Dale's Day at Daytona: that time when Earnhardt won the 500
- Brian Cleary
- 26 minutes ago
- 2 min read
It's Daytona 500 week, and I can't help but think back to that day 28 years ago when the inevitable finally happened and Earnhardt won the 500 on NASCAR's biggest stage!
After 19 tries at victory in the Daytona 500, NASCAR icon Dale Earnhardt finally took the trophy in the 1998 version of the event.
Up until that February day in '98, it seemed that The Intimidator had tried every option to come up short in winning NASCAR's biggest race.
In 1986 he ran short of gas and had to duck in for a top-off, allowing Geoff Bodine to claim the win after dueling with Earnhardt all day.
In 1990 a cut tire on the last lap gave the win to Derrike Cope.
A 1991 back straightaway seagull strike knocked a hole in the front of the Goodwrench Chevy and ruined the Man in Black's chances on that day.
But on his 20th attempt it all came together for Earnhardt and he beat Bobby Labonte, Jeremy Mayfield, Ken Schrader and Rusty Wallace to the line to take the white flag and yellow flag together, finally sealing his first, and what ended up being his only win in the Great American Race.
From my perch in the Robert's Tower photo stand, I watched as virtually every crew member from every team on pit road greeted Earnhardt on his way to victory lane. After an impromtu set of donuts in the tri-oval grass, the Black #3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet headed to the winner's circle for one of the most highly anticipated celebrations in the race's long history.
The win ended a 59 race victory drought for Earnhardt and was his only victory in 1998.
The '98 500 was one of the most most memorable Daytona 500's I ever photographed and reinforced my impression of Dale Earnhardt as a near mythical figure in the history of stock car racing.
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Original photography and firsthand visual history by Brian Cleary.
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