LIVES CUT SHORT Drivers must complete 200 laps around the 2.5 mile 4 km racetrack The entire time they're vying for that first place position On Lap 17 Earnhardt made his move One car stood between him and a clear racetrack Earnhardt twisted his steering wheel to the right accelerated and then pulled in front of the field taking the lead for the first time The Daytona International Speedway has a reputation for crashes This race however didn't have the usual number of crashes and other mishaps It also didn't have many yellow caution flags which require all drivers to slow down and line up behind the pace car Earnhardt's strengths as a driver were especially suited to races where there were long stretches of laps under a green flag meaning drivers can drive as fast as possible with no cautions to slow them down On Lap 140 Earnhardt took the lead for the fifth time in the race A few laps later the cars driven by Robert Pressley and John Andretti crashed resulting in a caution flag that slowed the other racers The racing flag went back to green with just over 57 miles 92 km remaining in the race A voice suddenly spoke from the radio in Earnhardt's car Hey Sunday Money this is 10
DALE EARNHARDT SR Captain Jack Why don't you go out there and snag that big one today The mysterious Captain Jack was Bill France Jr. He was the son of NASCAR's founder It was unusual for someone like France to speak to a driver during a race especially to urge him to try harder and win But it seemed to work A crash on the track forced the drivers to race under a caution flag from Lap 174 to 177 The race restarted on Lap 178 and Racing Flags Earnhardt was still NASCAR and other types of auto in the lead position racing use a universal system of But he and his colored flags for communicating with drivers during a race These crew were nervous flags are waved to let drivers know Earnhardt had been what's going on The green flag in this position signals that a race is either starting or continuing A yellow flag means many times before there is a hazard on the track and leading with just all drivers must slow down and line a few laps to go up behind the pace car This flag and yet still lost is usually waved when there has been an accident or when debris the race There is spotted on the track A white was another crash flag means that there is only one on Lap 199 and lap left to go in the race and a checkered flag means the race is another caution finished A red flag means that all flag was thrown competition must stop because out Earnhardt was there are dangerous conditions such as lightning a car on fire or debris blocking the track There are several other flag colors and each has its own distinct meaning
LIVES CUT SHORT driving the final lap of the race under a yellow flag According to NASCAR rules no one is allowed to pass when there is a yellow caution flag That meant because he was in first place no other driver could pass Earnhardt He crossed the finish line and the checkered flag was waved He was the winner of the 1998 Daytona 500 After so many tries he had finally won A Lucky Penny On the morning of the 1998 A FEELING YOU CAN'T Daytona 500 a young girl REPLACE named Wessa Miller and her parents drove 750 miles The Childress Racing pit crew 1,200 km to meet Earnhardt Wessa suffered exploded with excitement from spina bifida a disease They jumped up and down that meant she had to use a wheelchair Wessa loved and hugged one another racing and through the their driver had done it Make A Wish Foundation Earnhardt pulled off the track she got the chance to meet Earnhardt When she and made his way to Victory was finally face to face with him Wessa gave Lane where the winner of a Earnhardt a lucky penny race celebrates his victory Pit she'd brought with her Earnhardt immediately crews from every team lined glued it to the dashboard up to greet him He drove of his black No. 3 Chevy slowly giving high fives to and he went on to win the race that day When the anyone who wanted them car was later brought to Earnhardt then radioed the Daytona 500 museum the penny was still there France and asked Captain Jack is it OK if I do a 12
DALE EARNHARDT SR EARNHARDT WAS CONGRATULATED BY THE PIT CREWS BEFORE HE COULD STEP OUT OF HIS CAR burnout on your grass France replied It's all yours pal 4 The Daytona winner pulled his car onto the perfectly kept green grass decorating the racetrack Earnhardt then whipped his car in circles leaving dark tire marks behind in celebration of his victory Earnhardt later recalled the moment when he won the 1998 Daytona 500 the race that he had been chasing for so long It's a feeling you can't replace he said It's eluded us for so many 13
