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Perhaps no victory is as emotional as the one Dale
Earnhardt Jr scored on July 7, 2001 in the Pepsi 400 at
Daytona International Speedway. Not for the winning
team, the fans, or the other competitors.
When NASCAR had last visited the famed 2.5 mile
high-banked speedway the unthinkable had occurred --
Dale Earnhardt was killed in the final turn of the final
lap in a headlong crash into the 4th turn
wall.
The NASCAR family had been in mourning for nearly 5
months. Dale Earnhardt Jr’s win at the track that had
just claimed his father -- on the first visit back there
-- seemed to allow the healing process to begin.
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It was clear to everyone that Junior had a
fast car on this night. After all, he led almost
three quarters of the distance. But his car
never seemed faster than when the green flag
fell for the final time on lap 154 -- just 6
laps short of the checkered flag.
A late race pit stop had relegated the 8 car
to 7th place on the re-start. 2 laps
later Dale Jr completed a pass on Johnny Benson
for the lead -- a position he would hold until
the checkered flag fell.
"We were able to break away and that was
something I didn't think we were able to do,"
Earnhardt Jr said following the race. "I just
kind of realized I had to get to the front the
last eight laps or so."
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You could see it on the faces of Dale Jr and teammate
Michael Waltrip, who finished 2nd, as they
celebrated in the grass just inside the tri-oval
immediately after the race.
Junior pumped both fists in the air, and then dove
from his car into the arms of his pit crew, who by now
were at the car.
"This is as good as it gets," Earnhardt Jr.
exclaimed.
"You can't write a better script," said Junior. "I
never would have imagined this happening. I never could
have imagined coming here and being so dominant and
winning this race. And I never probably will get to
enjoy it because I just can't believe it happened."
Dale Jr paid tribute to his Father saying "I dedicate
this win to him, there ain't nobody else that I can
dedicate it to who means more to me."
Dale Earnhardt Jr led a race-high 116 laps on his way
to victory. While the margin of victory over 2nd
place finishing Michael Waltrip was a slim .123 seconds,
Waltrip never seemed to be able to challenge for the
lead. In fact, he only led 2 laps during the race.
This was the 2nd Daytona race in a row
where teammates Michael Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt Jr
finished 1 - 2, with Waltrip wining the previous Daytona
500.
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You could see it on the faces of Dale Jr and teammate
Michael Waltrip, who finished 2nd, as they
celebrated in the grass just inside the tri-oval
immediately after the race.
Junior pumped both fists in the air, and then dove
from his car into the arms of his pit crew, who by now
were at the car.
"This is as good as it gets," Earnhardt Jr.
exclaimed.
"You can't write a better script," said Junior. "I
never would have imagined this happening. I never could
have imagined coming here and being so dominant and
winning this race. And I never probably will get to
enjoy it because I just can't believe it happened."
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You could see it on the faces of Dale Jr and teammate
Michael Waltrip, who finished 2nd, as they
celebrated in the grass just inside the tri-oval
immediately after the race.
Junior pumped both fists in the air, and then dove
from his car into the arms of his pit crew, who by now
were at the car.
"This is as good as it gets," Earnhardt Jr.
exclaimed.
"You can't write a better script," said Junior. "I
never would have imagined this happening. I never could
have imagined coming here and being so dominant and
winning this race. And I never probably will get to
enjoy it because I just can't believe it happened."
Dale Jr paid tribute to his Father saying "I dedicate
this win to him, there ain't nobody else that I can
dedicate it to who means more to me."
Dale Earnhardt Jr led a race-high 116 laps on his way
to victory. While the margin of victory over 2nd
place finishing Michael Waltrip was a slim .123 seconds,
Waltrip never seemed to be able to challenge for the
lead. In fact, he only led 2 laps during the race.
This was the 2nd Daytona race in a row
where teammates Michael Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt Jr
finished 1 - 2, with Waltrip wining the previous Daytona
500.
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