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

Earnhardt team back in the race


Michael Waltrip (15) passes teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. (8) at the finish line to win race one of the twin Gatorade Duels at Daytona International Speedway. 
 (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Associated Press

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The Daytona 500 is still three days away and already NASCAR is in midseason form. The Dale Earnhardt Inc. team is running out in front and Kevin Harvick is being rapped for reckless driving.

Michael Waltrip passed DEI teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the final straightaway to win the first of two 150-mile qualifying races Thursday, while Tony Stewart won the second race after Harvick bumped leader Jimmie Johnson and ignited a wild crash.

Waltrip’s victory put to rest speculation that the DEI team’s days of dominance are over.

“We certainly caught a lot of flak over the last week about the way our cars qualified,” Waltrip said. “This silenced it.”

It’s hardly unusual for Waltrip and Earnhardt to wind up at the front of a race at Daytona International Speedway, where the two have combined to win three of the last four 500-mile races and a qualifying race each of those years.

This year, though, it was far from a certainty — especially after defending 500 champion Earnhardt struggled in the non-points Budweiser Shootout on the 2 1/2 -mile oval and he and Waltrip qualified 39th and 33rd in time trials last week.

Midway through the second race, Johnson, Gordon’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate who trailed only three-time Daytona winner Dale Jarrett in pole qualifying last Sunday, was out front when he was bumped by Harvick. Johnson’s Chevrolet was turned sideways, igniting the crash that took out top contenders Johnson, Harvick, Mark Martin, Joe Nemechek and Rusty Wallace.

Johnson was furious, saying Harvick should know better than to bump draft in the turns.

Harvick said Johnson bobbled in the turn.

“I just got to him and he checked up, and I got to him and I couldn’t get off of him,” Harvick said.

Stewart held off Jeff Burton, Harvick’s Richard Childress Racing teammate, for the second-race win, crossing the finish line two car-lengths in front.

Daytona 500