Monday, February 15, 1999
Gordon steals victory - and fan
Edges Earnhardt, wins fan $1 million
BY TOM GROESCHEN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The crowd wanted Dale Earnhardt. Even Jeff Gordon's newest fan, a guy whom Gordon won $1 million for via Sunday's thrilling Daytona 500 finish, was an Earnhardt fan.
But this time, there was no Dale love-in in the Daytona infield. No spinning-tires celebration, as when Earnhardt won his first Daytona 500 here in 1998. Instead, there was young gunslinger Gordon (age 27) outdueling ornery veteran Earnhardt (47) in a classic race to the wire, with Earnhardt hugging Gordon's bumper for the final 10 laps.
“Trying to keep him behind me was one of the toughest things I've ever had to do on a race track,” said Gordon, the reigning NASCAR Winston Cup champion. “To be able to pull this off against Dale Earnhardt makes it even more special.”
The so-called Great American Race came down to the two greatest racers in America. Pole sitter Gordon had won the 1997 Daytona. Earnhardt won in '98. They are 1-2 in career NASCAR earnings, with Earnhardt now at $33.9 million and Gordon $28.1 through Sunday.
They don't need the money, but one Ray Grimm of Hagerstown, Md., does.
Grimm, a corrections officer, won $1 million as part of the Winston “No Bull 5” promotion. The program features five pre-selected fans, who are paired with the five top finishers in the most recent No Bull 5 race, in this case Talladega last October. Driver and fan are eligible for $1 million each if the driver wins the next designated “No Bull 5.”
Grimm admittedly was an Earnhardt fan going in.
His favorite driver now?
“Oh, Jeff Gordon,” said Grimm, who said he had no plans to quit his day job.
Nor does Gordon, which is grim news for other drivers for, oh, another 20 years.
Gordon became the first Daytona pole sitter to win since Bill Elliott in 1987 and earned a record $2,172,246, including $1 million for the No Bull 5.
The finish had the sellout crowd of 185,000 on its feet, waving its arms and screaming. Even in the press box high above the track, veteran reporters stood so as not to miss the final moments.
“I'd say everybody got their money's worth,” said Earnhardt.
Earnhardt, like Gordon, has engendered a mixture of love and scorn from NASCAR fans through the years. Some booed Earnhardt strictly because he won so much, including seven Winston Cup titles through 1994. And now some despise Gordon, who has won three of the last four Winston titles, for that very reason.
But even Earnhardt gives Gordon his due.
“I was trying all I could do to get to the 24 (Gordon),” said Earnhardt. “His car was pretty strong off the corners. If I could have just got to him in the corner, I might have got under him. It just wasn't meant to be, I reckon.”
Earnhardt started fourth, but dropped back early to 20th because of an ignition problem. He switched to his backup ignition and corrected the problem, and got back into the race.
Rusty Wallace, trying for his first Daytona win in 17 tries, was dominant on a cool day (about 60 degrees) and led 104 of 200 laps. While there were 14 lead changes among seven drivers, it was Wallace who was setting a record Daytona pace of more than 180 mph.
But with 11 laps to go, Gordon cut inside and onto the apron of the front straightaway, passing Wallace and Earnhardt. Earnhardt was but a few feet behind Gordon for most of the stretch run, where Gordon blocked Earnhardt's final, zigzag attempts to pass.
“It's so much more meaningful when you're battling a guy you've learned from, and a guy as good as Dale is here at Daytona,” Gordon said. “He is the man, as far as Daytona is concerned.”
Gordon mostly won it on his own, which is saying something at Daytona.
Drivers like to run in packs on the high-banked (31 degrees), 2.5-mile track, drafting together to cut wind resistance. They often run in tandems, but Gordon found little help Sunday. Earnhardt experienced similar problems in his glory days, with drivers not wanting to work with him because they feared he would win.
“You watch the tape of this race and you'll realize I didn't have many people help us,” Gordon said. “We'll remember who helped.”
The crowd wasn't all Earnhardt, as Gordon's growing legion of fans did make themselves known Sunday. But unlike last year, when Earnhardt's overdue win prompted rival pit crews to line up and shake his hand, Gordon's cruise to victory lane saw only his crew dancing in celebration.
Which is to be expected. Gordon has won so often, 34 times in the last three-plus years now, that it's a bigger story when he doesn't win. He has won three straight races, including the final two of 1998.
About the only thing he hasn't done is reach the record seven Winston Cup titles shared by Earnhardt and Richard Petty, which seems inevitable given he's won three already.
“I keep saying, "How can you top it?'” Gordon said. “But I get more amazed and more blessed by God every day. We'll just come back next week at Rockingham and try gain.”
With, of course, a new fan. For an Earnhardt diehard to convert to Gordonism is sacrilege, but $1 million gets you religion.
Right, Mr. Ray Grimm of Hagerstown, Md.? And your favorite driver, once again, is?
“Used to be Dale. Now it's Jeff Gordon all the way.”
Gordon steals victory - and fan
Worn-out tires cost Wallace
DAYTONA 500 NOTEBOOK Ford teammates touch off crash
Sports Stories
SAINT LOUIS 69, UC 57
UC NOTEBOOK
XAVIER 62, TEMPLE 60
XU NOTEBOOK
Did win over Owls wow recruit?
REDS SPRING TRAINING PREVIEW
CATCHER: Who's No. 1?
INFIELD: How fast can kids grow?
OUTFIELD: Softball, anyone?
RELIEF PITCHING: Who throws the ninth inning?
STARTING PITCHING: Does depth exist?
Ambrose won't rule out return
