Kevin Lepage finished third in the second race of the Duel at Daytona. Credit: Autostock

Duel gives some happiness, some sorrow

Some get spots in race while bad luck bites others

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The Thursday qualifying races weren't supposed to mean as much in 2005, the alleged victim of NASCAR rules ensuring the top 35 in owners' points were locked into the Daytona 500.

Tell that to Kenny Wallace. Or Kevin Lepage. Or Martin Truex Jr.

Same goes for Johnny Sauter, Kerry Earnhardt, Hermie Sadler, Robby Gordon and several others.

Kenny Wallace will start 21st in Sunday's Daytona 500. Credit: Autostock

Herman's headWallace is thrilled after making it in the Daytona 500 Winning timeWaltrip edges Dale Jr. to win Thursday's first race Early wreckThe hopes of some to make the Daytona 500 are dashed early Tony takes itStewart hangs on to win Thursday's second race Drivers' ReactionsDrivers express their disgust after a multi-car pile up Big WreckMany cars are damaged after a wreck in the second race Sign up for TrackPass now BUY YOUR NEXTEL DRIVER PHONE

The fortunes of all those drivers were settled in Thursday's Gatorade Duel, as Wallace, Lepage and Truex Jr. all raced their way in the 500, while Sauter, Earnhardt, Sadler and Gordon failed to qualify for the Great American Race.

Mike Skinner also raced into the 500, but he had already been assured a spot based on qualifying.

The four drivers who did make the Daytona 500 on speed were: Jason Leffler, Boris Said, John Andretti and Mike Wallace.

The 14 drivers who missed the race are: Gordon, Earnhardt, Derrike Cope, Eric McClure, Stanton Barrett, Larry Gunselman, Sauter, Sadler, Andy Belmont, Randy LaJoie, Kirk Shelmerdine, Morgan Shepherd, Greg Sacks and Geoffrey Bodine.

Wallace and Lepage were especially emotional after their races, knowing they made the most of one chance they had to make the Daytona 500.

"Yeah, baby!" Wallace said. "I'm so emotionally drained. I started to cry. I took a deep breath. I just can't -- I mean, I believe it.

"There was so much pressure. Michael Waltrip, my car owner, did the best he could. This is a used DEI car and a DEI motor. We're going to celebrate tonight like we shouldn't. I made the Daytona 500 -- only two spots left.

"I'm 41 years old, but I feel like I'm 17 years old and I just came through the gate. I'm so excited."

Wallace had reason to be excited. Racing in the first Gatorade Duel, Wallace started 22nd, but after a bad pit stop midway through the race, Wallace said he was "depressed beyond belief."

Wallace got caught up to the lead draft after a caution for Randy LaJoie's engine failure.

"I love Randy LaJoie to death, but they blew a motor right in front of me, and I thanked the good Lord," Wallace said.

Later, Wallace picked his way forward, and with two laps to go made a banzai move to get the final transfer position.

"I had a run coming down on the white-flag lap," Wallace said. "I must've been running 220 mph. I jerked that thing left. It was a move Dale Earnhardt did in an IROC car one year. I looked in my little mirror on the left side, and I said, 'I knew it.' I made it four-wide. Casey Mears didn't chop down on me, and I beat (Kerry Earnhardt) by 100 feet. That's drama, man."

Wallace claimed 10th just ahead of Earnhardt. But they were both lucky to be racing for the final spot after Sauter blew an engine.

Sauter had lost the draft, too, and was headed down pit road with the rest of the leaders with 16 laps to go. But at the last moment, crew chief Tony Liberati told Sauter to stay out.

Sauter darted back on the track, narrowly missing the pit road commit line. Once in the lead, Sauter was strong, holding off the pack for several laps.

But the car started smoking, and Sauter soon was done with engine failure.

"Just one of them things," Sauter said. "We did our best effort and got the thing tuned up just enough to try and transfer. Just a shame.

"We lost the draft early on because our pit stop was a little slower than we thought it needed to be. Our only chance to get back up front was to stay out, so that's what we did."

Sauter thought he'd have a good chance of transferring if the engine would not have blown.

"Hell, I was feeding both lines," Sauter said. "It was all good, you know what I'm saying? Who knows what would've happened, but at least I'll be able to tell people I thought I could've."

Daytona 500 Lineup Pos. Driver Make 1. Dale Jarrett Ford 2. Jimmie Johnson Chevy 3. Michael Waltrip Chevy 4. Tony Stewart Chevy 5. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevy Complete lineup, click here

Sauter seemed to be able to shake off the disappointment of not making the race.

Lepage, though, was nearly overcome by emotion, shedding a tear as he leaned on his No. 37 Dodge on pit road.

"It didn't qualify that good, but she raced like a bear," Lepage said of his car, fielded by R&J Racing. "I'm just happy. This is a tough way to get in this race. You've got two spots to get in, and it changed all day long. We had Boris (Said) up there, we had John (Andretti) up there, we had the 1 car with Martin.

"Finally, Martin got behind me, and I said, "Come on, just stay in line. We can be there.' Just a great day for everybody on the 37 team."

Lepage said the car had never been to a wind tunnel, but after a poor test last month, Lepage and the crew figured they knew how to make it better. Obviously, they did.

Lepage started 20th in the second race and was helped by the crash that eliminated several top contenders. Eventually, Lepage charged into the top five, nudging Gordon out of the way on one pass.

"You know, Robby moved up a little bit, and I lost the nose on the car, and I got into him," Lepage said. "I hate it. He was racing to get in, I was racing to get in. ... We talked about it earlier that we were going to work together. But like he said, the last five laps, everything goes."

Truex Jr. knew that, too.

"It didn't matter who it was, we just had to pass them," Truex Jr. said. "I just had to rely on the guys behind me who had a run. I'd get up in front of them and block them if I had to.

"I got in the right spot with two to go. (Gordon) moved up to the high side because he had a run. I had a run on him at the same time, and I shot to the bottom and passed him. That was what it took."

Truex Jr. said he might have even angered former champion Matt Kenseth with another move.

Martin Truex Jr. (1), Boris Said (36) and John Andretti (14) all made Sunday's race. Credit: Autostock

"I got a little run on Kenseth -- I think he probably wanted me to go with him," Truex Jr. said. "He's probably mad, but I had to go. I'd seen the 7 coming, and I had to go."

When it was over, Truex Jr. felt relieved, for the pressure was off.

"I've been sitting around since Sunday sick to my stomach thinking about getting in this race," Truex Jr. said. "It's that big to everybody around here. It's that big to everybody in this garage. Every time I'd start thinking about it, you're like, 'Man, I don't know. This'll be tough.' Then you're like, 'Man, I can do this.'"

He did, as did Lepage and Wallace.

None, though, was as animated as Wallace.

"I'm so emotionally drained, I think I could eat 12 cheeseburgers right now," Wallace said.