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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Ford Dominates Daytona 500

From Wire Reports

Fords dominated the field at Daytona, placing eight cars in the top 10.

“We just didn’t have enough,” said second-place finisher Dale Earnhardt, whose Monte Carlo was edged by Dale Jarrett’s Ford Thunderbird. “Those Fords have it and we don’t. Our car was super all day, but those Fords were super, too.”

The only other Chevy in the top 10 was third-place winner Ken Schrader.

Meanwhile, the debut of the Pontiac Grand Prix was inauspicious. Kyle Petty was the highest finishing Pontiac driver, coming in at 18.

Early finish

John Andretti, who was among the top 10 leaders for more than half of the Daytona 500, was knocked out on lap 128 after he had trouble in a pit stop and then wrecked.

Andretti was in the top five for at least 60 laps, but at lap 108, his pit crew had trouble removing his right rear tire. He was forced to return to pit road again at lap 110.

Then on lap 128, Andretti got involved in a wreck with Michael Waltrip and Robert Pressley. Both Waltrip and Pressley were able to continue, but Andretti hit the wall and had to call it quits.

Lots o’ leaders

For only the third time in Daytona 500 history, a total of 15 drivers held the lead during Sunday’s race.

The record of 15 leaders was set in 1974 and tied in 1989.

On Sunday, the 15 drivers exchanged the lead 32 times.

Terry Labonte held the lead the longest - 44 laps.

Good start

Rookie crew chief Todd Parrott is off to a good start. His Jarrett-driven Ford qualified third for the Daytona 500, won last weekend’s Busch Clash, ran third in its 125-mile qualifying race on Thursday and won the Daytona 500.

He’s the son of veteran crew chief Buddy Parrott, who helped Jeff Burton to a fifth-place finish Sunday.

Dale’s numbers

Sunday’s second-place finish was Earnhardt’s fourth in the Daytona 500. He also was runner-up to Cale Yarborough in ‘84, to Dale Jarrett in ‘93 and to Marlin last year.

All told, he has 14 top-10 finishes in 18 Daytona 500s: four seconds, a third, a fourth, four fifths, a seventh, an eighth, a ninth and a 10th.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Tough break A late-race wreck off Turn 4 sidelined the Pontiac Grand Prix driven by Spokane’s Chad Little. The crash also involved the cars of Geoff Bodine, Jeff Purvis, Morgan Shepherd, Robert Pressley, Lake Speed and Bobby Hamilton. Little completed 158 laps before the crash and collected $37,687.

This sidebar appeared with the story: Tough break A late-race wreck off Turn 4 sidelined the Pontiac Grand Prix driven by Spokane’s Chad Little. The crash also involved the cars of Geoff Bodine, Jeff Purvis, Morgan Shepherd, Robert Pressley, Lake Speed and Bobby Hamilton. Little completed 158 laps before the crash and collected $37,687.