By Mark Aumann, Turner Sports Interactive
January 21, 2003
10:02 AM EST (1502 GMT)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The rest of the field in the 19th annual Daytona 500 spent much the day looking at Cale Yarborough's back bumper, as it did all week long.
Yarborough was unbeatable, winning the 125-mile qualifying race, the International Race of Champions event and the 500. The only thing he didn't win was the pole position, which went to Donnie Allison. His combined earnings for the week came close to $100,000.
That was a dramatic turnaround for Yarborough, who finished last in the previous year's race.
"I won everything they threw at me," Yarborough said. "It was an unbelievable week, and I think they should round it up to $100,000."
Ten different drivers led at some point during the race, but once Richard Petty's Dodge retired with engine problems and Buddy Baker's car was damaged after tangling with a backmarker, Yarborough only gave up first position when he stopped for fuel. In fact, Yarborough felt comfortable enough to take on four tires on every one of his final six stops.
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Even a cut tire that required a 34-second pit stop didn't hamper the eventual winner.
"My old Chevrolet had everybody's number today," Yarborough said.
Allison led the first lap, A.J. Foyt the second and David Pearson the third; but once Yarborough flew past Pearson on lap 4, everyone else seemed to be racing for second.
Petty kept pace for the first half of the race, but his engine expired on lap 111, the same lap on which Yarborough cut a tire and lost a lap. Pearson's Mercury also lost an engine, spoiling his chances for back-to-back 500 wins.
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| Cale Yarborough's No. 11 Chevrolet. Credit: Daytona Racing Archives |
Baker grabbed the lead, but with Yarborough pressuring him from behind, Baker found trouble in the form of Indy-car veteran Salt Walther on lap 121.
Baker went to pass on the backstretch when Walther's car suddenly veered right and smacked Baker's Ford, sending both cars into the wall and Yarborough spinning onto the grass at high speed.
Somehow Yarborough's car managed to miss hitting anything -- or being hit -- and he actually beat the leaders back to the line, allowing him to get back on the lead lap.
"I was double lucky," Yarborough said. "I was right on Buddy's bumper when it happened.
"For some reason drivers weren't looking in their rear view mirrors. Walther veered right, right in front of Buddy, and they hit. When they went right into the wall, I turned left and got sideways as I came off the track onto the infield grass. You know, that grass is tough when you are going 200 miles an hour."
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Baker was able to continue, finishing third, but he was never a factor from that point on.
Benny Parsons, the 1975 winner, was able to pull within two seconds of Yarborough at the end, but was unable to use the draft to his advantage in the closing laps. He finished second, continuing a streak of top-three finishes.
"I was trying to stay on Cale's bumper at the end and hope that he made a mistake," Parsons said. "With about five laps to go, the wind caught me as we went into the second turn and started pushing. I had to back off for a moment and Cale pulled away from me."
Darrell Waltrip ended up seventh, down seven laps to the leader.
"Early in the race, we were as strong as anybody," Waltrip said. "But near the end we dropped a valve and had to coast home."
Janet Guthrie started 24th and finished 12th as the first female driver to compete in the 500.
Ricky Rudd was 22nd in his rookie debut, while Neil Bonnett ended up 37th.
This is one in a series of articles counting down to the 2003 Daytona 500.
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