How NASCAR's top race eluded Dale Earnhardt for 20 years

For 20 years, Dale Earnhardt dominated racing at the 2.5-mile long Daytona International Speedway, but was never able to win the most prestigious race on the NASCAR schedule: The Daytona 500.

Unlike most sports, NASCAR starts their season off with the biggest race of the year. Held at Daytona International Speedway on the northeast coast of Florida, no race is a bigger deal than The Daytona 500. For the other 35 races on the schedule, race teams scurry across the country, arrive at the track on Friday, and race on Sunday. For the 500, teams arrive in Daytona three weeks in advance to tweak, test, and qualify for the big race. 

Winning the Daytona 500 gives you a measure of immortality in NASCAR.

Earnhardt's resume at the iconic Daytona International Speedway was nothing short of impressive:

• 6 IROC wins (‘92, ‘94, ‘95, ‘96, ‘99, ‘00)
• 7 Busch Series wins (‘82, ‘86, ‘90, ‘91, ‘92, ‘93, ‘94)
• 6 Bud Shootout wins (‘80, ‘86, ‘88, ‘91, ‘93, ‘95)
• 12 Gatorade Duel wins (‘83, ’86, ’90, ’91, ’92, ’93, ’94, ’95, ’96, ’97, ’98, ’99)
• 2 Coke Zero 400 wins (’90, ’93)

Though he won everything there was to win in stock car racing, Earnhardt had to wait 20 years before achieving Daytona immortality. And it was a long and frustrating wait.

In 1984, Earnhardt drove his iconic black No. 3 car and finished second to  to Cale Yarborough. In 1986, he had the race lead and ran out of fuel with 3 laps remaining. In 1988 after leading for 155 laps, he ran over a piece of debris and cut his tire on the second last lap. Fast forward seven years to 1995 when he finished second to Sterling Martin.

“I’m not supposed to win the damn thing, I don’t reckon,” he said after his second place finish to Martin.

In 1996 he finished second once again, with Dale Jarrett winning the race. In 1997, he was involved in a multi-car wreck, with his own car flipping over in the process, causing him to finish 31st. 

1998 marked the 20th year anniversary of Earnhardt participating in the Daytona 500.

Earnhardt started fourth, and stayed up front for most of the race. He charged to the front in the second half, and led the final 61 laps, holding off Bobby Labonte and Jeremy Mayfield on the final caution to finally win the Daytona 500. 

“20 years of trying, 20 years of frustration,” then-CBS commentator Mike Joy said as Earnhardt crossed the start-finish line.

Every team in the garage, and every fan of stock-car racing knew about the years of frustration. As a gesture of respect and appreciation, every member of every team lined up on pit road to congratulate Earnhardt as he made his way down pit lane.

“The Daytona 500 is ours. We’ve won it, we’ve won it, we’ve won it!” an emotional Earnhardt said as he got out of his No. 3 car.

Although he ultimately achieved Daytona immortality, tragedy struck Earnhardt in 2001 during the final lap of the same race he spent most of his career chasing down, the Daytona 500. Earnhardt died from a basilar skull fracture suffered during the crash. 

A winning performance on Sunday, February 15th, 1998 in Daytona would erase the past years of trials and tribulations for Dale Earnhardt and the No. 3 car. His legacy as one of the all-time greats had already been cemented before the 500 victory, but his story wouldn't have been complete without it.