Before finally winning the 500, “The Intimidator” had already piled up an impressive list of victories at Daytona International Speedway.
He won two summertime points races at Daytona, 11 Daytona 500 qualifying races, seven Xfinity Series races, six Budweiser Shootouts and four races in the International Race of Champions series.Earnhardt had finished second in three Daytona 500s. His best shot at victory before his win came in 1990, when he was leading until a flat tire on the last turn of the last lap dropped to fifth in what was to be Derrike Cope's lone win at Daytona.
In 1993, Earnhardt led the white-flag lap , but Dale Jarrett passed him on the final lap for the win.Earnhardt had finished second to Cale Yarborough in 1984, to Sterling Marlin in 1995 and to Dale Jarrett in 1996. In short, nobody had a better overall record at NASCAR's most important track. “But I don't think he ever believed he'd never win the 500,” Childress said soon after Earnhardt won in '98. “He'd won enough other races down here to know he could win the 500, but there was always something that got in his way. A flat tire, a caution flag when he didn't need it, a pit stop when he was leading . . . it was always something. That day, though, everything came together at the right time.
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