dale Earnhardt jr. climbed off each other and Kurt had to make a green flag pit stop for repairs he made up one of those two laps on the racetrack he's now the first obviously he's especially for leaders if he can get back on the lead lap [Music] [Music] that Richard D crew chief or Greg Biffle beefy moments ago Brad Perry was down low his pit box was talking to checking out Chad really wanted to come on lap 107 made a deal to come on lap 109 that's the plan at least right now we see some hands out the window there's Dale jr. Jonah's handing out the window II was my guess is he's chill miles go make a pit stop I'm gonna make a pit stop run over me remember the last time they put it under green Tony Stewart jr. on this Stewart jr. Biffle 55 miles an hour is the pit lane speed limit by that cone and some others following the man including Bobby the body Dale Jarrett and Ricky Craven Dave crew chief Greg Zipadelli asked Tony if he needed anything Tony said no just give me the four tires of the fuel they will send it back out with friends who came in with a bill it'll be four tires for Dale Jr at Pebble so they maybe it will catch her the race of the hands of Jimmy Johnson he's coming in to eat the start-finish it is these cars just leave the pit lane and try to get these restricted edges up to full song who comes to either their 48 park Johnson and it takes forever Weezer's come to speed you're new to NASCAR they put a plate between the carburetor in the manifold to restrict the amount of air that goes into these engines in order to control speeds otherwise the cars would probably be doing about 230 miles an hour and they just fly up into the air tunes and they play a very unsafe condition three times on the backstretch unrestricted it [Music] guys it just came off the good lady [Music] virtual garage we talk about the restrict attention back to the high speeds here at Daytona that makes something we call drafting King that's the air that you see you can't see but that's here as you go down the straightaway and you see the boy behind the car that our NBC car pulls up behind is so much easier to run behind that Home Depot car and running that boy you're able to drive by that lead car because the back car literally the hair pushes the front car polar the big vacuum that's the problem nice lady hard on the brakes Kurt Busch coming with the leaders Jeff Gordon Scott Wimmer Kevin Harvick goes to the rest of the sleep pack got a dive in stops woke up at the conclusion of lap 108 [Music] Jimmy Johnson fitting all the way down toward the pit road go ahead David Elliott Sadler's car was tighten the guys will go to the right side change those tires air pressure adjustment to help Eliot's condition bill Blaney had to lock him up and put it right on the pit board side just what his crew chief [Music] it's really loose the right-front alley here come Stewart see they've been out there with two or three laps with pressures tires and they're able to run probably a second a lap faster because of those new tires Marty Matt's Kansas car Petey is a little bit too loose doesn't have any help right now with an innocent lane but when he gets up to speed he's going to blend into some of that traffic that's coming by him if he if he can when he's gonna have to get up to speed pretty quick the intention just well not the first group but that second group [Music] so John FLE is now the leader of the Daytona 500 having not made a pit stop yet then Jeremy Mayfield was not get back around the Tony Stewart and these guys think just a stay long just a line three car track there's nobody real blood close to him right now these guys start raising each other that group behind him is going to catch him John Andretti has just been on and off pit road in the one car now here's dirt we may feel to the pit lane for his stop and that'll turn the race lead back into the hands [Music] a field stop Dave that left front they replaced a whole side of the car the pro that knows as well but they basically been trying to massage that all day they'll make another four-tire stop here get Jeremy on his way Ranger right now these guys around about the same time they're deep a skirt forty seven eight then Gordon between the two groups you're right those three guys just stay in line have another great pit stop and they could decide the Daytona 500 amongst the three of them and not let these other guys back in the race if any that might be a problem for the 16 into the engine compartment continues to run hot he saw 250 as a temperature it gets hot if he tucks in for too long you're right bill if he does have to do that he keeps breaking that draft so it's not really really tight that will cause them to go slower and we're watching it right now he's weaving back and forth to try to get some air in that radiator upon 300 miles in the Daytona 500 Tony Stewart Dippold Dale Earnhardt jr. make up the lead rat Stewart's guys getting the job done on their pit stop holding on to the top spot and race the Daytona Beach International Airport behind the backstretch the racetrack Air Force one departing the premises at the United States on hand to get this Daytona 500 underway and now heading back to attend to the business of the nation bill pretty exciting day for you huh Jeff was a great day who's the utility man for the 84 abilities he's the senior instructor at the federal law enforcement training center Bennie he did a story on him last year remember he told me that about 90% of the people on the president's detail so he knew about 90% of all he teaches emergency driving techniques to ages and other kinds of things so it's a big day for him seeing those guys that's fantastic has a great piece we did with Greg Martin Bob in the Ponte hey he's got a great piece here is Kurt Busch never we talked about him being the first car lap down he has pulled the second group up to the lead three and has literally suffered and look at how much of a gap Earnhardt jr. got to close up on a 16 because of that bomb the last two times it's struggled getting in turn three I know if he's laying back to try to get a run or what he's doing it looks like he does because he really catches him right here it just needs someone to go with him right now if he pulled out but I think he knows the people's out Dale jr. is gonna go behind take him that if Kurt Busch's caught them with Dale Earnhardt jr. get to rot on Greg Biffle for second place with Kurt Busch's push yeah now pushes gonna throw with his teammate I believe which is greg biffle that's exactly what he did and all those other guys are saying let's don't help Junior's ago this car is too fast getting behind this maybe we'll have a chance I was just what I thought I started to say I can't imagine Kurt Busch he's not gonna wait on that monkey dog thing if he can find a way to get a push from Jeff more than some of these other guys often around Tony Stewart to get on the end of the lead lap he's gonna do he's gonna help push his teammate up to the lead once he does that give him a little bit of a wave this cars obviously fastened up it's not gonna hold bit below up if he lets him go chef Gordon there's a couple other teammates working against the apol jr. that's one thing y'all don't have you doesn't have a teammate up here let's go for third place best friend so forth [Music] [Music] against Dale jr. on the [Music] drops down [Music] while we watch this let's check out on the beat the top performers drivers who has a lot of the leading today Tony Stewart led the most laps Earnhardt jr. the second-most you're still very much into contention to the Miss Daytona 500 [Music] get into the play here another good reason for Biffle to get out front to cart behind this group hanging on with these guys BP back in 2002 and a label saw his cat the champagne the confetti still on it and he's still there to this day they would love to add another one rookie scott wimmer having a wonderful day he just dropped him 67 bill told me earlier in the week the sky was almost playing it too conservative not wanting to make a mistake and he still wants to earn a lot of respect he's certainly doing that here today keep robbers the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series in this is 22 Tony Stewart is the race leader $300 country 46 state 105 trading positions and almost racism paint on the leaf Rufus we come back to the 46 running of the Daytona 500 live from Daytona Beach Florida on NBC Sports just past 300 miles Tony Stewart has been out in front most of this day Dale Earnhardt jr. right there batting second after Greg Biffle shuffled back from that just a second ago some people kind of hung there and that outside lane cause him scott wimmer the 22 goes to third here comes Kevin Harvick in the 29 to fourth and pitbulls just having a hard time staying in the draft he probably can stay in the to everything he has a car but it's just running hot he's got to get that car out there and that's killing him in the ground Dave Jimmy Finnick crew chief or the 97 Jimmy we've seen your car come up through now if you can get back on the lead lap and it lead and can it win yeah I mean we got a pretty good car right there right now we had a misfortune with a car early on but let's hope we get a yellow or something to get us back on this leave left because we got a pass car all right one of his guys leaned over to me and said hey when you're done with that interview throw that microphone on the track we need a caution NASCAR just issued a blocking warning Plaxico and we'll show you why Greg Biffle on it Stewart for the race lead off the start finish line tri-oval and Wow got a heck of a run and that's the movie who's trying to work Tony wouldn't let him by his crew chief Jimmy fennec they're running the first car one lap down plenty of place but a while since we've had a caution last one was at 572 or that big mess on the back straightaway that's to give about that 22 car we're talking about blocking a NASCAR issuing a warning it's a very very fine line between putting a successful defense as a physician on someone and blocking them and causing a wreck drivers perspectives are very fine line right well it is but you know that's one of those things that you just have to do here is a driver is you have to drive in your mirror as much as you do out the windshield because those races you have and what you're saying is you don't want to get into situations where you put on a block and put the guy up in the wall when you do that so yeah you're right it is a fine line but you have to do it [Music] so now the two climbers in degreeworks fairly successfully together in the draft all day Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt jr. [Music] with scott wimmer kevin harvick and greg biffle doubt bombing out five anything happens we'll come back live for now you're watching NASCAR on NBC 68 laps to go in the 2004 running at the Daytona 500 Tony Stewart leading Dale Earnhardt jr. Scott Wimmer Kevin Harvick and Greg Biffle none of those drivers ever won some drivers who were involved in earlier crashes had come back onto the track Rusty Wallace Scott Briggs Derek hope Ryan Newman and still tomorrow back in action as is Jeff Greene Marvin oh just been shown the black flag by NASCAR for not meeting the minimum speed requirement with his repaired car so I realized he was not gonna be huh the minimum all just trying to give forever running third back Scott Wimmer a rookie and thinking like a veteran he's managing he's managing his race talking to crew chief Frank styler they're expecting of 40 francs and what changes do you want but he knows one more stop Jeff Gordon and the 48 Jimmie Johnson they were both in the top five about 25 laps ago they both were dropped out dropped kick back Gordon trying to work his way to the front Jimmie Johnson he's working on a tight race car you know it's matt says it's one thing to when you come in especially when you're rookie when you come in you don't want to change too much on that race carpet you don't want to lose a guy who came anyway you don't want to take anymore at the time in the pits just in case something goes wrong you lose that group [Music] drivers five in the top 13 and talked a lot about Dale Jarrett and Bobby Labonte but they are among [Music] fine Jeff Burton put him out of the Daytona 500 [Music] johnny sauter one of the nurses around here trying to stay out there and make some laughs with some Nextel Cup points [Music] it's just kind of throwing up some numbers here thinking about pit stops we're gonna start to see some work green flag pit stops fairly soon for some of these drivers he's Jeff Gordon the to move on Biffle for fifth place blady in the 23 tries to go with him I think pitbulls just happened to get out of the gas up there been struck in that 16 car right to 16 now really chuckling that might be contributing that to that is aware but the wind blowing pretty much directly down the backstretch into turn three so they've got left turn it's kind of a which just magnifies the problem if you're pushing expecting the leaders potentially this lap I think we placed 136 laps they can make a one more stop you want to get these guys out of the way you certainly looks like the 50 was waving Jr the lap car they're coming to pit road Scott window heart of the brakes old Johnny Sauter rightfully right through the leaders have blow on the pit road entry bid time also in clothes called reduce leaders and trust me that's frightening from where I stand down here behind they hopefully protective wall four tires for Stuart no changes full of fuel they didn't want to change it certainly didn't want to make it any looser Tony said Weber Dale Earnhardt jr. said his car is the best it's been when he's in traffic but they wanted still try to get about front major chassis adjustment back [Music] we're they'll earn our junior though kind of separated there see Stuart and Kirk push the lap car then Wimmer and then a gap back to Dale jr. here's Jeff Gordon on pit road Dave Blaney Kevin Harvick Joe Nemechek now in the army card and now Johnny saw her coming in to serve a penalty for that little blast through pit road a minute ago Dave kevin harvick brings a twenty nine and they didn't get all the tape off the nose they wanted to last time he was running hot but not too hot they'll take some more on this time four-tire change the adjustment can set the AIDA stay for a few more laps a four-tire change for Jeff Gordon 23 of Dave Blaney drag race is the zero [Music] Kenseth Jimmie Johnson not a good sequence for the 17 team he was supposed to stay out on the track killed all before a minim Vinnie ever shot at Stalin to be pushed back four tires and a track bar adjustment for the 17 Dave elliott sadler you did the cars going Aero tight it feels like there's a shot broken or something Josefa Jimmy Johnson on the track tight you can see Donuts down the side looks more like it's been run at Martinsville the body dale jarrett casey mears ricky rudd also leaving the pit lane having just come on in for service with that group of bars look at the gap from Scott brother back to Dale jr. that kid exchanged there goes jr. and Dipple by the 24 car of Jeff Gordon Gordon is going to hook onto these two now these three cars might be able to chase down Jimmy Johnson in that group I mean it's Tony Stewart and they grew so the lead is going to go back to Tony's story here is these pit stops around pile pay is just for they deserve a penalty [Music] well now I don't know what happened he came to the pit stop and he went right back guys my notes all the way down the list reads no changes to the chassis all day long and apparently there's been penalty because he took that cat's dead with him yeah he'll hit it on the previous lap it apparently took some equipment out of the box and that's a penalty so file is just a circuit and that's gonna hurt a stop-and-go is the heat penalty when you have to come in at 55 miles per hour stop and then take off again and still stay 55 miles so through a round of green flag pit stops for the lap cars it spread the front pack out a little bit but as we saw last time this happens the second group is able to draft up and catch the first and make it a about a 10 11 car race boy once again the reason because of that the last time I was bit book could not stay tight in line because you talk to we'll see what happens with the second group it's got maybe some built part of the problem with greg biffle he had an equalized left front tire and didn't know it man let's see jr. the last time by was about 3/10 of a second faster than his treat cars in front late looks like they learn our jr. the 8 to 16 of Biffle and the 24 of Gordon will be able to chase him down another penalty on that round of pit stops Warburton held for a lug nut [Music] toss the pasta over there it started back tonight [Music] in a bid for a third Daytona 500 win 97 and 99 winner of this race trying to push Greg Biffle and Dale Earnhardt jr. back us to the lead whew reminds you to log on to NBC sports.com for much more on the Daytona 500 and on NASCAR bp's favorite to win the Series championship this year the Nextel Cup talk about this new system used to determine the champion the Chase for the championship I did a little piece on the tracks that will make all the follow run to the title in the fall and what you can look for as we get to each one of those later on in the season NBC sports.com [Music] Tony Stewart in search of his first win second the 97 part in the middle is Kurt Busch he is one lap down he's been that way for a long time hoping for a caution flag that will allow him to get back into contention to win this race 56 laps to go another round of pit stops and who knows what kind of a finish we will see Daytona is known for its late race close 200,000 people here at the Daytona International Speedway watching the 46th running of the Daytona 500 with Tony Stewart still in the lead Dale Earnhardt jr. fighting a handling problem his car suddenly too the fans have gotten their money's worth so far by the way today and put them in to end they would circle this two and a half mile track that's good they wash it down with about 7,000 gallons worth of soft drinks such an stance are busy and these guys are busy in the car Tony's were trying to hold them off one more pit stop if we stay green yes sir is there any kind of talk about maybe you gave it away VP guys are starting to talk about two tires they see how they work on some of the other cars depending on where you are and how your car is handling these tires that some guys were complaining about earlier you might just want to move on see what happens I don't know why they asked him these left sides to run 67 that is asking a lot Benny if you're if you're desperate Thank You Wally I was waiting for the throw from you that could be PE this time there's a whole list of reasons why it's good the Tony Stewart continues to lead I mean one everything all the action if there wasn't the track will happen behind him secondly if his car was running hot they told to watch his temperatures earlier he's getting all the clean air but you know another one Tony likes to concentrate doesn't like distractions in his cockpit everything is taped down and everyone is quiet because the spotter no one really has to talking about is there anybody that's trying him inside or outside so exactly that that's the key is having somebody that will just run with you that you don't have to be worried about looking in your mirror and blocking and doing this and that it's got three guys four guys behind them they're all content staying in the line right now so a nice truck tell you what 20-car has been today if Tony Stewart were not to win this race as take a take me inside the car their totals to earlier Scott here these other guys she been out here racing for a few hours the adrenaline from the of traffic racing is settled on your kind of settled in mind you trying to figure out what to do for the race what's going on inside the car right now I think right now everything's calmed down and if you've got everybody working on the same plan with it which is right now just log laps stay in line and when it comes down the end whoever is that they're in line whether it's five or six of us will sort it out then just don't race it out getting crazy you know you're gonna have the guys wait behind catch up there will be a 15 or 20 for a so I think right now everybody says content condom make some laps and stay in line Jeff Gordon on the inside of jr. trying to take a spot away from him second group is beginning to catch that first fifth positions behind the front - plus the lap car of Kurt Busch now let's look back for the next pack of cars way to find Ginny Johnson in the 48 the sixth place driver man [Music] six cars together [Music] it's gonna mess up Matt the 29 car made no tastic changes they finally got the tapered off the further to help a who's in condition more than it was overheating at this point for Kevin Harvick juniors car is a little Prius all that mom he got from the 16 [Music] these guys racing now that backpack is going to make a lot of ground up on Earnhardt jr. to the outside of Scott Wimmer for second Biffle goes with junior and Wimmer then the rookie of the instances okay guys go ahead content to be here in fifth or sixth he has no friends with that yellow stripe on his back bumper that signifies he's a first-year czar look is that yellow stripe means hey guys I don't know what I'm doing don't follow me because very seldom do they follow those rookies now are in our junior and second off behind Kurt Busch [Music] continuing to lead there's Joe Gibbs the team owner for Tony storm trying to add another Daytona 500 championship to his long list of accomplishments he saw on Discover card countdown to green Marty Snyder's visit with the coach about going back to the NFL at this stage in his life so he's got another set of Championships and he's after contest the football but the racing there's just poking me oh man looks like bill the gutter the corners could not get it turns over Dale but finally was able do that up in front occurred brush down in front of Biffle trying to leave gently Jeff Gordon going travel a bit for hung out and here comes that second group Jimmie Johnson trying to pull Kevin Harvick to the others it'd be hard to walk away for that 97 pop I was looking for subtractive help because he's been off the strong absolutely and you're not racing up for position yeah that's it at this point Kurt Busch has everything to gain by working with someone and nothing to lose 45 laps to go in the Daytona 500 just over 100 miles remaining in the great American race the point six Daytona 500 about deterring 400 miles long Tony Stewart jr. Jeff Gordon three of the biggest stars as a sort of NASCAR racing pulled down the top three spots this boards biggest promise the dark part number 97 Kurt Busch is as fast as in front two cars and unfortunately he had to make an unscheduled stop earlier he's still down to half miles behind those peak cars there are 17 cars at this point the field is broken off into two groups of drafting because that front group separated by about seven seconds on a second draft headed by Jimmie Johnson in the second group not making any [Music] gave me the first three greg biffle runs fourth and Scott Wimmer he's running in fifth position rookie driver out of Wisconsin and opened was more on the 22 team definitely Wimmer just told his crew chief rank started the cars is way too loose the hole back in 1995 taking his senior Sam for engineering at the University of New Mexico his professor said I think you should suggest not Ashley he looked down saw the caller ID says I think you're wrong it's Dale Earnhardt first engineer he was in the car first one to Victory Lane and the successes started with the 8 and the 15 he's bounced irrelevant but landed here for 22 the connection even here in the 22 pick Scott Wimmer and having a terrific day in his inaugural Daytona 500 running in fifth place they're starting to run across some lap cars and might give jr. in that a car they open him that he needs to get by his own e Stewart remember how Tony Stewart got in front of Dale Earnhardt jr. way back in the very first set of pit stops in this race that came at lap 29 jr. is leading Tony Stewart when they started slowing down to get the pit road Stewart went by jr. then braked for the pit lane I can get some traffic better than anybody else and get you know open up the gap between the third and the fourth place car that's even going to help him but they want to keep with him because he's a lap down he's no threat he's a fast car so the three these cars believe everybody else that's what they want they don't want any competition at the end of this race what are they saying about the 97 car because he's awfully fast trying to review how they got there remember they had that trouble with junior early in the race and it hit under green on lap 47 it lost that time but the big break for them was on lap 59 where there was a caution for the wreck with rusty and Kenny and Jeff Green they had a chance to come in and fix that right front fender correctly that's why he's a factor now to help the other guys and maybe even if he gets his lap back a factor for the win they'll the 20th Tony Stewart he said we're gonna beat him up pit road and those final pit stops will be coming up very soon hey you know what bill that was interesting you brought that up with the 1978 because if the 97 is so bad you know some of the conversation on these radios have been good wiling but they picked on some of these guys if you push that aid across the finish line it makes you a winner of the most popular driver award it's got a lot of fans here and that they taught to be to the stance separation here for those top two and leaving through some lap traffic this is the most separation we've seen all day the second and third place guards week Jeff Gordon trying to go by Mike skin in the lab car and Kurt Busch in the 97 has fallen off that front - a little bit if he falls back to Jeff Gordon in contact with the front seams like doors because he gets kind of hung out or he falls back and all sudden he worked his way back up it seems like when he's in a pack he has his hands full [Music] back at Daytona International Speedway here come the leaders to pit road Dale Earnhardt jr. tried to pull a purse on Tony Stewart and out break into the pit lane Jeff Gordon Kurt Busch Scott Wimmer in these stops coming in the final laps of the Daytona 500 a pressure on the right front to tighten up that car [Music] [Music] two tires on the 22 car Matt get you to [Music] [Music] be there Jimmy Johnson Kevin Harvick Joe Nemechek from that second lead pack down the pit lane Joe Nemechek had a great run in a car that's very good pity with Kevin Harvick for Kevin Harvick no chassis changes car is not running hi [Music] and Greg biffle's chance to win the Daytona 500 is gone he's on pit road to serve a penalty for speeding coming in for his pit stop last time by unless the caution comes out and allows him to catch up to the pack sorry Greg you have to wait till next year and we saw when he made his entry on the parabolic grounded that he was too fast and the NASCAR officials did not let it pass so Scott Wimmers team takes just two tires he's well cool of these two Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt jr. but when they get to them they're gonna be going fast with 29 laps to go here's Thank You Stalin once you didn't go by here's the cars coming on to pit road just a moment ago you ever see junior tries his best get in front of Tony Stewart can't go out make it look at Biffle up there he just passes all these cars as the inner pit road look at the ground he made up that's obviously speeding so the pass-through penalty for Greg Biffle has dropped him down to 14th place 27 seconds behind leader Scott Wimmer now these two drivers Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt jr. are 2nd and 3rd 2.6 seconds behind Scott Wimmer problem for Wimmer is he's out there all by himself there he goes and here come these two cars with the lap car of course all tucked up in the draft guys about a half a second to three-quarters of a second a lap faster than Scott Wimmer who's sitting out there by himself there's really a sitting gun and he started the crew chief on this 22 that's the second that shot we saw you Sam I changed two tires and get with these guys [Music] so to earlier Home Depot virtual garage how the cars tuck tightly together in the draft here at Daytona basically place the air more efficiently than the world all by itself and are faster and there's the gap for women - Thomas - and you can watch the intervals shrink that our real-time telemetry scoffs gonna have to worry about is that course Midland is not going to be as good with two tires on have to use a lot more racetrack than the three cars that are behind them right now if Scott Wimmer the 22 head tested another car do the same strategy and get hooked up together it's great strategy by yourself no good they and BP that's what happened to Jeremy Mayfield on Thursdays 125 mile qualifier they had made deals with other guys to take only two tires but then everyone bagged him and as we saw on Thursday everyone closed and then they passed him they blew right by him same thing potentially for Scott Wimmer here another guy that's out there all by himself as Jeff Gordon stop River now down to just eight tenths of a second history of math we've talked a lot about gambling Frank Stoddard to tires very gutsy call we're at the back of that line right there you know we're just here to get talked to in finish I'd like to win the Daytona 500 gonna win the Daytona 500 the team wasn't gonna win it putting on for because you know even if we had a great pit stop chances either we weren't going to beat both of them out that was our chance to try to win it they got a heck of a draft we're probably gonna be a little bit of trouble a great job the teams did a great job and okay well you never know maybe we'll hold him off okay go on back he talked about three cars was faster than wrong oh yeah and Scott limit was by himself these three cars hooked up and now Kenny stay in front Frank said maybe weakest in front of it did he get jokes and speed who were too tired out I don't think so either Betty maybe we'll stay he was bobbin and Weavin for all good trying to put the Block on in tony stewart especially he'll be sliding up the racetrack he'll leave that bottom open and those guys who drive underneath him maybe right now here comes Tony Stewart for the lead women o'clock [Music] so total Stewart reclaims the lead in the Daytona 500 tell you what the key to this whole deal right now is that 97 car well what are they saying about the eight I think they need some help doesn't he it's in pretty good shape right now he just wants the laps counted down while you know after the twins on Thursday Tony Eury senior was very disappointed that Michael Waltrip didn't work with them and made a comment to that effect after the race well Dale Earnhardt jr. went to the media center and was immediately asked about the comment only he thought Tony Eury jr. made it so he stormed out of the media center went back to the garage and gotten a confrontation with Tony Eury jr. what are you saying what are you saying while dad just stood in the corner and watched and laughed you junior was apologizing for something he didn't even do until dad walked in and said it was me that made the comment well I'll tell you what you know who the most popular spotter up there is right now yeah our Budweiser aerial coverage of this Daytona 500 down on the drivers who will decide the weight among them Tony Stewart Dale Earnhardt jr. and Scott Wimmer hanging on to the lead draft but the man in the first running part in Martin Kurt Busch who is one lap down but with these leaders for a long time now and the sponsorship that you're talking about is Jeremy Brickhouse the nephew of Richard brick house who won the first place at Talladega to push Dale jr. by Tony Stewart by the wind will he be able to remove you that's right continue the spotters will have a little meeting have a Home Depot jacket on whoa-oa Budweiser jacket then they'll be the shark of Jack and they're all being hunted spawners of course position high atop the grandstand atop the towers here if they told her to look and help their driver around the racetrack spot trouble ahead can you indicate back and forth with the driver you are looking at Kurt Busch's spotter let's make a deal in progress that's Dale jr. spotter there Stevie Reeves it's talking about hey guys that was Jimmy fennec down here on the pit box you appear to be the key to this whole thing any great deals yet you know if you're gonna go with well the a car wanted to come and ask for some help but we also got to remember he's one of God caused us to laugh sound so drivers and teams never forget do they Webber Jimmy fennec said you just paid him a visit what were you talking about with Jimmy fanuc Tony I just went down had a conversation we didn't see how they felt about the end of this race so uh we'll see what happens at the end okay he's smiling now but he wasn't when he came back from the well we're down to it Daytona 500 stop to the made no feel necessary to make the finish you know one thing they're talking about earlier you know it's popular to push jr. across I'll tell you what you still got a guys the guy that put us two laps down to the top position right now we're seeing the top three plus the lapped car of Kurt Busch now look at the gap back to jet for a lot of time he lost in that last exchange matter fight Jeff Gordon has fallen back all the way to this next group of Kevin Harvick and Jimmie Johnson ten laps ago Benny Jeff Gordon came under witnesses I have to know who was coming who was leading that pack so I can be ready to fly because that big pack will blow up on me in a circle he was hoping Skinner would jump in front and act kind of like a blocker to help push him Kevin Harvick and his teammate Jimmie Johnson are in that Dale Earnhardt jr. going for the lead of the Daytona 500 give it up 19 so who's he going with I'm gonna go with Stuart 22 he's gorgeous to earth [Music] not quite making these till trying new leader of the 500 is Dale Earnhardt jr. and the fans are going nuts in Daytona if someone told me a couple of days ago if this kid in the egg winter Daytona stands in Daytona okay so now now we know pretty much what's gonna happen Dave they told Tony Stewart right before that Kurt swears he's going to go with you now that was one opportunity but I see at least another opportunity guys coming up where Kurt still had the chance to help the 20 a lot yes well he tried but it just junior was just enough to get around him and it changed for fourth place Kevin Harvick Jimmie Johnson and I'll join Eva check trying to track by Jeff Gordon the checks gonna get by Nemechek as well and upfront Dale Earnhardt jr. the little capital shall control Stewart Earnhardt jr. in his fifth Daytona 500 he's had a good deal of success at this tracks sister Speedway in Talladega Alabama winning four of the last five races there but he's had troubles in this race 13th second than 29 and 36 [Music] [Music] the car started to tighten that and make it just perfect [Music] juniors got right now to anticipate whatever movie thinks 20s better make it's 20 is good to make a move and he pretty much knows in 97 is going to go with the map that die has been cast yes yes just be interesting to see how long tongue Tony waits because I don't think he can wait to last two or three laps oh I don't think so either [Music] flag is gonna be off the heart that finish to pass right even if he's too positive and we watched happy hour yesterday and we watched Dale Earnhardt jr. in this a car practiced lap after lap and we said he must not be happy 20 here is senior this morning and why did you pack so much because the driver was not happy with the car they finally put the car back chassis wide black they raced it last year in the day you said earlier in the show that every time you go out it's different anyway so I think they were trying to get as much information as they could to make the right adjustments Tony Stewart has led nearly half of this Daytona 500 told us that he's got a custom Villa he's just not accustomed to sir like jr. on the radio - bleep - here Lord you so aggressive you're right he wants help all the time 40 laps to go so Stevie didn't say anything down the backstretch engine you said come on father tell me son and let me say this is the first race that Stevie Reeves has spotted for the a car flasher the job was done by some boys looking looking looking and he see the 97 is gonna go but Tony Stewart has got to be closer to the 8 car for him to make that move don't you think - the 97 s got to be closer to the 20 for him to help Tony give it if all three of these guys thought GU these guys have to get in a different spot than the 8 is but the 8 is so far in front he can just weed so if the 20 gets a Fender on the 8 car the other three two cars line up they should get by the eight car but right now they can't get close enough to Dale jr. you know we criticize Frankie Stoddard for changing two tires but if he can hang off with over 13 laps that was the right move because Scott Wimmer has a solid third place finish in the Daytona he's eight seconds ahead a fourth place Kevin Harvick whoa another bob and weave by Stewart see like I said Tony's got close enough get a little bit closer to me to do that so what's he trying to do just get an opportunity to react and maybe on settlers car with a kinda quick connection not so much to react to try to break the draft is all the time so he can move up in the 97 move up with them and Earnhardt move down the 97 can help the 20 right yeah well Kurt's got this problem the 22 runs him out of there because he knows he's a lap down they just radioed that to Kurt bet that's exactly right Dave in fact Frank Stoddard just told Wimmer he said that 97 is telling us they're gonna pull out of the way with three laps to go we're hoping that maybe don't pull off sooner so we can get you up closer like great run that Tony got off turn two as jr. passed that lap car but it wasn't quite enough go ahead bill why does Dale Earnhardt jr. like restrictor plate racing when a lot of drivers say it's not their favorite type of racing because it makes you think he's thinking pretty hard right now and Webber passes them I don't think women can even make an attack Stuart is gonna need help the Dale Earnhardt incorporated team so dominant at Daytona and Talladega was restricted engine packages used you saw the graphic michael waltrip minnerath his daytona 500 - of the last three years the sports biggest race it took his father 20 years to win it despite being his tracks most victorious driver Dave Hart claimed 34 days halogen trees in his career but juniors Bartlett says that looks very strong they can't get to the rear bumper spotter Stevie Reeves talking about Stevie as his job is to go talk to the spotters of those cars make sure they know the leaders coming up behind him and prefer to have they don't have to give it to him but obviously they are giving like he wanted to have Dave Kurt Busch radio did one more try for you Tony that's all I've got for you that Scott winner was starting to fade a little bit from the nineties picture momentum coming out of Daytona a terrific run for this 22 car another car that we have that is a surprise in the 500 we have not seen that speed in the 22 car until today you saw it in the 23 his tame car but not the 22 and now those other two drivers Kurt Busch's Solomon fate of all Tony Stewart's back property that Scott to the orange part because unless the handling [Music] itself the 20 is just not going to be able to pull around and pass it here at Daytona I don't think she'll not they'll drop junior bill yeah you guys are just talking about the past history here at this track Tony look on the outside junior wants the inside it was 56 years ago today on Daytona's famous beach first sanctioned race also on February 15th David Keirsey won the 500 that was in 76 the king wanted on February 15th from the pole in 1987 but Alan as you were talking about many fans will tell you the greatest moment in NASCAR racing came more recently than that when the lake Dale Earnhardt senior won his first and only Daytona 500 six years ago today February 15 1990 if you had the privilege of being here at Daytona that day you'll never forget what winning the Daytona 500 man is the emotionless Dale Earnhardt showed in victory lane it was like many had never seen I think Stewart laid back he laid back to get Kurt Busch to try to get a push dodging he knew he couldn't so he tried to find someone to help him and that's the hardest thing he could do he just lays back and let's Kurt know he's gonna lay back they'll have a heck of a run Bonaparte was Carlos drafting Fang a high-speed game of chess strategy rules knowing which moves to make and when and that's why I'm a senior keep asking scheming for that information because the PCs 220 Lane back he needs to lay back a little bit and his dad Dale Earnhardt was the greatest together even back up to them so they couldn't get that run Junior might be doing the same thing Tony Stewart's optimistic all week long after some early speed week troubles they affect handling dialed in on Thursday when they ran the qualifying races Nathan Santos starting and since then he's been very bubbly practice class yesterday turned his week on a downside but right from the start of this race that fellas car has been fast he got up in the early laps drafted with Dale Earnhardt jr. to the front and these two drivers have dominated most of this race on the back strength that gave him that signal those TV reads from the front stretch really can't see that well coming off turn two five to go when they come to the start/finish line that's frustrating for the guys behind tuna and it's so easy right now he wants this thing to be Tony's flank come on he's waving let's go come on come on let's go what's he saying Dave well I can't confirm that strategy that you'd mentioned about falling back but I can't just from the Tony on his own was doing everything that he food he Rio did he said guys that is all I've got I've given you all I can that was when he was running alone it's got to be frustrating for Stuart to track that eight lap after lap hoping it bobbles so far yeah he just can't see it Judy's not gonna follow I mean he just needs he when he has to have his help and he doesn't have those guys close enough to do it and junior on the other hand he's going yeah get that 97 to see that as far back from the 20th ninety-seven Kurt Busch's not on the tail to tell me Stuart the teams have done all they can for their driver now barring an office dragon even if the caution flag these guys aren't coming to pit road it's all up to the man behind a wheel there are the URIs Tony Eury senior on the Left Tony Eury jr. on the right you're a senior hard for so many years and there's Joe kids watching his driver Tony students fighting one of the Joe Gibbs Racing when Dillon arts children a little bit wanted to go racing that was Bill jr. Gary and Caitlin the daughter he turned him over to Tony year senior take him race and see which one passing talent and other states he is brilliant Dale Junior's proven have some great talent first in Scott Wimmer in the lap car of Kyle Petty and that's not say the period of death tell him as well Jr has certainly demonstrated himself to be a top-notch and he's trying to win NASCAR racing's biggest size today 500 do be five miles away come to the start/finish line this time [Music] so beginning to cast long shadows over the Daytona International Speedway two laps remaining in this race just can't get to him three or four car lengths they're no help to the 25 Tony Stewart think back to what happened to Bill Elliott at Homestead here and when's his father 1990 on the last lap ask me about fuel Tony here he said birth beeping stop it early because Tony Stewart had a problem fuel fans come to their feet [Music] Jr took the lead from Tony Stewart with 19 elapsed trail stewards are in Chevrolet for much of the central part of the race now he's going to hang on for three quarters in the lab two other good three than the sports business disaster Stewart not horse enough to make a movie yet [Music] emotional yet because you've got to get off turn four and faster the start/finish line you can see it now don't legacy continues junior wins the 46th [Music] Jimmy Johnson family for Dale Earnhardt jr. in his first victory in the 500 in his fifth tribe happy happy people you can't overstate the months of preparation to go into running this one race various engineering rigs like chassis dynamometer x' and seven post rigs to test them get them all down together for this one shot [Music] trophy and it's Dale Earnhardt jr. will be inscribed as the 2004 winner Matt hug from Danny Tony Eury senior it's Daytona 500 this track is so meaningful for you and the Earnhardt's what does this mean to win it finally I know what biggie went through all the years trying to win this race we just want the Superbowl of this there's NASCAR racing and you don't believe how hard we work to get in here you gotta thank John Andretti slugger Michael Walker it's great he's like your other sons this has to be special for you to help him win this dream yeah these two kids I got here del G ran Tony Junior they both work their guts out for this race too he we worked 14 hours a day seven days a week for the last month and I have to get here trying to build a car better in this car we didn't think his car was gonna be good enough to win this year we just couldn't do it so we rubbed on this one week before we came work the body shop deaf and the fan shot to death and Wayne Mickey [Music] stop turning College these fans he's got something [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] the broadcast a little after noon Eastern said if I win this race tonight I don't know when the party's gonna stop well it sure started now now there's a hug Tony Eury jr. Dale Earnhardt jr. their dad's gruff together they grew up together [Music] Danny Earnhardt yeah valid point just made to be there he is leading the NASCAR Busch Series race that's gonna run here tomorrow I guess you better be careful how that party goes on [Music] our roads are in the white shirt and the NASCAR officials saying okay let's get this car to Victory Lane please [Music] [Applause] the third now completing the third father and son combination to win a 500 [Applause] [Music] if I'd get that thing stuck in the grass it's wet from all the rain we've had here last night I think there's enough people down he said I saw my daddy do this back in nineteen nineteen ninety-eight Dave burns with Tony Stewart who finished second hey coming in I heard the pride of your voice to your crew but I know there's got to be some frustration after following for so long and not being able to pass that a car and leading most of the day I tell you what I'm so proud of this Home Depot team I mean John Andretti crashed us yesterday just being stupid and that's what John does so but I mean he tore a lot of things up on a good race car and these guys worked all night to make it right and I tell you what I couldn't be more proud of this Home Depot team they just they never gave up all week I mean we had a great handling car all week we just needed speed and you know mark chrome quest and all the guys back in Charlotte engine Department of Joe Gibbs Racing and all the guys here at the track I mean we just kept throwing combinations after combination after and just kept working on her car and just I'm just so proud of these guys I can't believe it I mean sure I'd love to be down in victory lane right now but I mean date car was the class of the field all week and you know to to stay ahead of him as long as we did I mean when he decided he was ready to pull the pin he pulled it but you know at the same time I mean we we ran a good race and I mean I tell you what him and I work together as a team but these are search or plate tracks for the last three years and you know as long as we can get that combination like this and finished one to you like this you know he's got is now I'll get mine next year all right very close for Tony today his best finish in six Daytona 500s bill Weber in victory lane I'm in victory lane and Dale Earnhardt jr. will once again climb out of his victorious Budweiser Chevrolet and the same victory lane here six years ago to gain his father celebrated a win and the great American race the only won that race it took his father to what he tried Jr is here as a kid here's Tony Eury senior a big for his other son now the family's here Teresa Earnhardt so how long's the party gonna last man I don't know you got a race tomorrow you know yeah good god I'm Daytona 500 champion I can't believe it forever Dale forever yeah I just amazed man it's just awesome that I can believe I passed him by myself tell me about here tell me about because you you were thinking about it for a while Oh time for a damn well but I didn't know what is going on it's like a magic trick I tried trying to figure out how to pass him and I got a run on him and made it happen somehow I don't know you don't know what you're doing at that point you just trying your heart out and I had a great car how's the car bill by Tony senior and all the guys always say to my sister my mama back home all my friends good god I can't believe it it's the greatest ever we talked during testing you said you thought it's harder to win the Daytona 500 than to win the next toe Cup champion yeah you know it's a season in itself that entire race is just there's so many things going on so much running through your mind I've seen being lost so many times I was told to me lessons by this place wherever got behind the wheel and god I'm glad I ain't gotta worry about it no more man it's awesome you're rolling the 3rd father-son combination to win the Daytona 500 Dale your father wanted six years ago today yeah he was over in the pasture side right with me I'm sure he was having a blast [Music] believe it or not I'm real surprised the Goodyear Tire did get onto hey I didn't expect our car to handle them so well but the car drove awesome all dad's real real loose air to him but you know had to be that way to be able to run good on old tires and Tony had a great car we kind of been such good friends you know and we helped each other all day and and by the way they know my other teammate Michael Waltrip I'm glad he's alright that's a scary looking accident but I got him a full week ahead of me it's gonna be exciting yeah you're gonna be a little busy for the next if you didn't hey you're leading the championship standings for the first time in my life it's awesome congratulations Dale Dale Earnhardt jr. is the Daytona 500 champion of 2004 he described the pass on Tony Stewart for us shabby congratulating Dale Earnhardt jr. in the number eight Monte Carlo on today's big win our Chevy winning moment his Earnhardt jr. getting around Tony Stewart to take the top spot in the 500 for good with 19 laps to go he said to the door [Music] 7-car try his best to help 220 keep up with him it was not work no car is dominated cup racing like the defending manufacturers champion Chevy an American Revolution results on the 46 Daytona 500 Dale Earnhardt jr. the winner and his fit the tent the 29th different driver to win a 500 and it's 46 years and don't go away extensive horse race coverage of this great American race coming up we'll talk at all of the top finishers we'll hear from Kevin Harvick Jeff Gordon Scott Wimmer hopefully Jimmie Johnson will be in there as well as I said extensive post race coverage coming up so stay with us we're not done here at the world center of racing yet look at the final results from today's Daytona 500 some of the drivers involved in the big 12 car accident on the back straightaway near the races midway point including defending winner Michael Waltrip everyone okay from the crash with numbers sidelined and their Daytona 500 dream dashed for another 12 months 10 cars not able to complete beat 500 miles in Daytona and Mark Martin Jeff Burton kasey kahne all out early with engine problems tony stewart down to congratulate his rival for the Daytona 500 trophy today Dale Earnhardt jr. and team a valiant effort by Stewart Jenner Tony expressed a lot of pride in his team had to rebuild his wrecked race car last night but it wasn't enough to hold off jr. who wins the Daytona 500 of 2004 we're back after this

Channel: NASCAR

Views: 286,611

Keywords: NASCAR, motorsports, racing, stock car, Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, chase elliott, fantasy sports, fantasy fastlane, glass case of emotion, ryan blaney, crash, wreck, pileup, pit road, penalty, race track, super speedway, highlight

Id: uv6Xf6o2Gfk

Length: 181min 4sec (10864 seconds)

Published: Thu Feb 06 2020

Reddit Comments

[u/EliteKilla29]

Is it just me or is this not in HD? If you go to this youtuber channel named "full NASCAR races" that 2004 Daytona 500 is actually in HD. Unfortunately it's not the full race though. It's the one NBC aired back in 2015 and they chopped it down to a hour and a half. I don't understand why these races from 2004 and after aren't in HD because that's when HD actually became available.

[u/lemthethird]

Although lots of people are biased since Junior won the race, I think this is one of the most underrated 500s for a different reason.

To me, there's something about those long, no BS green flag runs, where the field gets all strung out and you really gotta be on your A-game in all aspects to stay up front.

And then there's the late pass for the win that Junior performed. Did anyone see that video Junior shared of how he needed to set up Stewart to make that pass?? That throttle control? How he specifically backed off to get that run? Vintage plate racing talent.

[u/mortenpetersen]

I miss plate races like this. You needed a car that could handle, a good driver, and good pit stops to contend for the win. Modern plate racing no doubt takes skill to stay in the lead but I can’t wait for the surfaces and Dega and Daytona to start wearing down again.

[u/BJRACINE21]

One of the best Daytona 500 races ever. That celebration still gives me chills along with Bestwick's great call.

[u/Bonssa]

I just love, and miss this commentary presentation here. It legit feels like a conversation at your friends house without the cursing. No yelling if it isn’t necessary. Just normal speaking voice until something exciting happens.

[u/[deleted]]

I can see this race happening today, everyone would complain it’s so boring.

Also I forgot about Johnny Sauter nearly wiping out the field going into the pits.

[u/RyanOstrander13]

Dale Jr almost swept Speedweeks that year and in 2003 but just missed it by one race in both of those years.

[u/ernde38]

LOL, people were so excited about this, until they realized it's the quality of a potato, and the same quality of the previous uploads (excluding the HD shortened version).

[u/trevnastyy]

Looked better in person than this. But, for real this is no better than any other yt version. Not worth the hype.