|| *Comments on the 1998 Daytona 500:* View the most recent comment <#132> | Post a comment <#post> Tweet 1. Motownphilly posted: 12.03.2003 - 2:50 pm Rate this comment: (5) (0) Finally, Dale wins the Daytona 500! I'll never forget watching the race with my dad and cheering as he did donuts on the infield. Also, how cool was it when all of the teams lined up on pit road to congratulate the King of Daytona. 2. roger smith posted: 04.04.2004 - 1:30 pm Rate this comment: (0) (2) Dear; Sir I like ti get the Car no of the Drivers that did not Qualify in all the races in 1998. 3. Jake posted: 06.09.2004 - 2:48 pm Rate this comment: (2) (2) Best Daytona 500 ever!!! 4. Jack Lewis posted: 07.28.2004 - 5:59 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Finally! 5. HomeDepotKid posted: 09.12.2004 - 2:48 am Rate this comment: (2) (2) It was about time that it happened. It'll always be the greatest Daytona 500 ever for that very moment and the importance to NASCAR. 6. Jake posted: 10.02.2004 - 1:55 pm Rate this comment: (1) (3) Definitely the best Daytona 500 ever. It was awesome enough that finally after 20 years, Dale Sr. finally won the Daytona 500!!! It would ironic enough that 6 years to the day this occured, that Dale Jr. would win his 1st Daytona 500. 7. Aaron Camp posted: 12.04.2004 - 1:21 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) ABOUT TIME!!! 8. Aaron Levin posted: 12.28.2004 - 11:30 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Im never going to forget this race it was my first 500 and I saw him take the checkard. 9. Anonymous posted: 12.31.2004 - 1:50 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Ken Schrader finished fourth despite a fractured sternum thanks to a wreck in the Twin 125's ... a wreck eerily similar to the one where Earnhardt was killed. Who wasn't pleased to see Earnhardt take it? 10. Brett posted: 02.25.2005 - 11:19 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) Well, it wasn't necessarily the best Daytona 500 ever in terms of slam-bang action-a mere thirteen lead changes. But even I, who had only watched NASCAR for a little over two years up to that point, couldn't resist goosebumps as Earnhardt held off his advesaries for the final sixty laps. 11. Jake Kane posted: 04.12.2005 - 4:25 pm Rate this comment: (2) (11) how can this be the best daytona 500 ever, it ended under caution. yet another scriped race 12. Jake posted: 05.13.2005 - 2:02 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) This race also turned out to be Larry McReynolds' last victory as a crew chief. 13. Dustin posted: 09.28.2005 - 12:06 am Rate this comment: (2) (2) This was the greatest Daytona 500, and let me tell you why...... The race was more like the 500's in days before plate-racing ruined Daytona and Talledega. Before the cautions the race was on pace to smash Buddy Baker's 1980 race pace record. After reviewing the race itself, the racing was fast and close. The way it was always meant to be, not the side-by-side, touch one car and the whole field wrecks "racing" we see today. Finally the history, 20 years of trying. He did it the hard way too. By beating Jeff Gordon, at the top of his game, and two very fast Penske Fords and a solid Bobby Labonte, who could pass with no help. Dale held on as the best cars in the field took their shots at him and his black 3 car. Without a doubt the greatest 500...... and more then likly the last great race at Daytona. and JAKE KANE, the race ended under caution do to a crash on the 2nd to last lap on the backstraight that saw Earnhardt take the white and yellow flags. Unlike Nextel Cup in '05 the Winston Cup rule book in '98 did not have green-white-checkered flag finishes. Oh and PS watch the race....... you will understand how UN-scripted this race was.......... Forever 3!!!!!!!! 14. larry spencer posted: 10.10.2005 - 8:57 pm Rate this comment: (1) (1) FINALLY Dale was lucky that the 23 hit the wall because he was comin 15. Darrell posted: 01.29.2006 - 10:58 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Congrats Dale! Intresting thing about this race, the Labonte brothers qualifed on the front row! Pretty cool! 16. Mr. Etc posted: 02.21.2006 - 6:33 am Rate this comment: (1) (5) I give props to Big E for finally winning it, but guys...if Spencer didn't hit that wall...we probably wouldn't be talking about an Earnhardt win. 17. Never cheered for Dale Earnhar posted: 03.21.2006 - 1:55 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) never cheered for him to win a race, and never cheered harder for him to not win a race than this race. anyway, he did win, and i survived. 18. Never cheered for Dale Earnhar posted: 03.21.2006 - 1:56 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) by the way, please don't think i cheered when he died 3 years later. i cheered against him winning races, not to wreck. 19. Anonymous posted: 03.27.2006 - 12:50 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) finally dale wins is first 500 20. Dale posted: 04.17.2006 - 12:38 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) My most memorable race ever. Never will forget. 21. CanucksAndNASCAR Fan posted: 05.14.2006 - 7:30 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) I won't forget this race either. I was pulling for Earnhardt all day. 22. Miller4Prez64 posted: 06.18.2006 - 6:03 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) Earnhardt went the 1997 season without a win and comes out and wins the 1998 Daytona 500, this would be his only win of 1998 and his only Daytona 500. RIP Dale we miss you. 23. Steve posted: 08.01.2006 - 2:01 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) One of the most memorable 500s. First race for the Ford Taurus. Chad Little, Jeff Burton, and Robert Pressley ran Thunderbirds. The Taurus got 2 Top 5s, 4 Top 10s, but only led 4 laps. 24. MacKenzie posted: 09.14.2006 - 1:11 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) He Finally Wins the Daytona 500. Period. 25. chad posted: 01.07.2007 - 7:11 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) i got that dvd i could hear mike joy said dale earnhardt dinally is the champion of daytona 500 26. myself posted: 02.19.2007 - 6:36 pm Rate this comment: (2) (10) The only Daytona 500 I ever attended & it had to be won (fixed) by one of the greatest @$$ holes of all time! No one has ever wondered how conveniently Rick Mast just showed up to help Earnhardt block???? 27. me, myself, and i posted: 02.26.2007 - 10:38 am Rate this comment: (3) (2) Great win. Myself, please get lost. 28. JC posted: 05.22.2007 - 5:56 pm Rate this comment: (1) (1) Easily one of the top 5 races of all time. I wasn't there, but seeing all the teams congratulate Dale was pretty awesome to see. I think it just showed how much respect everyone else in the sport at that time had for Earnhardt. It is always sad to see a race end under caution, but this was the crowning moment for one of the best drivers, ever. 29. biffle16 posted: 05.24.2007 - 8:23 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Burton didn't drive a T-Bird. Billy Standridge did. 30. SK posted: 06.29.2007 - 10:24 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) #96 David Green #8 Hut Stricklin #46 Wally Dallenbach, Jr. #29 Jeff Green #26 Johnny Benson, Jr. #59 Mark Gibson #81 Kenny Wallace #14 Loy Allen, Jr. #35 Todd Bodine #80 Michael Ciochetti #78 Gary Bradberry #07 Dan Pardus #68 Randy Renfrow #84 Norm Benning in response to that guy's request from over three years ago. 31. Ryan Waugh posted: 07.04.2007 - 10:41 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) to myself, Looked like Mast was trying to hold Earnhardt up, but Earnhardt used him as a pick... best ever 32. SK posted: 07.06.2007 - 4:06 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Correction to the car numbers: #79 Norm Benning #85 Randy Renfrow and not what I posted above. 33. Anonymous posted: 09.16.2007 - 6:47 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Who is (Was?) Michael Ciochetti? 34. Anonymous posted: 09.16.2007 - 6:47 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Johnny Benson crashed in his qualifying race and missed the race. 35. SK posted: 09.19.2007 - 4:26 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) Mike Ciochetti was an ARCA driver at the time who made his only attempt to qualify for a Cup race here in Stan Hover's Ford. 36. Anonymous posted: 09.22.2007 - 7:59 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) All right. Where is he now, anyway? 37. DNQ List posted: 10.17.2007 - 10:18 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) He was injured at the ARCA's 1999 Talladega race but made a return to racing this year, driving for the Keselowskis at Talladega. 38. Dameon2k posted: 10.23.2007 - 6:26 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) Yeah Dale lucked out with a caution and finally btought the big one home. Bobby Labonte was bad fast and coming through the field like a rocket and I believe he would have won minus the caution and denied Dale Sr. the win. I was happy for Dale, even though I was never much of a fan of his, because he had come close so many times. He earned that one. 39. Douche Bagolow posted: 12.10.2007 - 11:24 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Last start for the Sadler Brothers as car owners. 40. BurtonRuddFan posted: 01.22.2008 - 1:02 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) What a good race. THIS IS A TRUE AMERICAN RACE. THIS WAS THE BEST WITH THE BEST like 1999 also. Earnhardt had a great car and he played the "chess game" with much luck, smarts, and power. Great run for Kenny Schrader and Swervin Irvin and Kyle Petty, the Prince of NASCAR. 41. RaceFanX posted: 01.28.2008 - 7:18 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Wecome back old friend, The "roofcam" returns with its new design after being ban by NASCAR for most of the 1997 season. Excluding the Armed Forces looks from 1991, the first modern special paint job in the Daytona 500 appeared in this race as Kyle Petty ran a black and white "Blues Brothers 2000" paint job to promote the then-new sequel. The film bombed but Kyle did quite well 42. RaceFanX posted: 02.18.2008 - 5:18 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Ken Schrader unexpectedly ran his special paint job from the Bud Shootout again in this event, the reason being that it was his backup car. His primary car was too damaged to race again after his vicious head-on into the wall in his 125 qualifier. 43. myself posted: 02.26.2008 - 12:37 pm Rate this comment: (1) (9) The fix was definitely in. 44. Anonymous posted: 03.06.2008 - 1:42 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) As long as you've been a fan of this sport, myself, I would have thought you'd be less ignorant. Exactly how could anyone fix a NASCAR race? And to say that Rick Mast, or anyone for that matter, could have timed it so the leaders caught him right at the yellow flag is absurd. I guess Speed and Andretti were paid by NASCAR to spin on the last lap, too. 45. Anonymous posted: 04.26.2008 - 6:21 pm Rate this comment: (0) (2) Even if someone paid those 3, they wouldn't ne talented enough tp lull it off anyway! I mean Mast sucked. He couldn't win in anything. He could've driven the 3 or 24, and still finished 30th! 46. Scott posted: 05.16.2008 - 1:47 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Thank God, finally, he won it. 47. Brad posted: 05.29.2008 - 2:56 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I have this race on DVD and I get chills every single time I watch Dale Earnhardt take the checkered flag to finally win the Daytona 500. If your favorite driver didn't win it, then you were glad to see Earnhardt win it. Amazing. 48. Steve.M. posted: 05.30.2008 - 5:49 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Earnhardt's first win in 17 months, his last came on March 11th 1996 when he won at Atlanta. 49. Thomas posted: 06.11.2008 - 4:21 pm Rate this comment: (2) (1) Greatest race ever. Sr. had the car to beat all day. Sure, Gordon picked up a push and then lost a cylinder and Bobby was getting helped to the front by Mr. Excitement, but Rusty probably said it best in his post-race interview, "we might have gotten to him, but there was no getting around him." The best ever finally won the big one. 50. g048 posted: 10.18.2008 - 5:59 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) I was there. My favorite racing memory. 51. bigmike90 posted: 10.25.2008 - 11:28 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Dale finally wins the 500 in his 20Th attempt. This was definitely my favorite Earnhardt win. 52. Matthew Lewis posted: 11.24.2008 - 7:05 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Here are some sponsor updates from my old notes: 9-"Taz" scheme 14-Delco Remy Chevy (owned by Richard Jackson) 81-Square D/Mobil Trim Heating & Cooling Ford 90-Accuturn/Mean Green Hand Cleaner 84-Newhart Hair Transplant Clinics 07-Midwest Transit/Jim & Judy Motorsports/Gale Trailers/Coldwell Banker/Major League Realty Inc./Lincoln Electric Chevrolet (owned by Jim & Judy Gardner) 95-Synergy/The Wax Shop (both were very minor associates) 44-"Blues Brothers 2000"/Spree Prepaid Foncard 41-Manheim Auto Auctions/Circle K/Okuma 80-Hughes Supply Co./Rheem/Moen Faucets/Air Mate/Bath Craft/Bath Style/Foo-Fwee Power/Cowland Trucking/West-Bay & Sons General Contractors/MCB/Blade Sportswear/American Standard Fixtures/Stan Hover Motorsports Ford 59-Cunningham International Motor Cars-Ford 48-"Texas Marine - Beaumont, TX: The Boater's Marine"/FasTrack High Performance Driving School Chevrolet (I am pretty sure that this car was owned by or affiliated with Andy Hillenburg) Billy Standridge also promoted his website, www.billystandridge.com (I *think* it was on the TV panel) on his #47. I also have "Wal-Mart" noted after "X-1R Friction Elimination" for the #73. But I don't remember where the decal was located now. Sorry I can't be more specific, but its been a while! LOL! And I'm just going off of the notes I took back then. 53. Ryan posted: 12.03.2008 - 2:37 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) yeah myself, if this race was a fix then '86, '90, and '93 was too... Get out of here... It's even more awesome you got to see it in person. That has to be an awesome feeling. I bet you really miss Dale. My buddy hated Dale, but it's like he said sometimes we miss seeing the guys we love because we love to cheer for them and with that same love there is always some hate. He hated Dale, but he even hates it more that he isn't out there because he cant cheer against him. 54. Ryan posted: 12.16.2008 - 3:13 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Watching the DVD of it right now, yum yum give me some! "Earnhardt uses the lapped car of Mast as a pick! 20 years of trying, 20 years of frustration, Dale Earnhardt will come to the caution flag to win the Daytona 500, Finally!" Woo hoo!!! 55. myself posted: 02.13.2009 - 1:18 pm Rate this comment: (1) (5) "As long as you've been a fan of this sport, myself, I would have thought you'd be less ignorant. Exactly how could anyone fix a NASCAR race? And to say that Rick Mast, or anyone for that matter, could have timed it so the leaders caught him right at the yellow flag is absurd. I guess Speed and Andretti were paid by NASCAR to spin on the last lap, too. | 03.06.08 - 1:42 pm" Allow a car to pass through the inspection line & give it a competitive advantage. 56. jp posted: 03.01.2009 - 3:47 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) This should be Earnhardt's 4th Daytona 500. The others should have been: '86,'90,'93. 57. Ryan posted: 03.10.2009 - 5:56 pm Rate this comment: (6) (0) Dale Earnhardt was the competitive advantage. 58. 18fan posted: 04.05.2009 - 1:10 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) This race was one of the best races in the 500's history, but I think people think it is the best because of Dale's win. Good racing throughout the race. 59. myself posted: 08.17.2009 - 2:22 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I spoke to Eli Gold @ a basketball game a couple of nights prior to the race.....said K.Schrader would win. 60. jp posted: 09.01.2009 - 6:50 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Did I fail to mention '81 and '96?? 61. 18fan posted: 11.28.2009 - 9:21 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Was this the last time Earnhardt ever led the points? 62. 18fan posted: 02.08.2010 - 6:16 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Last Daytona 500 with an average speed of 170+. This race took the third least time to complete, and it was the last Daytona 500, as of February 8, 2010, to be run in less than 3 hours. 63. 18fan posted: 02.10.2010 - 11:17 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) The first 500 on CBS without Ken Squier on the play-by-play is the first year Earnhardt wins it. 64. most posted: 05.10.2010 - 10:49 am Rate this comment: (1) (6) Funny that NASCAR threw the caution after 2 cars safely spun off the track without contact, think that would have been thrown if #3 was in 2nd place? Not saying it is fixed however an aided victory. 65. 18fan posted: 07.03.2010 - 8:25 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Last 500 Dale led until 2001. 66. Ryan posted: 08.11.2010 - 11:15 pm Rate this comment: (4) (1) 64. most posted: 05.10.10 - 10:49 am "Funny that NASCAR threw the caution after 2 cars safely spun off the track without contact, think that would have been thrown if #3 was in 2nd place? Not saying it is fixed however an aided victory." It wouldn't have mattered if there was a caution on the last lap or not, they weren't going to get by Dale. 67. 18fan posted: 11.21.2010 - 10:07 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) True #66. "Hey Sunday Money this is Captain Jack, don't you think it's time to go snag that big one?"- Bill France Jr. to Dale Earnhardt on Earnhardt's radio before the final restart. Larry McReynolds was about to go ballistic when Richard Childress informed him that it was France on his radio. 68. Patrick posted: 06.03.2011 - 4:43 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) last restrictor plate race entered by part time driver/owner from Arizona Phil Barkdoll. 69. RaceFanX posted: 06.18.2011 - 6:53 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Larry McReynolds' last points paying NASCAR Cup series victory as a crew chief. Kyle Petty's sponsor was Hot Wheels / Blues Brothers 2000 70. Ryan posted: 08.16.2011 - 3:06 am Rate this comment: (3) (0) FINALLY 71. Schroeder51 posted: 01.22.2012 - 9:33 pm Rate this comment: (0) (4) Other than Dale finally winning the race, this was one of the more boring Daytona 500s. I remember flipping the channel back and forth on this one because not a whole lot of action was going on. 72. Evan posted: 02.16.2012 - 9:41 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) * The debut of the 1998 Ford Taurus, NASCAR would run it for two years before updating it in 2000. They proved they could run, but Ford did not lead much in the 500. * The debut of the Pennzoil Chevy for Steve Park, Park did run several events in 1997 in the 14 for DEI. This was their first OFFICIAL run as a team. * Debut of Ernie Irvan in the 36, first time he was not in 28 car. * Debut of Jerry Nadeau and Former Dolphins Quarterback Dan Marino and Bill Elliott's short-lived race team numbered Dan's number 13. Marino was also the race's honorary starter. * Only start for Speedblock Builder's Square which sponsored Darrell Waltrip Motorsports. The sponsor failed to come up with the money and Waltrip found his team out of commission. But this would be Darrell's last 500 start as an owner since 1991. * Return of the roof cams, as NASCAR legislated them away and NASCAR basically approved the new design after complaints by teams that they were causing an aero advantage, this new and better camera design has been used to this day. * Debut of the #12 Mobil 1 Ford for Penske Kranefuss it was previously the number 37 when Penske merged the team with Kranefuss's team making the switch. The car was similarly painted like Rusty Wallace's only the decals were different. First time the number 12 was issued since 1996. * First time a special paint scheme was run at the Daytona 500, Blues Brothers 2000 was on Kyle Petty's car, this would start the Daytona 500 tradition of running some special paint schemes at the 500. 73. CBASS posted: 05.14.2012 - 9:38 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Some sponsor corrections using old photos from Cameras In Action #18 Interstate Batteries/ Hot Rod Magazine #13 FirstPlus Loans (the logo on the hood of the car) #88 Ford Quality Car Service/ Ford Credit 74. Daniel posted: 05.25.2012 - 2:53 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) In using top 20/21 from Duels: #8 Hut Stricklin, #29 Jeff Green, #46 Wally Dallenbach Jr., #78 Gary Bradberry, #79 Norm Benning, #80 Michael Ciochetti, #81 Kenny Wallace, #96 David Green Out using top 20/21 from Duels: #1 Steve Park, #10 Ricky Rudd, #17 Darrell Waltrip, #28 Kenny Irwin Jr., #41 Steve Grissom, #44 Kyle Petty, #50 Ricky Craven, #90 Dick Trickle 43rd based on qualifying: #33 Ken Schrader 75. Anthony posted: 06.28.2012 - 10:09 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Dale Earnhardt led 54% of the 1998 Daytona 500 took home a cash of $1,059,805 Won 185 Points because he led the most laps (107) Jeff Gordon finish outside the top15 he finish 16th for some odd reason even though Jeff Gordon led 28% of the race (56) 76. 18fan posted: 11.03.2012 - 8:07 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) This was the last time Dale Earnhardt led over 100 laps in a race. 77. CBASS posted: 01.13.2013 - 7:45 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sponsor updates #17 Builders Square/ Speedblock #7 Phillips #90 Heilig-Meyers #6 Valvoline (Cummins was only an associate) Found using CIA Stock Photo's library http://archives.ciastockphoto.com/cgi/images.php?group=w9802 78. Thomas posted: 02.21.2013 - 1:07 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) 75. Anthony Jeff Gordon finish outside the top15 he finish 16th for some odd reason even though Jeff Gordon led 28% of the race (56) I addressed that issue before. Gordon lost a cylinder with like 3 laps to go. The lead lap cars he finished ahead of were the ones that spun coming to the white flag. 79. nascarfreak88 posted: 04.10.2013 - 8:16 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Dunno if this has been mentioned or not, but this is the final time Dale Earnhardt would lead the points. 80. 83andJoe posted: 05.23.2013 - 11:02 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) #85 owner: Dick Skillen 81. Anonymous posted: 07.21.2013 - 4:01 pm Rate this comment: (1) (8) scripted race with a manipulated ending 82. Ryan W posted: 07.25.2013 - 2:59 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) I guess 1990 and 1993 was too, smh. GTFO I believe Ken Squier was the broadcast jinx for Dale. Earnhardt's first 500 was in 1979 and that was the first year of flag to flag. He also said starting on the last lap in 1990, "can anyone 'cope' with the man in black" on the last lap. As soon as he gets out of the TV booth, Dale wins. Go figure. 83. Nascar24NBC posted: 11.28.2013 - 12:40 pm Rate this comment: (2) (0) 20 Years of trying 20 Years of Frustration Dale Earnhardt will win the Daytona 500 :') 84. To Ryans Post posted: 11.28.2013 - 8:18 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Ken Squires last race he would semi be involved is the 2001 Daytona 500... 85. 23andJoe posted: 03.02.2014 - 6:00 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) #29 crew chief: Wes Ward (Same for all races this year) 86. Walleyewhacker posted: 03.06.2014 - 10:29 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) This race pales in comparison to the 1992 Hooters 500 at Atlanta, the 1985 Southern 500 when Wild Bill won the Mill, the 1979 Daytona 500, the 1985 Winston 500, the 1976 Daytona 500, etc, 87. UnderdogFan89 posted: 11.27.2014 - 10:21 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Is there someone who can explain to me how Steve Park qualified for this race? This was the first race I ever saw, so I was not keen on the rules back then, but looking at the results now, I don't think he should have qualified. If I remember correctly, back then, the top 2 were set by qualifying, then 3-30 were set by the duels. 31-36 were then set by qualifying times again, with 37-43 going to provisionals. However, every place I look (including here) has Park qualifying 24th on time trials day, which should put him behind Trickle, Marcis, Strandridge, David Green (who didn't qualify), and Darrell Waltrip (who needed a provisional). So how did he make it? Any help would be appreciated. 88. Thomas posted: 02.07.2015 - 11:51 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) The rookie crop this year was probably the unluckiest in NASCAR history. Irwin: killed in an accident at New Hampshire in 2000 Nadeau: suffered near-fatal injuries in a crash at Richmond in 2003 Park: the Neil Bonnett of his generation with how often he was hurt, most notably at Darlington in 2001 in the Busch race. 89. UnderdogFan89 posted: 03.20.2015 - 9:35 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Never mind my post #87, I found the answer. Apparently you used to be able to requalify Daytona time trials. I knew they had second round qualifying, but I didn't know it applied to Daytona, and on that second day, Park jumped up to 17th. That explains everything. 90. Underdogfan posted: 09.07.2015 - 11:35 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) If Earnhardt hadn't won this race, it would be regarded as one of the worst 500's imo. Other than the post race, and Andretti spins, what do you remember from 200 laps? Happy Earnhardt got his 500 win, and probably good it was in this race to make it from one of the worst to one of the "best". 91. BMan0213 posted: 09.07.2015 - 3:18 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) It's funny but I have to agree. The racing as a whole in this race was only a little better than the 2000 500 which is the race that Dale said Bill France Sr. was turning in his grave because the racing was so bad lol. I think think #90 is right had Dale not won this race it probably would have gone down as one of the more forgettable 500's. Instead we got one of the most memorable moments in Cup history. 92. Big Mac Fan posted: 09.07.2015 - 6:04 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) Yes. If Earnhardt won the 2000 Daytona 500 would it be considered one of the races of all time? Probably. 93. Paul M. posted: 09.26.2015 - 5:33 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) "20 YEARS OF TRYING, 20 YEARS OF FRUSTRATION, DALE EARNHARDT WILL COME TO THE CAUTION FLAG TO WIN THE DAYTONA 500!!!! FINALLY! THE MOST ANTICIPATED MOMENT IN MOTORSPORTS IF JOHN ELWAY COULD WIN A SUPER BOWL THEN DALE EARNHARDT SAID HE COULD WIN THE DAYTONA 500 AND IF HE CAN MAKE IT AROUND UNDER CAUTION THE TASTE OF VICTORY WILL BE HIS" 94. Big Mac Fan posted: 10.21.2015 - 8:57 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) Earnhardt's only 500 triumph comes 3 years and 3 days before his tragic death. ...Coincidence? 95. Anthony posted: 01.17.2016 - 9:22 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) not to mention there were 3 cautions for 9 laps (3 x 3), he gained 3 spots from his starting spot, there were 33 races in the season 96. Anonymous posted: 01.22.2016 - 3:11 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Comment #68 Phil Barkdoll entered a car for Ken Bouchard in the 99 Daytona 500. He also did not start this 500, Mike Wallace did. 97. Maverick11 posted: 02.15.2016 - 1:33 am Rate this comment: (2) (0) Can you believe that this was EIGHTEEN years ago? Man, time flies. 98. Windows Millennium Edition posted: 02.21.2016 - 8:04 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sponsor updates: #90 Heilig-Meyers/Simmons Beautyrest #9 Cartoon Network Racing 99. MattJ posted: 05.10.2016 - 10:51 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) As of the 2016 Daytona 500, this is the last time the winner led more than half (100 laps) of a 500 that went the full 200 lap distance. Michael Waltrip led over 50% in his rain-shortened 2003 win. Also, I believe Dale's earnings of $1,059,805 was the first time a Nascar driver won over a million dollars from a single race's purse alone, discounting Bill Elliott's Winston Million win at Darlington in 1985. 100. SpiderTre posted: 02.09.2017 - 2:41 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) sponsor update: #91: First Union Bank First Union was on the hood and the quarter panels were blank 101. HackMan posted: 09.03.2017 - 8:07 pm Rate this comment: (2) (0) Never forget this day! 5 of us guys were attending a wedding the night before and a friend had 5 tickets to the 500. He was not going to be able to go and offered us the tickets. We took him up on the offer and drove all night from South Carolina to witness the historical victory by Dale. Great memory! 102. AutoRockinRacing94 posted: 11.23.2017 - 2:59 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) As I'm watching the 1998 Bud Pole Qualifying video, Phil Barkdoll qualified the No. 73 car. Not sure the details on why Barkdoll opted out in favor of Mike Wallace. 103. TeamDCR fan posted: 11.28.2017 - 8:58 pm Rate this comment: (2) (0) I think Phil thought Mike would have a better chance of making the race over himself 104. JSPorts posted: 11.28.2017 - 9:29 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Mike did a pretty good job in the race. I believe it was the year before that SABCO bought Barkdoll's ride for the 500 because Joe Nemechek failed to make it in. 105. Altracing posted: 02.15.2018 - 7:27 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Hard to believe it's now been 20 years since this moment happened. Funny thing about it is that the next day I was born so as a NASCAR fan I find that to be pretty amazing. I know my parents have the newspaper from the day I was born and they have Dale's picture on the front of the sports section. 106. JR-TV posted: 02.15.2018 - 7:43 am Rate this comment: (2) (0) ^Wow. Cool day to be born on. Happy early birthday. This race was probably the best moment Nascar's history. I don't remember watching it live because I was only 2 years old but I'm sure I did. I watched every race sitting on my dad's lap from the time I was about 6 months old. We did have this race taped on a VHS tape and I watched it over and over again throughout my childhood. 107. Mr.Victory posted: 02.15.2018 - 10:54 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) Also, this was the first Daytona 500 to have the winner get over one million dollars! 108. RaceFanX posted: 02.18.2018 - 6:53 pm Rate this comment: (2) (1) A seven-year-old Austin Dillon, Richard Childress' grandson, was part of the victory lane celebration at this year and got yelled at by his mother for trying to climb on the trophy. Dillon would go on to win the Daytona 500 himself exactly 20 years later in 2018 driving RCR's #3 Chevrolet just like Dale Earnhardt here, he even tried a similar series of doughnuts in the infield grass afterward. 109. 34McDowellFan posted: 03.12.2018 - 9:13 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) To this day I still don't know why Rick Mast didn't get out of the way 110. CJ posted: 04.18.2018 - 10:08 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Only win of the season for Dale Earnhardt. Season best finish for Lake Speed. Ken Schrader, Ernie Irvan, and Michael Waltrip season best finishes. Only Cup start of 98 for Mike Wallace. Only Cup start of 98 for the 95 team. 111. Bad Booking posted: 04.19.2018 - 5:02 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Fastest Daytona 500 in the last 25 or so years. Ironically a blown tire by Ward Burton ended the long green flag runs in both the Budweiser Shootout and the Daytona 500. Jeff Gordon had a strange Speedweeks which led to him leading a lot of laps here, but losing a cylinder late and finishing tail of the lead lap in 16th. 112. Jolly Mean Giant posted: 06.02.2018 - 11:54 pm Rate this comment: (2) (0) First Daytona 500 starts for Kenny Irwin, Jerry Nadeau, Steve Park and Kevin Lepage. Only Daytona 500 starts for Andy Hillenburg and Billy Standridge. Last Daytona 500 starts for Lake Speed, Steve Grissom, and Greg Sacks. 113. Evan posted: 07.21.2018 - 12:08 pm Rate this comment: (2) (0) * Interestingly, Dale Earnhardt won with a car that had the Plus Logo on the hood for GM Goodwrench Service Plus instead of the normal GM logo that was there most of the time. * Winner's Circle which was making diecast cars of Earnhardt at the time, took Dale's Daytona 500 win and made several victory lane dioramas, with him being congratulated by all the crews, the victory donuts, and the rooftop celebration and the car as it was in victory lane. In fact, it was the only way you could get Dale's black Chevy back then. * This was Dale's only win of 1998. He even didn't have the crew chief he started the year with, as Larry McReynolds went to Mike Skinner's team and Kevin Hamlin went to Dale Earnhardt's team and both teams did better after the switch and Dale did qualify somewhat better in the late 90's as father time was catching up. * Ken Schrader ran his Bud Shootout scheme here and came home 5th, and drove with a broken sternum and fractured vertebrae. He used a flak jacket and padding but managed to drive all 500 miles. Morgan Shepherd was rideless for the Daytona 500 but stood by just in case Schrader needed relief. * Jeff Burton debuted 1998 with a black and purple paint scheme in which the hood was black. They later switched the scheme to a purple hood similar to the scheme that Burton drove in 1997 and Burton won two races in the second half of the year. * Darrell Waltrip started the year in the 17 Speedblock/Hechinger car but later got out of the owner business and drove for Dale Earnhardt in relief of Steve Park in the 1 car and then he drove the #35 Tabasco Pontiac after his team was purchased by Tim Beverly. * Only year Hendrick ran the #50 for the 50th anniversary of NASCAR. No other team has ran a special number for a special year in this fashion ever again. 114. Doyle posted: 07.28.2018 - 1:17 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) @ comment 90. You may be right, but in my opinion the unchallenged winner of the title Worst Daytona 500 Of All Time was the 1991 Daytona 500. NASCAR had the pit rules so screwed up in that race even the broadcasters were confused about who was running where on the racetrack. That race was horrid to watch. The 2001 Daytona 500 may have been the greatest of all time if that terrible last lap had not happened. 115. Joshua posted: 09.20.2018 - 2:49 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) Bobby Labonte was about to pull off his typical Bobby Labonte thing and if the race had finished under green he would have gotten Dale. Not saying anything was scripted but it was quite fortunate for Dale that NASCAR threw the caution in Turns 3/4 after the spins on the backstretch which left no reaction time for the pursuers. Rick Mast did his buddy a favor here by majorly getting in the way coming to the checkered. I liked Mast but dude should have been on the apron there. The comments are right in that I don't remember anything form this race outside of the last 10-20 laps, and I watched it all live. I remember Rusty Wallace and Jeremy Mayfield were trying to line up to try to pass Earnhardt but never could do it. 116. MSportRev posted: 09.20.2018 - 9:33 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Ted Musgrave's sponsor should be Primestar / Cheerios. After Johnny Benson, Jr. failed to make the race, Cheerios was moved to the decklid of his teammate, Musgrave. 117. Mr.Victory posted: 11.16.2018 - 12:35 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I think this is the first NASCAR race where the winner got a million dollars, if you don't include the Winston Million bonus. 118. Turn 4 posted: 01.16.2019 - 2:39 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Jimmy Spencer should've been listed as part of the final lap accident since his car made contact with John Andretti's #43 car on the turn 2/backstretch causing Andretti's car to spin out and the incident should be listed as a crash since both Andretti and Lake Speeds cars sustained significant damage. 119. Ryan posted: 08.24.2019 - 9:50 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) @115 Blab had several laps to get to him and get by him, he shouldn't have waited until the last one. Sorry, caution flag or no caution flag there was nobody getting by Dale this day. I felt like Mast got more in Dale's way than he helped him. Earnhardt had to get off the bottom groove in turn 3 and 4 and go to the high side to pass Mast scrubbing his speed and it actually gave Labonte a split moment to get up to him, but he couldn't or didn't do it. This was real racing at its finest. The first 125 laps were a long green flag run and the fastest and best handling cars and drivers were out front because of it. When you have a long green flag run like to be out front like Earnhardt, Gordon, Wallace, and Mayfield were you must have a fast car, a good handling car on long green flag runs, and must have good pit stops. I must add that qualifying was a premium as well where it was a long green flag run. It was like an old school non-restrictor plate race back in the day where the best cars and teams separated themselves. Although Dale was the best at restrictor plate racing he liked them off. 120. Ed posted: 08.24.2019 - 12:36 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) @119: that first statement is factually incorrect. Bobby made the pass on Mayfield coming to 2 to go. He essentially had one lap to pass Earnhardt once he got in position to do so 121. Darrell posted: 11.03.2019 - 12:12 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Withdraw: No. 15 Tim Steele (Bud Moore) 122. Darrell posted: 11.04.2019 - 3:22 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Also, Randy Renfrow withdrew his entry before the qualifying races. 123. Joshua posted: 02.13.2020 - 9:31 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) Ryan, I know you're an Earnhardt fan. I get it. I've got my guys, too. But you tend to reduce every other other guys' abilities and prop up Dale's while also coming up with excuses as to why he didn't win, or in this case, win by more! Bobby Labonte was picking off a car a lap. He had gotten Mayfield with 2 to go and was setting up Earnhardt with a lap and a half to go. When two cars spun harmlessly off the track (which was never a caution in 1998, I'll finish that thought in a moment), Bobby had to be like "well, s***, I guess I have to try to get him right now", and it ended up almost costing him 2nd as Mayfield ducked underneath him. Dude, Mast held up Earnhardt? Look at the margin at the line. Unaffected at worst. Also E had a whole lane and a half to get by Mast, and Mast stayed just high enough to box in Mayfield and Bobby Labonte, which in turn boxed in everyone behind them. He should have done what Brett Bodine did in the 2001 Cracker Barrel 500 at Atlanta, just duck completely out of the way. I'm fine with Earnhardt getting a 500, he deserved it, and it's one of NASCAR's historic moments, for sure. We got the shot of every team member high-fiving him on pit road out of it, too. But the finish will always bother me. This was 1998. NASCAR was not liberal with the caution flag back then, but when 2 cars spin and hit nothing, the caution was out within 5 seconds. Convenient. I'll take it to the grave that given another green flag lap, Bobby Labonte wins the 1998 Daytona 500. 124. SweetRich posted: 02.14.2020 - 8:19 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) The Commentators For The 1998 Daytona 500 Consisted Of Mike Joy, Buddy Baker And Ned Jarrett. The Pit Road Reporters Consisted Of Dick Berggren, Bill Stephens And Ralph Sheheen. The Studio Host Was The Legendary Ken Squier. 125. Iamthedebris posted: 03.31.2020 - 7:06 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) First of only 3 top 5 qualifying spots for Dale Earnardt in 1998. Come to think of it, he really just fell off in his starting positions after 1997. From 12.1 to an atrocious(especially for a legend) 26.1 starting spot. Still didn't affect his race finishes, though. 126. Anonymous posted: 04.19.2020 - 2:52 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Fox Now brings you 1998 Daytona 500 oh wait I thought Fs1 did air it in some fashion yes they did, but it was 30 minute version fox will get the whole she-bang that is if your affilate does and it will air the whole thing on fs1 in its entirety at another date. So were getting there when it comes to races when I was alive. And I know some of you never actually saw the 1998 daytona 500 in its entirety, for me closet was when they aired it as part of NASCAR Classics a program that aired on Speed that did have a 2 hour variation of this race and so did ESPN Classic of course when NASCAR had ESpn and they could do that. So if there is a little bit of good news I don't know what is. Were stuck at home still finding 15-20 year old races great, But I still want the real world stuff. 127. RaceFanX posted: 04.19.2020 - 4:52 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) On April 19, 2020 some Fox affiliates aired the second half of the 30 minute version to kill time after the NASCAR iRacing Richmond digital racer ran over a bit. After Earnhardt won Mike Joy compared it to John Elway recently winning the Super Bowl after coming up short so many times. Humorous that inadvertently became kind of a spoiler since FOX followed up the race by reairing Super Bowl XXXIII where Elway led his Denver Broncos to victory over the Atlanta Falcons. (It is worth noting that the Daytona 500 reference was technically in reference to Super Bowl XXXII, where Elway and the Broncos beat Brett Favre and the Packers but the Broncos won two straight years) 128. SweetRich posted: 07.06.2020 - 9:54 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) The first race for Greg Sacks and Thorn Apple Valley competing for Cale Yarborough Motorsports in the #98 Ford Taurus. 129. SweetRich posted: 07.06.2020 - 9:13 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) The last race for owner / driver Phil Barkdoll. 130. SweetRich posted: 07.15.2020 - 4:02 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) This was the race that I became a NASCAR fan. Watching the race from start to finish got me hooked. Yes, I did watch many of the Winston cup series events in '97, not all of them, though. But this was the day that I said I like this and I want to watch it every week. Over twenty years later, I can safely say that I am a NASCAR fan through and through, not just the cup series, but all of the series. The one I race that would love to go back and be in the crowd for is this race, especially when dale sr. won the race and the celebration afterwards. Such a great race, a memorable day and one of the most famous races in the history of the sport. 131. myself posted: 02.18.2021 - 1:45 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Post #123 is preaching the gospel. 132. Canadianfan posted: 02.18.2021 - 4:32 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) @131 Not only that, what if Jeff Gordon doesn't drop a cylinder with just a few laps left. He was right there as well. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Post a comment:* Your comment may not appear immediately - all comments must be approved by the moderator. Name: Comment: