Whether you believe it was fate or luck, Dale Earnhardt Jr. carried the No. 3 back to a familiar place Friday night at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, Gatorade Victory Lane. The win virtually paused the life of all those who watched whether on television or in-person as the youngest son of the seven-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion and forever a racing pioneer Dale Earnhardt Sr. took the wrangler colors to the most gratifying place at “The World Center of Speed.”
In a collaboration effort between JR Motorsports, Jr’s stepmother Teresa Earnhardt and former car owner of his late father, Richard Childress – Jr. would give the world another opportunity to see a Earnhardt sport a No. 3 at the historic 2.5-mile superspeedway. Fondly enough, it was probably the last time you would see the historic number on the track and wheeled by a clan member of the man they called “The Intimidator.”
Friday night’s SUBWAY Jalapeno 250 powered by Coca-Cola debuted the new NASCAR Nationwide “COT” vehicle which after much speculation showcased into the spotlight as slick and fast especially with those carrying the Dodge Challenger or Ford Mustang emblems.
Early indications that the new cars showed a twitchy loose feeling; roared to life during the 100 laps / 250 mile event. The best of the best in the NASCAR’s secondary series proved why they belong racing on the high bank track of Daytona as wicked loose machines would be no match to the driver’s talent and ability to kick off the Fourth of July weekend with fireworks of their own.
Earnhardt Jr. broke up a trio of Penske Dodge Challengers as point’s leader Brad Keselowski and newest recruit Parker Kligerman claimed the front row in qualifying with Earnhardt squeezing in between Kligerman and former ARCA Racing Series champion Justin Allgaier for fourth.
By the time the green flag dropped shortly after 8:00 p.m., it was clear that Jr. Nation owned the house. The yellow and blue Chevrolet Impala of the most popular driver in NASCAR immediately showed he was a threat to win as by lap three – Jr., surpassed Keselowski for the top-spot though unable to claim the title as the lap leader – Jr. Nation lived in the moment that their hero was returning the favor for showing respect by holding up three fingers to salute one of the greatest NASCAR drivers of all time.
Surprisingly, Daytona didn’t produce the side-by-side 25-car plus draft but the first dozen cars in the lead draft were enough to keep everyone on the edge as the handling of their driver’s new automobiles would begin to fade as the green flag laps piled up.
Saving graces from Michael Annett and a debris caution, shortly after Earnhardt Jr. asserted himself back into the top-spot late in the race allowed the opportunity for teams to enter pit road for what most considered the final time of the evening.
All night, teams avoided headaches and added pressure as they were preparing to make green flag pit stops just as the yellow flags were thrown.
Earnhardt’s No. 88 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series pit crew preformed flawlessly on pit road with the former NASCAR Nationwide Series champion gearing up for what was expected to be a wild restart.
The action quickly turned heavy as inside the final 20 laps the drivers began to make their moves on their competitors and while it appeared that Earnhardt’s Chevrolet bow-tie had the field virtually locked up, a blown tire by Paul Menard within the final five laps of the contest would put the field back under yellow. Teams immediately scrambled as some drivers felt fresh Goodyear rubber would be the winning piece to sail past the shield of Earnhardt Jr.
Kyle Busch in his No. 18 NOS Loaded Cherry Toyota Camry was the first of the lead group to pull to pit lane for four tires hoping that his decision would make the competition “rowdy” in the end. His plan failed to come to life.
On the final restart of the night a gracious restart shove from Joey Logano would literally surge Earnhardt Jr. ahead to keep the bottom of the track locked and virtually opening the door to his 23rd career Nationwide victory and sixth at Daytona.
“The 20 car (Logano) had a run on the back straightaway and I thought the race was over,” Earnhardt said. “It’s emotional. I’m proud of myself. I’m proud of what I did with the JR Motorsports group, I’m proud for Richard (Childress) and Teresa (Earnhardt) and everybody who came together to make this happen, but mainly the fans. I hope they really got a lot out of this. It was trying, emotionally, to put it together.”
He added, “I was so worried I wasn’t going to win because nothing but a win was going to be good enough. If I didn’t win, what a waste of time, why’d I do it? So I worked hard trying to win it and not only for daddy. I’m proud of him for going into the Hall of Fame and he would be proud of this I’m sure. This is it. No more 3 for me.”
Logano was second followed by Roush Fenway Racing rookie Ricky Stenhouse Jr. who led the charge of Ford Mustangs with an impressive and career-best third place run in the No. 6 Blackwell Angus Beef machine followed by Keselowski in a Challenger and Coke Zero 400 powered by Coca-Cola pole sitter Kevin Harvick in fifth.
Clint Bowyer clucked to sixth with Busch settling for seventh, Ryan Newman finished a quiet eighth for Phoenix Racing with Stenhouse’s teammate Brian Ickler claiming ninth and JR Motorsports teammate Steve Arpin comprising the remainder of the top-10.
Arpin, a full-time competitor in the ARCA Racing Series recovered from a tough go-around in his limited NASCAR Nationwide Series season schedule this year with a career-best finish in his No. 7 WOW! Foods Chevrolet Impala.
Allgaier in the No. 12 Verizon Wireless Dodge Challenger had a car capable of contending with Earnhardt but damage to the rear bumper cover of his machine caused his night to literally become a hanging nightmare. The Springfield, Illinois native settled for a 17th place finish.
Greg Sacks who came out of retirement hoping to find the magic from his Cinderella Daytona win in the 1980s showed he had a strong No. 88 GT Vodka Chevrolet but a late race shuffle delivered a 21st place effort in a back-up car.
Rusty Wallace Racing’s Brendan Gaughan rose as your sleeper inside the final three laps of Friday night’s fight but contact on the white flag lap with Trevor Bayne ended his night in the No. 62 South Point Casino & Hotel Toyota Camry in the turn three wall.
Jennifer Jo Cobb, the lone female in the event had a nightmare week at Daytona. After losing two transmissions in practice, Cobb made six laps in the race before becoming entangled in a two-car incident with Johnny Chapman forcing her No. 27 Driven Ford Mustang to a disappointing 43rd place finish in her Nationwide Daytona debut.
Thankfully the teams escaped Daytona without major carnage as the “big one” failed to unleash itself like it did in the previous restrictor plate event at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in April.
Next up for the Nationwide Series is a trip to the Windy City for the running of the Dollar General 300 at Chicagoland Speedway next Friday night (07.09.10) with live coverage on ESPN (television), MRN (radio) and XM / Sirius Satellite Radio beginning at 8:00 p.m. local.
