Editor’s note: Today’s Joe Gibbs Racing preview concludes NASCAR.com’s countdown of team previews for the NASCAR Cup Series season, ranked in order of best finish in last year’s owner standings.
JOE GIBBS RACING
Manufacturer: Toyota Engine: Toyota Racing Development Drivers: Denny Hamlin (No. 11), Kyle Busch (No. 18), Martin Truex Jr. (No. 19), Erik Jones (No. 20) Crew chiefs: Chris Gabehart (No. 11), Adam Stevens (No. 18), James Small (No. 19), Chris Gayle (No. 20)
What’s new: The lone major change for the organization is a switch at crew chief for the No. 19 team, with James Small moving from lead engineer to replace the departed Cole Pearn. The other primary driver-crew chief pairings stay intact in an effort to keep the winning combinations rolling. JGR’s affiliation with Leavine Family Racing’s No. 95 team continues, but the organization has promised a stronger technical alliance that coincides with the call-up of Christopher Bell to the big leagues for his rookie season.
Team strength: Short track, intermediate, superspeedway or road course, JGR won on all of them last season to corral 19 of the 36 points-paying victories — a single-season record. If there is a weak link (and it’s a minor one), it’s a slight lag in qualifying performance that had Joe Gibbs Racing chasing Team Penske, Hendrick Motorsports and Stewart-Haas Racing in poles and starting position average.
The Action Network’s Best Bet: JGR drivers combined for 19 wins last season, including a Daytona 500 victory from Denny Hamlin and the season championship from Kyle Busch. In all honesty, this team is so fast everywhere it’s tough to pinpoint valuable betting opportunities at this point of the offseason, since it’s likely Busch and Martin Truex Jr. will be the favorites, or among them, at most races. With that said, Truex could be a solid fade candidate in Daytona 500 matchups considering his finishes of 35th, 20th, 22nd and 26th at the superspeedways last season. – PJ Walsh
Racing Insights’ Number to Know: 19. Won 19 races in 2019 — the most ever by a team during one season in the modern era (1972-2020). 2019 was the third time in the last five seasons JGR had all four drivers win at least one race. Joe Gibbs Racing did not go more than four races without a win in 2019. JGR won the most races in the 2010s, 99 of 360. Kyle Busch won 40 races in the last decade, the most of all drivers.
Chris Graythen | Getty Images
DENNY HAMLIN: No. 11 Toyota
2019 stats: Fourth in final standings; six wins (Daytona-1, Texas-1, Pocono-2, Bristol-2, Kansas-2, Phoenix-2), three poles, 19 top fives, 24 top 10s 2020 championship odds: 8-1 Fantasy Live picks: Richmond, Martinsville, Phoenix, Charlotte, Darlington
Outlook: Denny Hamlin cemented a career year in 2019 with a well-rounded campaign that yielded a half-dozen wins. It’s already a high ceiling for a driver who reached the Championship 4 last season, but the potential to replicate that level of performance is strong, especially as the chemistry builds for year two with Chris Gabehart as the No. 11 crew chief. Gabehart showed in last year’s final he’s not afraid to tape, er … take risks. Swinging for the fences has its rewards.
Chris Graythen | Getty Images
KYLE BUSCH: No. 18 Toyota
2019 stats: First in final standings; five wins (Phoenix-1, Auto Club, Bristol-1, Pocono-1, Homestead), one pole, 17 top fives, 27 top 10s 2020 championship odds: 6-1 Fantasy Live picks: Phoenix, Richmond, Martinsville, Auto Club, Kentucky
Outlook: Speaking of high ceilings, there’s nowhere to go but down for the defending Cup Series champ. But with a core that returns unchanged for a fifth consecutive year for Kyle Busch and Adam Stevens, the likelihood of another march through the regular season and playoffs is there. The Cup Series hasn’t had a back-to-back champion since Jimmie Johnson concluded his run of five straight titles in 2010. Busch might be the most powerful candidate in a decade for a repeat.
Chris Graythen | Getty Images
MARTIN TRUEX JR.: No. 19 Toyota
2019 stats: Second in final standings; seven wins (Richmond-1, Dover-1, Charlotte-1, Sonoma, Las Vegas-2, Richmond-2, Martinsville-2), 15 top fives, 24 top 10s 2020 championship odds: 6-1 Fantasy Live picks: Las Vegas, Dover, Charlotte, Sonoma, Watkins Glen
Outlook: Scrutiny will follow the elevation of James Small to crew chief, primarily to see if the No. 19 team skips a beat with the change atop the pit box. A seven-win season that came just one position short of clinching the title trophy is a tough feat to follow; so is 24 wins over the last five years with a driver-crew chief relationship that dripped with chemistry. Martin Truex Jr.’s new era starts with a shining spotlight.
Chris Graythen | Getty Images
ERIK JONES: No. 20 Toyota
2019 stats: 16th in final standings; one win (Darlington), 10 top fives, 17 top 10s 2020 championship odds: 20-1 Fantasy Live picks: Pocono, Watkins Glen, Texas, Kentucky, Darlington
Outlook: Erik Jones has one win in each of the last two seasons, and they’ve come at historic tracks — Daytona International Speedway and Darlington Raceway. The challenge for 2020 is finding the week-in, week-out potency his teammates possess, where winning isn’t a once-a-year phenomenon. Jones qualified for the playoffs last season, but a horrendous first round led to an early exit. Stockpiling wins and playoff points would help sustain his postseason cause and his career.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 7, 2020) – NASCAR and K&N Engineering announced a multi-year extension, continuing the company’s designation as the “Official Performance Filter of NASCAR®.” The renewed agreement solidifies K&N Engineering’s activation across the sport while evolving the longstanding partnership.
K&N Engineering’s presence in NASCAR can be traced back to the 1970s when the company began providing filters to NASCAR Cup Series™ teams at California’s old Riverside Speedway. Since then, K&N Engineering has fueled NASCAR’s regional and touring series for more than a decade, previously serving as the entitlement sponsor of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, now the ARCA Menards Series East and West™.
“Our renewed partnership with K&N Engineering is reflective of long-standing collaboration that has helped grow our regional and touring series,” said Michelle Byron, vice president, partnership marketing, NASCAR. “K&N Engineering remains a trusted product throughout the garage and this partnership will continue to validate K&N Engineering to our brand loyal fanbase.”
The company will maintain its contingency sponsorship and decal program within the NASCAR Cup Series through 2021 and will evolve its support of grassroots racing by becoming an Official Partner as well as a contingency sponsor within the ARCA Menards Series. K&N Engineering will continue to work with NASCAR teams to engineer the best performance filters in the industry. In addition, teams and tracks across the NASCAR Cup Series and ARCA Menards Series will have access to an exclusive industry preferred pricing program.
“K&N and NASCAR share the same core values driven by their combined passion for motorsports,” said JR Badian, CMO, K&N Engineering. “For K&N, we’ve had great success through our partnership with NASCAR, and look forward to continuing the relationship.”
K&N Engineering became an Official Partner in 2011, one year after it began sponsoring the K&N Pro Series. Since then, the leading filter company has utilized its platform in the sport to drive B2B opportunities and market products to consumers nationwide. In addition, K&N Engineering has helped crown notable champions such as William Byron (2016) and Kyle Larson (2012) during its time as a series entitlement sponsor in grassroots NASCAR.
For over 50 years, K&N Engineering has been an industry leader in automotive filtration and technology – offering products to increase performance, protection and longevity in thousands of vehicle applications for consumers worldwide.
The 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season kicks off with the 62nd annual DAYTONA 500 on Sunday, February 16 at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 6, 2020) – A stunning car and an innovative fundraising initiative were simultaneously unveiled Thursday by The NASCAR Foundation, in Victory Circle at the ONE DAYTONA lifestyle and entertainment destination across from Daytona International Speedway.
This is no ordinary fundraiser. A 2020 Toyota Camry TRD will be given away with proceeds benefiting The NASCAR Foundation. This “2019 Championship Edition” Camry celebrates the winning manufacturer’s NASCAR Cup Series Title. It is an extended celebration; the giveaway will last until the Coke Zero Sugar 400 race weekend on Aug. 27-29 at Daytona International Speedway.
The giveaway will run on NASCARfoundation.org/CarGiveaway, with a minimum $25 donation to enter. Prior to the Coke Zero Sugar 400 weekend, five finalists will be determined; they will attend the race as the foundation’s guests. The car will be on display throughout DAYTONA Speedweeks at The NASCAR Foundation hauler in front of the speedway, near the Toyota injector.
This is no ordinary Camry, either, evidenced by these features:
301 HP D-4S V-6 Engine
TRD piano-black front splitters, aero side skirts and rear diffuser with red pin striping
19-in. TRD matte-black alloy wheels
TRD cat-back dual exhaust with polished stainless steel tips
TRD track-tuned suspension
Larger 12.9-in. front brakes with red-painted front and rear calipers
TRD piano-black rear spoiler
Sport SofTex®-trimmed seats with red seat belts, red stitching and fabric insert
Red-stitched custom NASCAR headrests
Custom graphics
WeatherTech floor mats with custom logos
The NASCAR Foundation Chairman Mike Helton and NASCAR Vice Chair Lesa France Kennedy assisted with the unveiling of the Toyota Camry today, prior to the NASCAR Hauler Parade at One DAYTONA.
“This fundraising concept was presented to us by foundation board member and area automobile dealer Randy Dye and we immediately knew it was a winner,” said Nichole Krieger, executive director of The NASCAR Foundation. “We want as many NASCAR fans as possible to enter and in the process, support our many programs that assist children in need in the Daytona Beach area and nationwide.”
About The NASCAR Foundation
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing Inc. (NASCAR) established The NASCAR Foundation in January 2006 to support initiatives that positively affect the lives of children throughout the United States. The 501(c) (3) non-profit entity partners with medical experts and other charitable organizations to fund children’s health care programs. The NASCAR Foundation has cumulatively donated more than $36 million to reach more than 1.4 million children. For more information on The NASCAR Foundation, visit NASCARfoundation.org. Follow The NASCAR Foundation on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/NASCARFoundation or on Twitter at @NASCAR_FDN.
It’s almost that time of year. Football is over and with that ending comes an impending sense of loss for me — not only from the perspective of an NFL fan, but also as a bettor.
While I can certainly get my gambling fix(es) from basketball (uhh), baseball (eww) or hockey (yikes), it’s just not the same as sitting down on a Sunday to sweat a full NFL slate, beer in hand.
But … I am here to tell you that there is another option: NASCAR.
Whether you’re a long-time NASCAR fan, just getting around to checking out the hype or have never watched a second of “cars driving around in circles,” this is the article for you.
Now, I am by no means a NASCAR expert, but I know a couple of people who are. In fact, I am married to one of those people. I grew up in a household that watched NASCAR, but I never fully understood its potential until I met and later married bettor/bad beat whiner, PJ Walsh.
So, let’s start at the beginning and consider this a NASCAR Betting 101, if you will. If you’re reading this article, it’s safe to assume that you have or are considering betting on NASCAR in the near future.
And the Daytona 500 — NASCAR’s Super Bowl — is the best place to start.
In its most basic form, NASCAR has a handful of different track types, including superspeedways, intermediates and short tracks. Each category offers a different type of racing, which, in turn, provides additional much-needed information for bettors.
With a total track size of 1 mile or less, short tracks are known for constant bumping and banging, excessive spin-outs and smaller wrecks with lots of cautions. The reason is because the track is so small that all of the cars remain close to each other throughout the race.
If a short track race was a movie, it would be a drama — there is a seemingly endless amount of low-grade action at all times to keep your attention.
Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images
On the other end of the spectrum, you have superspeedways, which includes Daytona International Speedway. Daytona checks in at a whopping 2.5 miles in length and is synonymous with explosive, action-filled racing and a scattering of massive wrecks that can take out large portions of the field in an instant.
In order to keep speeds from getting out of control, the race package for Daytona results in “pack racing,” where you find groups of cars drafting together because that is the fastest way around the track.
This is one of the reasons that you get those large wrecks. It takes only one mistake, bobble or equipment failure from a single car to cause a massive wreck because others racing in close proximity have nowhere to go.
In movie terms, the superspeedway is a thriller — you know something is going to happen, but you don’t know when. And boy, when it does, it’s usually big and scary as hell.
With the unpredictability and overall popularity of the Daytona 500, there are plenty of betting options. Below, I have put a list of some of my favorite ways to bet this race:
1. Make a bet on the manufacturer
Do you like Toyota, Ford or Chevrolet? I asked PJ for his thoughts on which manufacturer, if any, has an advantage in the Daytona 500 and this is what he said:
“In recent years, Fords have had an advantage because they have so many good cars in the race and all work together.”
This is my favorite angle. It’s the Daytona 500 and you never know what’s going to happen, so take a wild card and run with it. Wrecky (uhh, I mean Ricky) Stenhouse Jr. is a great example. If you want someone fun to watch who also has the potential to completely and utterly annihilate the field, look no further.
In fact, some books will offer an over/under cautions prop. If you’re rooting for a crazy, unpredictable race, bet the over.
And if you’re still feeling a little like Goldilocks with none of those bets fitting just right, I’ve come up with a fun way to determine your driver to bet and root for in the Daytona 500.
Just answer these four easy questions, then find which driver matches your responses and poof, you have your next sports obsession.
Daytona 500 Driver Betting Quiz
Which source do you prefer when getting your daily news/information?
Wall Street Journal
USA Today
Social Media
TMZ
Barstool Sports
What is your favorite game-day food?
Pizza
Burgers
Hot dogs/sausages
Nachos
Wings
What is your favorite game-day beverage?
Soft drinks (water, soda, etc.)
Hard liquor (neat or on the rocks)
Wine
Beer
Mixed drinks/shots
Which of the following all-time great athlete is your favorite?
Derek Jeter
Peyton Manning
LeBron James
Serena Williams
John Daly
Daytona 500 Betting Quiz Key
*Add up the total points for each of your answers above and match your score to the driver below who best suits your sports-betting personality. Odds via FanDuel.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 6, 2020) – NASCAR announced today several leadership promotions across the breadth of its business. Ben Kennedy has been promoted Vice President, Racing Development; John Martin has been promoted to Vice President, Media and Event Technology; Patrick Rogers has been promoted to Vice President, Marketing Services; and Chris Schwartz has been promoted to Vice President, Media Properties.
Kennedy oversees strategic racing development initiatives for each of NASCAR’s series, including development of future national series’ schedules and international expansion. Having competed in both the NASCAR Gander RV and Outdoors Truck Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series, as well as previously serving as General Manager of the Truck Series, Kennedy plays a key role in working with NASCAR senior leadership to develop long term racing development strategies. Kennedy will remain based in Concord and will continue to report into Steve O’Donnell, Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer.
“Ben is a true racer at heart and has a tremendous understanding of what contributes to a strong race from a driver and a fan’s perspective,” said O’Donnell. “His love of motorsports and his commitment to delivering great racing for our fans comes through in everything he does. The sport is fortunate to have a rising leader like Ben and I look forward to his future leadership in this important area.”
Martin will oversee all technology related to the fan and industry at-track experience and across NASCAR’s media platforms and products. Martin has previously served in a variety of leadership roles across NASCAR Productions and NASCAR Digital and he was instrumental in the initial roll-out of NASCAR.com. Martin will remain based in Charlotte and will report into Craig Neeb, Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer.
“John brings extensive experience and passion to this position,” said Neeb. “His spirit of innovation, coupled with his success working across the industry and driving collaboration and partnership, makes him an ideal fit to lead this group into the future.”
Rogers will oversee all marketing services across Teams, Drivers and Tracks, serving as the main point of leadership with industry stakeholders in implementing NASCAR’s integrated marketing strategy and maximizing the potential impact of all industry assets. Rogers has led the sanctioning body’s collaborative marketing work with race teams and drivers and will take that work to another level with his new, broader duties. Rogers will remain based in Charlotte and will continue to report into Pete Jung, Senior Vice President, Marketing.
“Patrick has developed strong relationships throughout the garage and has a track record of success in developing marketing opportunities for our drivers, teams and tracks that deliver for our fans,” said Jung. “His leadership in bringing the industry together cannot be overstated and I am excited about the impact he and his team will have as we seek new and innovative ways in bringing our fans closer to our drivers, teams and racetracks.”
In his elevated role, Schwartz will continue to lead MRN and Racing Electronics and work closely with NASCAR’s media functions to integrate that technology across NASCAR media platforms. His focus will be working with NASCAR’s media partners and senior leadership to build upon strategies to distribute live audio content and dynamic in-venue technology to race fans both at-home and at the track. Schwartz will be based in Charlotte and will report into Brian Herbst, Senior Vice President, Media and Productions.
“Chris is a seasoned industry executive that understands the opportunities that exist for our sport and our fans as we develop engaging media platforms and content across our industry,” said Herbst. “He has a proven track record in developing strong, innovative media partnerships with multiple stakeholders that will position our sport well as the media landscape evolves.”
Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart dominated most of the day. From the drop of the green, Earnhardt took off. Benny Parsons foreshadowed the outcome from the NBC television booth saying that teams were “concerned if the No. 8 car gets in front, he’s so fast a lot of cars will not be able to pass him.”
Only one driver was able to lead more laps than Earnhardt Jr. on this day and that was Stewart. Stewart nearly led half of all the laps in that Daytona 500, but Earnhardt Jr. got by him with 20 laps to go and didn’t give the lead back. He would go on to win the 2004 Daytona 500 in just his fifth start, a feat that took his father 20 years to accomplish.
Earnhardt Jr. would finish his career with two Daytona 500 victories, joining 11 other drivers with multiple wins in NASCAR’s biggest event.
Editor’s note: Today’s Stewart-Haas Racing preview continues NASCAR.com’s countdown of team previews for the NASCAR Cup Series season, ranked in order of best finish in last year’s owner standings.
STEWART-HAAS RACING
Manufacturer: Ford Engine: Roush Yates Engines Drivers: Kevin Harvick (No. 4), Aric Almirola (No. 10), Clint Bowyer (No. 14), Cole Custer (No. 41) Crew chiefs: Rodney Childers (No. 4), Mike Bugarewicz (No. 10), Johnny Klausmeier (No. 14), Mike Shiplett (No. 41)
What’s new: Of course, the biggest move for SHR is the addition of Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Cole Custer, moving up from the NASCAR Xfinity Series into the No. 41 Ford previously driven by Daniel Suarez. But another shakeup included the crew chiefs for Aric Almirola and Clint Bowyer. Mike Bugarewicz and Johnny Klausmeier have traded places, as Bugarewicz will now serve as the crew chief for Almirola and the No. 10 team, while Klausmeier moves atop the pit box for Bowyer and the No. 14 squad.
Team strength: It’s a special group over at the SHR shop who pride themselves on an old-school, racer’s racer approach. That’s exactly the reason why they’re such a threat for the win each week. But pinpointing a favored style of racing depends on the driver. While a threat for victory each week, Harvick’s forte includes the 1.5-2-mile tracks, plus the 1-milers of Phoenix Raceway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Bowyer has shown muscle on the short tracks and 1.5-mile tracks, while Almirola has proven he is very superspeedway savvy — he was less than a half-lap away from winning the 2018 Daytona 500 before fading to the checkered. Time will tell where Custer will have an advantage, but signs point to 1.5-mile tracks looking back on his Xfinity Series days.
The Action Network Best Bet:I like Cole Custer’s long-term outlook in the No. 41, but I’ll be doing everything I can to fade him in Daytona 500 driver matchups. I’m never high on rookies making their first Daytona 500 starts, especially for a driver like Custer who has never run a superspeedway in the NASCAR Cup Series. Add in the fact that Custer had an average finish of 22.8 and just one top-10 finish in nine career NASCAR Xfinity Series superspeedway starts and we have a driver ripe for fading at Daytona. – PJ Walsh
Racing Insights Number to Know: Kevin Harvick and Rodney Childers have been together for six seasons and are now the longest current driver-crew chief pairing in the NASCAR Cup Series. Harvick and Childers are one of two championship driver-crew chief pairings that are still together, the other being defending champion Kyle Busch and crew chief Adam Stevens.
Chris Graythen | Getty Images
KEVIN HARVICK, No. 4 Ford
2019 stats: Four wins, 15 top fives, 26 top 10s, 10.0 average finish and 953 laps led.
2020 Championship Odds: 5-1
Fantasy Live Five: Phoenix, Atlanta, Miami, Texas, Michigan
Outlook: It’s a little far-fetched to say that Harvick had a down year in 2019, but the team had more hiccups than usual. That last statement has a particular focus on the first part of last year, where Harvick failed to reach Victory Lane until the 20th race of the regular season at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. On the other hand, he still clicked off four wins and made the Championship 4. Harvick was also the best-finishing SHR driver in 22 of the 36 races (including 10 of the season’s final 12 races). If the No. 4 team can get the ball rolling much quicker to start the season, that won’t be a good thing for the rest of the field.
ARIC ALMIROLA, No. 10 Ford
Chris Graythen | Getty Images
2019 stats: Three top fives, 12 top 10s, 15.4 average finish and 180 laps led.
2020 Championship Odds: 40-1
Fantasy Live Five: Talladega, Phoenix, Las Vegas, New Hampshire, Texas
Outlook: Almirola and the No. 10 team started off the 2019 season by clicking off seven top-10 finishes in the first 10 races, but then things unraveled from there, only earning five top 10s the remainder of the season. There were glimmers of hope toward the end though, earning a fourth-place result at Talladega Superspeedway and a second-place behind teammate Harvick at Texas Motor Speedway. New crew chief Mike Bugarewicz will hopefully provide the spark the team needs in 2020, providing a different approach that could launch them into contention for more victories.
Chris Graythen | Getty Images
CLINT BOWYER, No. 14 Ford
2019 stats: Seven top fives, 18 top 10s, 15.2 average finish and 138 laps led.
2020 Championship Odds: 40-1
Fantasy Live Five: Sonoma, Richmond, Bristol, Martinsville, Dover
Outlook: It was an up-and-down 2019 season for Bowyer, failing to reach Victory Lane but making the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs on points. The No. 14 team showed strength at 1.5-mile and short tracks throughout the year, but they weren’t quite able to capitalize on speed to be in contention when the checkered flag flew. Bowyer ended the year with back-to-back top-10 finishes at Phoenix Raceway and Homestead-Miami Speedway, which offers hope that the 2020 season could see a difference in results if they can get off to a fast start. Like Almirola, the crew chief change gives Bowyer a chance to work with Johnny Klausmeier with the hopes of offering a shakeup that could work out in the team’s favor.
COLE CUSTER, No. 41 Ford
2019 stats: Seven wins, 17 top fives, 24 top 10s, 9.0 average finish and 922 laps led in the Xfinity Series.
Chris Graythen | Getty Images
2020 Championship Odds: 80-1
Fantasy Live Five: Pocono, Dover, New Hampshire, Las Vegas, Texas
Outlook: It’ll be interesting to see how the Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate starts off his first full-time season in the No. 41 Ford. Custer will have a tough rookie class to battle against with the likes of Christopher Bell and Tyler Reddick, all having the talent and potential to earn a victory. The 22-year-old will have a familiar face atop the pit box with Mike Shiplett moving up with him from the Xfinity Series, so there are high hopes that the transition will be more seamless and the team can begin producing results faster than your average rookie driver.
Editor’s note: “nascarman” is a NASCAR historian whose features regularly appear on racing-reference.info. Follow him on Twitter @nascarman_rr.
He had confetti literally spilling out of his uniform. He talked to the President of the United States on his flip phone. He did donuts in a Corvette on the streets of Manhattan while talking to David Letterman.
Things were pretty great for Dale Earnhardt Jr. after he won the 2004 Daytona 500. Frankly, things were pretty great for him in the weeks leading up to the race as well.
Earnhardt’s dominance throughout Speedweeks that year was one for the record books. Five races, three wins, two close calls. It was a moment in Daytona 500 history when a great driver in a great car was nearly unbeatable.
Speedweeks began on the last weekend of January with the Rolex 24. In America’s premier sports car race, Dale Earnhardt Jr. shared a prototype with Tony Stewart and Andy Wallace. The NASCAR drivers were each in their second Rolex start, while Wallace had won it three times overall.
After qualifying fourth, Wallace drove the car into the lead early. Around two hours into the race, rain covered the track with a steady stream. When the car came in for rain tires, Earnhardt got behind the wheel. Wallace told the TV broadcast that he thought it was a tough situation to be thrown into.
“To put Dale out, straight away, when it’s raining like this for the first time, I feel really sorry for him,” Wallace said. “But anyway, he’s a real professional; he’ll do a great job.”
It rained and rained, but to everyone’s surprise, the NASCAR drivers were fast. It was especially surprising after Tony Stewart admitted he never raced in the rain before. Just “driving to the grocery store and back,” he said. But the rain kept veteran road racers from charging into the corners and wound up equalizing the competition.
Wallace, Stewart, and Earnhardt dominated the race, leading overall by three laps with one hour remaining. But unfortunately for them, the final hour was the toughest as the car broke a right-rear rocker mount with 43 minutes remaining. The suspension piece kept the right-rear wheel stable and without it would raise the wheel off the ground. Because the right-rear wheel was in the air, the drop in the back of the car lifted the left-front off the ground as well. The only chance they had to win was to ride around on two wheels for the last 40 minutes. With Stewart behind the wheel, they almost pulled it off.
“Stewart remains on the track with a broken right rear suspension,” Bob Varsha said on the race broadcast. “He doesn’t need new tires because he’s only got two wheels on the ground at any one time. The most dramatic drive I think I have ever seen in 25 years of covering motorsports.”
Jonathan Ferrey | Getty Images
Having only one wheel on the ground in the back put too much strain on the left-rear tire. With 19 minutes to go, the tire slipped off the rim and spun the car. That left no tires in the rear touching the ground and the car was stranded on its stomach. After the dominance and drama, they settled for third in class.
Moving onto the NASCAR portion of Speedweeks, Earnhardt was favored to win everything he was entered in. Just one year earlier, he won the Budweiser Shootout (now Busch Clash), Thursday’s qualifying race, Saturday’s Busch Series (now Xfinity Series) race, and lost the Daytona 500 because of a dead battery. It wasn’t outrageous to think 2004 could be a clean sweep.
In the Shootout on Feb. 7, Earnhardt pushed Dale Jarrett to the win and finished second. Junior’s team chose to run a new car in the race and use last year’s winner as the backup, a decision Earnhardt regretted.
“It didn’t run too good, so we might should’ve run the (other car),” Earnhardt said. “I betcha that car on the trailer that won here last year is a better race car.”
On Thursday, Junior led the final 14 laps and won the qualifying race. But as opposed to the year before, he had a more reserved attitude, looking ahead to the big prize on Sunday.
“I guess we don’t seemed as excited because we kinda learned our lesson,” Earnhardt Jr. told NASCAR.com after the qualifying race. “We won this race and a couple others last year and were like, ‘Yeah, we’re kicking everybody’s butts out here,’ and then we finished bad in the 500.
“We’re excited to win the 125, but we want to win the 500, so we know we’ve got more work to do. The car can always be better. I don’t think we’re ever satisfied, and that’s the way a championship team should feel.”
In Saturday’s 300-mile Xfinity Series race, Earnhardt climbed from his eighth-place starting spot to take the lead on Lap 11. He was still leading when a rain shower stopped the race on Lap 31 and postponed the finish to Monday.
Entering the Daytona 500, Vegas oddsmakers picked Earnhardt as the favorite to win, with 5/2 odds.
No one has ever won the Rolex 24 overall and the Daytona 500 in the same year. As fate would have it, two weeks after Earnhardt and Stewart lost the Rolex 24, they were fighting for the win of the “Great American Race.”
Jonathan Ferrey | Getty Images
Running in second with 20 laps to go, Earnhardt saw an opportunity to pass Stewart for the lead. He got a run in Turn 4 and looked to the outside.
“I was going to try to pass him on the top,” Earnhardt told NASCAR.com’s Marty Smith. “So I went up to the top and he moved up, and I just cut the wheel to the left and felt the nose graze across the back bumper of his car.
“I looked and I had about a foot on him, so I thought, ‘Well, he can’t run me across the apron now. He’s got to give me the position.’ He knew I was there, so he wasn’t gonna do any kind of crazy blocking.”
After clearing Stewart, Earnhardt held on to win his first Daytona 500. A celebration at the start/finish line led to a confetti shower in Victory Lane. During a press conference a short while later, Earnhardt’s questioning was interrupted when his cell phone started to ring. The number was private but the call came from the grand marshal of the race — President George W. Bush.
At the time, the 2004 Daytona 500 was the second-most watched race since live coverage began in 1979. It was estimated that an average audience of 17.8 million people saw the race, behind only the 2002 Daytona 500. The ratings showed that more than 11% of all homes in the United States watched Earnhardt cross the start/finish line.
The winning didn’t end in the Daytona 500. In Monday’s conclusion of the Busch Series race, Earnhardt won again to end an unbelievable Speedweeks. From there, it was off to New York to begin the media tour. Tuesday saw Earnhardt make appearances on “The Today Show,” “Live with Regis and Kelly,” CNN and “The Late Show with David Letterman.”
The final results for the two weeks in 2004 were certainly impressive. Three wins, a second place, and a victory snatched away in the closing minutes of the Rolex 24.
It was a feat of Daytona dominance that is tough to match.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — NASCAR today announced changes to the NASCAR Hall of Fame nomination and induction processes, including reducing the annual number of inductees from five to three and splitting potential nominees into two ballots — one for contemporary stars and one for the sport’s pioneers.
Starting with the upcoming Class of 2021, the existing Nomination Committee will provide 10 nominees for the Modern Era Ballot. A new Honors Committee — largely comprised of all living Hall of Famers, Landmark Award winners and Squier-Hall Award winners — will evaluate and provide five nominees for the Pioneer Ballot. The Voting Panel will meet in Charlotte on Wednesday, May 20 to debate, discuss and ultimately vote for the three-member Class of 2021 — two from the Modern Era Ballot and one from the Pioneer Ballot. All three are inducted equally, there will be no distinction between inductees from either ballot.
Competitors are eligible for the Modern Era Ballot if their career started within the past 60 years (1961 for Class of 2021). Nominees can stay on the Modern Era Ballot for up to 10 years. Those whose careers began more than 60 years ago or who have been on the Modern Era Ballot for 10 years will be eligible for the Pioneer Ballot.
“When we opened the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2010, we had to catch up on more than 60 years of NASCAR history,” said NASCAR President Steve Phelps. “Our plan has always been to evaluate the process as the Hall of Fame matured. With 55 of the sport’s greatest competitors enshrined, we felt the time was right to move to three inductees, which will help maintain the high standard of enshrinement that’s been set.”
“From the time I first learned of the selection process NASCAR developed in 2009 and through the evolutions implemented as we gained valuable experience, I have been a huge proponent of our process,” said NASCAR Hall of Fame Executive Director Winston Kelley. “I feel our process is as strong as any Hall of Fame, sport and entertainment alike. I am equally enthusiastic about these changes to our process and concur wholeheartedly that now is the right time to transition to fewer inductees and establish a process dedicated to NASCAR’s iconic pioneers.”
Twelve representatives from the Honors Committee, including seven new voters — Richard Childress, Rick Hendrick, Ron Hornaday Jr., Dale Jarrett, Roger Penske, Darrell Waltrip and Rusty Wallace — will serve on the Voting Panel.
Changes have also been made to crew chief eligibility to align it with driver eligibility. In addition to the requirement to participate in NASCAR for 10 years, crew chiefs must now also be retired for two years. Competitors with 30 years NASCAR experience and those aged 55 or higher are also eligible.
