By Mark Aumann, Turner Sports Interactive
March 19, 2003
10:43 AM EST (1543 GMT)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- While one Dale celebrated in Daytona's Victory lane, the other Dale pondered yet another close call.
Running third behind five-time Winston Cup champion Dale Earnhardt and rookie Jeff Gordon with one lap remaining in the 35th annual Daytona 500, Dale Jarrett swung to the bottom of the track, used a push from Geoff Bodine to get around Gordon and pull even with Earnhardt.
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The two cars bumped, the No. 3 slid up the track and the No. 18 pushed past for the win, as Jarrett's father Ned became his son's biggest cheerleader live on national television.
It was the fourth time Earnhardt had led the 500 with less than 10 laps remaining -- and the fourth time he failed to win.
"Dale just slipped up high down there in Turn 3," Jarrett said. "it seemed like his car was a little loose getting into the corner and I was still wide open and able to get in there on the bottom and get a run. Everything worked out perfect.
"When you beat Dale Earnhardt anywhere at anything, any time, you know you've had a day's work."
Many expected Earnhardt to retaliate for the bump, but Jarrett wasn't one of them.
"You race Dale Earnhardt like he races you," he said. "I respect what he does and his ability. I felt there would be nothing less than a slight tap from him. He didn't want to give it up there, but he did race me clean."
Even after making the pass, Jarrett wasn't comfortable until his Ford crossed the finish line .16 seconds ahead of Earnhardt.
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"I saw Earnhardt lose a race a few years ago when he lost a tire so I didn't take anything for granted," Jarrett said. "I just wanted to put it on the white line and get around, and that's what I did."
Having won the Busch Clash, his qualifying race and the Goody's 300, Earnhardt was a prohibitive favorite heading into the Daytona 500. In fact, he led 107 laps, three times charging back to the front following pit stops.
But in a high-speed game of musical chairs involving 38 lead changes among 13 drivers, Earnhardt was left standing when the music stopped on lap 199.
"When (Jarrett) got under Jeff (Gordon), he just got into me and I got loose," Earnhardt said. "It was just a tussle out there.
"The 18 car was the strongest car out there. He could draft me. There was nothing I could do about it. I ran second today."
Bodine and Hut Stricklin both passed Gordon on the final lap, leaving the rookie fifth in his 500 debut.
"I knew those last few laps were going to get real crazy," he said. "My best bet was just to stick to (Earnhardt's) rear bumper."
There were 18 cars on the lead lap at the finish
There were five accidents, the wildest involving Rusty Wallace. Attempting to miss the spinning cars of Michael Waltrip and Derrike Cope on lap 170, Wallace's Pontiac cart-wheeled down the backstretch. He was able to walk away with a cut on his chin.
Another incident on lap 157 started when Al Unser Jr. clipped Earnhardt's bumper and began to spin damaged Kyle Petty's chances at a win when he was caught up in the aftermath.
Other drivers making their Daytona 500 debuts included Bobby Labonte, who finished 20th, and Kenny Wallace, who wound up 23rd.
This is one in a series of articles counting down to the 2003 Daytona 500.
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