By Mark Aumann, Turner Sports Interactive
January 17, 2003
10:15 AM EST (1515 GMT)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Richard Petty's day started in the pits, but a pair of important pit stops keyed his fourth Daytona 500 victory.
After the first 13 laps were run under caution to dry the track after a morning rain, Petty went down a lap to the field early in the 15th annual Daytona 500.
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He battled back into third place by lap 144 when leader Cale Yarborough and second-place Buddy Baker dove into the pits under the green. Ten laps later, Yarborough's Chevrolet blew an engine, allowing Petty, now in second, to get four fresh tires under caution.
Baker, who had only taken two tires on his stop, was able to hold off Petty for 25 laps before The King made a slingshot pass on lap 185. However, Baker was able to dive past Petty on the next lap as the No. 43 Dodge headed for pit road.
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Petty, ignoring a pit road speed warning, screeched to a stop and topped off the tank in nine seconds.
"My pitting first put the pressure on Buddy," Petty said.
Baker came in one lap later, at a much reduced speed. When the No. 71 Dodge returned to the track, he was 4.2 seconds behind Petty.
With the laps winding down, Baker was gaining on Petty at a rate of a half second a lap. But with six laps remaining, Baker's engine exploded from the strain, allowing Petty to cruise the final distance without a serious challenge.
"That's one question I'll never have to worry about," said Petty of whether he could have held off the hard-charging Baker at the finish. "But all day it seemed Buddy and Cale Yarborough could just plain beat us.
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| Richard Petty and STP president Andy Granatelli. Credit: Daytona Racing Archives |
"However, I was able to run Baker down to get close enough to get the lead on a pit stop. I think it is safe to say I was outhandling Baker after that pit stop (on lap 154) when I took on four new tires and Baker got only two.
"If he had new tires all the way around, I probably wouldn't have caught him."
It was the third straight year Baker had had a car worthy of Victory Lane, only to not be around at the finish. He grabbed the pole, easily won his qualifying race and was the fastest car on the track when it counted, leaving him wondering what it would take to win here.
"I just cannot get over the shock," Baker said. "I feel like I'm still out there leading the race and that nothing has happened. It's nauseating to think about what might have been and what really is. I had it won. I just don't believe it."
Instead, it was Petty celebrating with STP president Andy Granatelli in Daytona's Victory Lane.
Bobby Isaac finished second, two laps down. Dick Brooks, A.J. Foyt and Herschel McGriff rounded out the top five as only 12 cars were running at the finish.
Darrell Waltrip finished 12th in his Daytona 500 debut.
This is one in a series of articles counting down to the 2003 Daytona 500.
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