Notebook: Sandler could be lucky charm for Kahne (cont'd)

Earnhardt and company took the car to the garage for repairs, returned to the track on Lap 64, only to get hit a second time in a multi-car crash on Lap 131 (watch video).

He managed to hold on to his 12th-place spot in the point standings but hobbled home Saturday night in 36th position; with a sense of humor no less.

Lap-by-Lap

Jamie McMurray overcame a penalty to battle through the field for his last-lap victory at Daytona. Read how he did it.

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• Video highlights, click here

Running a couple dozen laps behind the leaders, the team needed a fuel stop to make it to the end.

Earnhardt asked for tires as well as fuel and crew chief Tony Eury Jr. replied, "You only have four laps on those."

Earnhardt said, "Well if you like this set so much, you can take them home with you. I need tires. This place is like Darlington now."

What ignition box?

He led the most laps in the race, 55, but not the one that mattered most.

Clint Bowyer, driver of the No. 7 Chevrolet finished in seventh place on Saturday but couldn't help but wonder what if ...

What if the complication with his ignition box hadn't happened?

"I was real bummed out actually. It took me a while to figure out what happened. We hit the other ignition box and it took off again," he said. "I guess being in California traffic, nose-to-tail at 80 mph and your car quits and you're in the middle lane. I guess that's the biggest thing."

Saturday night's finish marks Bowyer's ninth top-10 in 18 races this season.

McMurray works hard for the money

The scoring loops at Daytona International Speedway reported seven lead changes between Jamie McMurray and Kyle Busch on the final lap of Saturday night's Pepsi 400.

Of course, McMurray led at the final loop and went on to win the second-closest race since NASCAR started electronic scoring in 1993 (watch video).