1998 Daytona 500

The 1998 Daytona 500 was run on February 15, 1998. It is memorable in that it marked Dale Earnhardt's first Daytona 500 victory after 19 previous attempts and many heartbreaking finishes.

The race was remarkably clean for a restrictor plate race. There were only three cautions and all for minor incidents. This resulted in it being the third-fastest Daytona 500 ever, behind the 1980 Daytona 500 won by Buddy Baker, and the fastest of the restrictor plate era.

Pre-race buildup

The race began with emphasis on NASCAR's 50th Anniversary Celebration. The pre-race show on CBS featured some of the greatest Daytona 500 finishes in recent memory. It also detailed the famous Daytona Beach Course and it featured Russ Truelove, Buck Baker, Tim Flock, Red Farmer and Junior Johnson on the Daytona Beach with one of Tim Flock's old "Full Jeweled" #300 Chryslers.

Results

#3-Dale Earnhardt
#18-Bobby Labonte
#12-Jeremy Mayfield
#33-Ken Schrader
#2-Rusty Wallace
#36-Ernie Irvan
#97-Chad Little
#31-Mike Skinner
#21-Michael Waltrip
#94-Bill Elliott
#44-Kyle Petty
#4-Bobby Hamilton
#5-Terry Labonte
#50-Ricky Craven
#23-Jimmy Spencer
#24-Jeff Gordon
#9-Lake Speed
#43-John Andretti
#28-Kenny Irwin
#16-Ted Musgrave
#13-Jerry Nadeau
#40-Sterling Marlin
#73-Mike Wallace
#11-Brett Bodine
#22-Ward Burton
#42-Joe Nemechek
#90-Dick Trickle
#41-Steve Grissom
#95-Andy Hillenburg
#75-Rick Mast
#7-Geoffrey Bodine
#77-Robert Pressley
#17-Darrell Waltrip
#88-Dale Jarrett
#47-Billy Standridge
#71-Dave Marcis
#30-Derrike Cope
#6-Mark Martin
#98-Greg Sacks
#99-Jeff Burton
#1-Steve Park
#10-Ricky Rudd
#91-Kevin Lepage

Quotes

* "Every man from every crew has come out to pit lane to congratulate the man who has won everything there is to win in this sport"--Mike Joy on the crew members congratualting Dale Earnhardt on his Daytona 500 victory.
* "The most anticipated moment in the history of motor racing, Dale Earnhardt rolling into Victory Lane in the Daytona 500"--Mike Joy during the broadcast
* "Dale was like a kid at Christmas, and there was a time where I just wanted to sit back and just watch him"--Larry McReynolds on Earnhardt's win.
* "It took ten years off my life, if I had made that race, I would have lived another ten years"--Rick Mast on missing the 1997 Daytona 500 after making the 1998 race.
* "The Daytona 500 is ours. We won it, we won it, we won it!" Dale Earnhardt in victory lane during post race TV interview

See also

*1998 in NASCAR

References

* [http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/cup/results?season=1998&gameId=19980215001 Nextel Cup Results msn]