Ten years to the date of his bittersweet victory in the Daytona 500, Michael Waltrip won the season-opening Camping World Truck Series race at Daytona International Speedway.
Friday marked the 10th anniversary of Dale Earnhardt’s death in the Daytona 500. Waltrip drove for Earnhardt’s NASCAR Cup Series team when he won the Daytona 500, but Waltrip’s first career victory in the series was marred by Earnhardt’s fatal crash during the final lap of that race.
Earnhardt was a seven-time Cup champion and the sport’s biggest star at the time. MiamiHerald.com
“I came here to celebrate his life with my black truck and my No. 15 car,” an emotional Waltrip said after the race. “I didn’t come here to celebrate a win.”
Sadler crossed the line in second place, followed by Clay Rogers, Miguel Paludo and Kyle Busch.
“I went to Victory Lane to congratulate him,” Sadler said, “and I said to Michael, ‘If anyone deserves to win a race today, you do.’ “
Following the race, there was noticeable damage to Waltrip’s spoiler, and that piece was taken by NASCAR and it will continue to be looked at. NASCAR.com
The race remained caution-free until Lap 37 when Miami Springs rookie Joey Coulter blew a tire and hit the outside wall.
FIN CAR DRIVER MAKE 1 15 Michael Waltrip Toyota 2 2 Elliott Sadler Chevrolet 3 92 Clay Rogers Chevrolet 4 7 Miguel Paludo * Toyota 5 18 Kyle Busch Toyota 6 10 Jennifer Jo Cobb Ford 7 1 Jeffrey Earnhardt * Chevrolet 8 4 Ricky Carmichael Chevrolet 9 31 James Buescher Chevrolet 10 88 Matt Crafton Chevrolet 11 17 Timothy Peters Toyota 12 9 Max Papis Toyota 13 81 David Starr Toyota 14 93 Cole Whitt * Chevrolet 15 29 Parker Kligerman * Dodge 16 46 Craig Goess * Toyota 17 13 Johnny Sauter Chevrolet 18 77 Justin Lofton Toyota 19 84 Chris Fontaine Toyota 20 3 Austin Dillon Chevrolet 21 32 Brad Sweet Chevrolet 22 51 Aric Almirola Toyota 23 30 Todd Bodine Toyota 24 66 Justin Marks Chevrolet 25 39 Ryan Sieg Chevrolet 26 62 Brendan Gaughan Toyota 27 8 Nelson Piquet Jr. * Chevrolet 28 33 Ron Hornaday Chevrolet 29 5 Travis Kvapil Toyota 30 23 Jason White Chevrolet 31 50 T.J. Bell Chevrolet 32 20 Johanna Long * Toyota 33 7 Donnie Neuenberger Chevrolet 34 22 Joey Coulter* Chevrolet 35 99 Chad McCumbee Ford 36 57 Norm Benning Chevrolet
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