Earnhardt Jr wins Daytona Busch race
Dale Earnhardt Jr notched up his second victory at the hallowed Daytona International Speedway on Saturday by dominating the NASCAR Busch Series race to take the famous number 3 Chevrolet back to victory lane
Earmhardt Jr, who is returning to the Winston Cup junior series for a planned couple of one-offs with Richard Childress Racing, won Saturday's 300-miler in convincing style. The race was the final preliminary to Sunday's Daytona 500 - the race in which his father, Winston Cup legend Dale Earnhardt, lost his life last year.
Little E, two-time Busch champion, won here last July and outran last year's 500 winner Michael Waltrip to take the chequered flag on Saturday.
Junior was aware of the significance of taking his father's car number three back into the winner's circle, notching up its 33rd victory. He said: "It's just great to bring the three back to victory lane. I know Daddy would be real happy. I know Richard must be happy. All the Richard Childress Racing guys, I know it's a good time for them. This is the last hurrah, I guess."
The car was good from the start, with Earnhardt Jr taking the lead from Waltrip after a round of pit stops on lap 57. Earnhardt did not change tyres after that, taking only fuel at the subsequent stops, and thus preserving track position.
Several contenders dropped out in the closing laps, with Greg Biffle, Casey Mears and Jeff Purvis all falling from the top 10. With the race starting more than two hours late, NASCAR skipped the yellow flags for the harmless, backstretch spins of Mears and Purvis.
Waltrip beat Earnhardt Jr to the line in last year's Daytona 500, and also finished second to Junior in the July race, but he quashed any rumours that he might have backed off to let Junior have it on Saturday.
"The reason why it's hard to pass the leader is because he's got the fastest car," Waltrip said. "That's why he's in the lead. I was doing all I could."
Matt Kenseth took a look in the final laps, but could not see a chance and finished third. Jason Keller finished fourth and rookie Scott Riggs fifth.
Dale Earnhardt Jr, No. 3 Chevrolet
Michael Waltrip, No. 99 Chevrolet
Matt Kenseth, No. 17 Ford
4 Jason Keller, No. 57 Ford
Shane Hmiel, No. 47 Pontiac
Scott Riggs, No. 10 Ford
Jack Sprague, No. 24 Chevrolet
Kevin Lepage, No. 71 Ford
Andy Houston, No. 92 Chevrolet
Kenny Wallace, No. 48 Chevrolet
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