IROC: Earnhardt stays on top at Daytona in race one of 24th True Value IROC Racing Series

19 February 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

Daytona-NASCAR Winston Cup Series veteran Dale Earnhardt, driving the powder blue True Value IROC Pontiac Firebird, won his 6th True Value IROC Daytona race by .124 seconds in the first round of the 24th True Value IROC series at Daytona International Speedway.

Offering Earnhardt a formidable challenge and finishing 2nd was NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver Tony Stewart who started in 7th position. According to Stewart, Third place went to NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver Jeff Burton, who started in 11th position.

Earnhardt started the race from the pole where, early on, he battled for the lead with his son, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and other NASCAR drivers Jeff Burton, Tony Stewart and 1999 NASCAR Winston Cup Champion Dale Jarrett. According to Earnhardt, "It was a great race and a lot of fun all day. All the drivers really enjoy racing the True Value IROC Series. There was a lot of side to side racing going on and I just kept trying to work my way to the front and stay on the bottom."

Deciding the race on the last lap, with drafting help from Stewart, Earnhardt, with Stewart in tow, took the lead away from Burton all the way to the checkered flag. Earnhardt says, "It really came down to the last lap. To win a race of cars that are built as equal as they can be and to race against a lot of (drivers') wins, a lot of championships, a lot of experience-it makes you feel good to be competitive."

With his 11th True Value IROC race victory, Earnhardt ties Al Unser Jr.'s record for the most race victories in series history. Additionally, he holds three times as many victories at Daytona than any other driver.

Making their debut in the series were Indy Racing League drivers Greg Ray and Mark Dismore. They were joined by fellow Indy Racing League ace Eddie Cheever Jr. in his sophomore appearance in IROC. The three drivers finished 9th, 12th and 11th respectively.

Text provided by IROC

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