Florida Today from Cocoa, Florida • Page 27

FLORIDA TODAY, Monday, February 21, 2000 7C DALE JARRETT WINS THE 42ND DAYT0I1A 500 Gordon's repeat bid goes up in smoke By David Jones FLORIDA TODAY DAYTONA BEACH In one brief moment on the race team's radio, Jeff Gordon's voice told the story, as the 24 car went from defending Daytona 500 champion to the back of the pack in Sunday's race. "Somebody's smoking, and I hope it's not me," he said, over the radio in the middle of lap 28. About 30 seconds of silence filled the airwaves. "Yeah," Gordon said dejectedly. "It's me." An oil leak dropped the three-time Winston Cup points champion into pit row and to the back of the pack in seconds.

By the time he got back on the track, Gordon was four laps behind leader and eventual winner Dale Jarrett. And the dream of winning a second consecutive Daytona 500 was over. It hadn't been the best of weeks for Gordon to begin with. He qualified 11th after winning the pole in last year's 500. Gordon had com plained earlier in the week that the Chevrolet body designs were at a distinct disadvantage against the Fords.

On Sunday, Gordon couldn't complain. The oil leak ruined his day early. "We had some kind of oil line that broke," Gordon said. "I couldn't run with those Fords, but I was making some gains. I think we would have been able to get up to about fifth or sixth, but I think that's about it.

"li hard to be happy with a performance based on the results we had today, but we weren't bad. We didn't have anything for those Fords. We gave it our best effort while we were out there, and I think we'll be in good shape when we get to Rockingham (next week)." Like other Chevy drivers, Gordon was less than happy with the handling of their cars. "The racing was better than in the 125s," Gordon said. "But still, once you got about 25 laps on your tires, (cars) pretty much got single file." 5 Craig Rubadoux, FLORIDA TODAY JEFF GORDON gets a push to the garage area after his car began leaking oil on the 28th lap of Sunday's Daytona 500 race.

He finished 34th. Nemechek limps away on Lap 132 By David Jones FLORIDA TODAY DAYTONA BEACH This Jarrett joins elite company at Daytona I f-T. v. av -us i A mm ifiinWin nwTlr time, Front Row Joe finished in the For more than half of Sunday's Daytona 500, Joe Nemechek known as Front Row Joe for his skill at winning pole positions was near the leaders despite a Ford-dominated field. Then he ran into Dale Earnhardt rear end.

'The first three Fords were gone at the start of the race," said Nemechek, a former engineering student at Florida Tech. "All we were trying to do is hold onto the draft." Near the halfway mark, Neme-chek's front end banged against Earnhardt's rear. The damage eventually cost Nemechek an engine, as he fell out of the race at Lap 132. "It was just unfortunate but we had some front end damage and just lost the motor, Nemechek said. "But we'll be back.

I'll guarantee you that." After driving for Team Sabco the past three years, Nemechek moved to Andy Petree Racing this year. Nemechek started 16th in Sunday's race but had worked his way up to sixth after 80 laps, before the collision with Earnhardt. Nemechek was just the second car to go out of the race. "I'm disappointed right now," Nemechek said. "We ran good all day and were up there in the top 10 all day long.

All of a sudden, I got in the back of Earnhardt coming off turn two. He made a pass on me and slid in front of me. I guess he couldn't make the turn off and hit the brakes. We all piled up. Like other Chevy drivers in the past week, Nemechek was critical of racing conditions.

"I hope Rockingham is a little better than this," he said. "I'm praying for anything right now. The way it's going out there now, it's silly. Those first three Fords are gone and it's ridiculous. They can just pull away." iiiiiniii iiMriiiiiiiMi-i a iiiiiiiMMii.iJ I liilrhir MaSSm JARRETT, From 1C Not only is it a major breadwinner, it put him in the company of Bobby Allison (3), Cale Yarbor-ough (4) and Richard Petty (7) for most Daytona 500 victories.

"It's really incredible," Jarrett said. "When I got involved in Winston Cup racing, I had the dream everybody else does of one day being in Victory Lane and having a Daytona 500 trophy. To now have three of them it's always nice to come down pit road and get the congratulations of other team members and your own team members. "But the thing today was Richard Petty came out, made his way across pit road and shook my hand. That sent chills up my spine that the King would make his way out there and congratulate me on that.

I think that says just how special it is to get those three." What made this year's victory rank with the wins in 1993 and '96 was that Jarrett's big-money car was damaged during a Happy Hour crash Saturday, the final day of practice. Team owner Robert Yates and crew chief Todd Parrott called and got three men from Yates' shop in Charlotte, N.C., on a plane. The men, known as fabricators, arrived Saturday night and at 4:45 a.m. Sunday began working on putting on a new left-front fender, repairing the nose, right-front fender, hood and left-front corner. All told, Parrott estimated 12 hours of work in two days were put into getting Jarrett's car ready.

Jarrett said he wasn't sure how the car would react early in the race, but after the first few laps, he threw any doubts out the window and wound up leading the most laps (89) of any other car. Two particular moves stood out. The first came on lap 187, when Jarrett who was behind Benson and Mark Martin snuck inside Martin and took over second place. The move was significant because earlier Martin had asked for Jarrett's help going high to pass Benson and thought the deal was still on. "Mark had radioed and asked if he went high would I go with him, 'Iff -it Craig Rubadoux, FLORIDA TODAY Daytona 500.

Jarrett also claimed victories in this event in 1993 and 1996. as the Robert Yates Ford wins the to make the Daytona 500 his first NASCAR Winston Cup victory. The cars were just completing a three-lap caution period as they headed toward Turn 1 on lap 197, and Jarrett figured his best chance to make a pass was going into Turn 2. "Just when I hit high gear, it just seemed like my car took off and his kind of bogged, I assumed whenever he hit high gear," Jarrett said. "I faked high, and he went up there.

As soon as I saw him move up the racetrack, I cut my car dead left. I was committed. If I would have had to go to the apron, which I almost had to, then that's where I was going. But I had a run and the 99 (Burton) pushed me by." Jarrett held off Burton around How they finished T-i ni iliiiil disadv autage. He finished 34th.

Tony Stewart also had a rough day when he struck Mike Lingerfelt, his front tire changer, while exiting the pits on lap 157. Lingerfelt sustained a fractured left femur and was transferred to Halifax Medical Center to have surgery. The last time Jarrett raced in the Daytona 500, he finished 37th and went on to win the Winston Cup championship. So is this the beginning of another Jarrett title run? "There's a lot of people that this would make their season," Jarrett said. We know we still have a lot of work to do.

There's no guarantees if you win this that you'll even challenge for the championship, but it's a nice way to get started." the rest of the track and as the leaders were crossing lap 198, Jimmy Spencer's car crashed into the wall near the start-finish line, causing the race to end in a caution and giving Jarrett his 23rd NASCAR Winston Cup victory in 390 races. Ricky Rudd, Jarrett's new teammate, finished 15th after starting alongside the pole-sitter, Jarrett, on the front row. Matt Kenseth was the top rookie finisher (10th) while Dale Earnhardt Jr. was 13th. Dale Earnhardt who battled up front most of the day, fell to 21st.

Jeff Gordon, the defending Daytona 500 champion sustained a broken fitting on his oil pressure gauge on lap 28 and had to take his car behind the garage, putting him at a 111 i AP iii DALE JARRETT'S pit crew celebrates and I said yes," Jarrett said. "We tried it the lap before that and didn't get a very good run Nothing else was said then. We came down through the tri-oval the next time, went into (Turn) 1, Mark went high, I went into the corner high with every intention of going with Mark." That is, until Jarrett looked in his mirror and saw the No. 99 car of Jeff Burton Martin's teammate heading for the bottom of the track. "I've got to protect my position at that point," Jarrett said.

I didn't lie to Mark Martin. I know he felt like that and there's nothing I can say that's going to change his mind." Jarrett's second big move came when he got around Benson, who was trying to become the sixth driver "We tried to stay up there, man," Earnhardt Jr. said. "I just couldn't get anybody to help me. I couldn't get anybody to follow me.

We had a real fast car. We could stay up with the front pack, but when the 88 car came up through there, he was a lot faster than me." The elder Earnhardt once again was outspoken about the new shocks in the cars and said the design of the Chevrolets hurt them against Fords, which took the first five spots. He also had a few choice words for his son. "(Earnhardt Jr.) didn't work at all with nobody," Big said. "He wanted to pass.

That's all he wanted to do, so that's why he finished where he did. We'll try it again next week at Rockingham." One thing for certain came out of Sunday's Daytona 500, as far as the Earnhardt family was concerned. Father and son will have a long discussion before their next race same track. MIKE LINGERFELT, a tireman for Tony Stewart, is struck by his driver's car as Stewart pulls away. Lingerfelt sustained a fractured left femur.

CBS' final 500 telecast yields to Fox next year Craig Rubadoux, FLORIDA TODAY DALE EARNHARDT (3) and his son, Dale race side by side during Sunday's Daytona 500 race. Dale finished 21st, but his son placed 13th. Finish, not family, first for Earnhardts Pos. Start Driver Cai; Laps Earnings 1. (1) Dale Jarrett Ford 200 $1,277,975 2.

(14) Jeff Burton Ford 200 $840,825 3. (3) Bill Elliott Ford 200 $528,475 4. (5) Rusty Wallace Ford 200 $420,775 5. (9) Mark Martin Ford 2O0 $326,175 6. (13) Bobby Labonte Pontiac 200 $228,275 7.

(25) Terry Labonte Chevrolet 200 $198,625 8. (6) Ward Burton Pontiac 200 $166,775 9. (23) KenSchrader Pontiac 200 $143,975 10. (24) Matt Kenseth Ford 200 $182,875 11. (19) Jeremy Mayfield Ford 200 $129,075 12.

(27) Johnny Benson Pontiac 200 $119,975 13.. (8) Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet 200 $107,775 14. (18) Kenny Irwin' Chevrolet 200 $120,025 15. (2) Ricky Rudd Ford 200 $119,475 16.

(4) Mike Skinner Chevrolet 200 $112,225 17. (7) Tony Stewart Pontiac 200 $118,875 18. (17) Robby Gordon Ford 200 $99,725 19. (15) Scott Pruett Ford 200 $98.475 20. (32) Robert Pressley Ford 200 $102,825 21.

(21) Dale Earnhardt Chevrolet 200 $116,075 22. (30) John Andretti Pontiac 200 $113,725 23. (29) Chad Little Ford 200 $105,375 24. (38) Sterling Marlin Chevrolet 199 $104,325 25. (42) Kyle Petty Pontiac 199 $108,175 26.

(33) Stacy Compton Ford 199 $94,225 27. (31) DaveBlaney Pontiac 199 $89,625 28. (28) Rick Mast Chevrolet 199 $92,075 29. (39) Kenny Wallace Chevrolet 199 $99,275 30. (22) Jimmy Spencer Ford 197 $99.225 31.

(36) Steve Park Chevrolet 197 $98,275 32. (43) Darrell Waltrip Ford 197 $89,325 33. (35) Mike Bliss Pontiac 196 $88,875 34. (11) Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 195 $106,100 35. (20) Jerry Nadeau Chevrolet 195 $93,450 36.

(41) Kevin Lepage Ford 195 $93,000 37. (26) Ed Berrier Ford 193 $84,550 38. (40) Elliott Sadler Ford 192 $92,100 39. (10) Michael Waltrip Chevrolet 192 $9'' .650. 40.

(34) Wally Dallenbach Jr. Ford 174 $83,200 41. (12) DerrikeCope Ford 169 $82,750 42. (16) Joe Nemechek Chevrolet 131 $90,300 43. (37) Bobby Hamilton Chevrolet 68 $90,100 NOTES Center, where he had surgery.

It was Darrell Waltrip's final Daytona 500 after 29 starts. Waltrip won the 500 in 1989 after 17 starts. Waltrip is retiring after the 2000 season to become Fox's primary race-day analyst. Not everyone was delighted with this year's Speedweeks. In fact, at least one group of fans doesn't plan to come back at least to the infield trailer area.

Mike Callagy, who has been coming to the Daytona 500 for more than 20 years, was less than thrilled by NASCAR's decision to crunch part of the RV area for fans in the infield parking. The squeeze became necessary to accommodate the Craftsman Truck Series drivers and family. To make room for the trucks and trailers, some of the fans' area for RVs had to be taken. Tracy Amadon sat in line from 10 a.m. Wednesday until 2:30 a.m.

to get Callagy's RV inside. It cost $410 for one person and the mo-torhome to get into the infield. Jimmy Rltter, part of the Palm Bay group, said he'll camp outside the raceway in the future rather thoi ha rromnarl in t'la InfiAlsl 1 By Mark DeCotis and David Jones FLORIDA TODAY DAYTONA BEACH It was CBS' final Daytona 500 telecast after 22 years. CBS, which was a loser in the bidding for NASCAR's new TV contract which kicks in next season, will return to Daytona on July 1 for the prime time broadcast of the Pepsi 400. Long-time NASCAR broadcast partner ESPN also was a loser in the bidding.

Fox, NBC and TBS will share the NASCAR telecasts next year with Fox carrying the 500. It was Richard Petty's final Daytona 500 as an owner of a Pontiac race car. Petty announced Saturday that his Winston Cup drivers John Andretti and Petty's son Kyle will drive Dodges next season as will Kyle's son Adam who currently is driving in the Busch series but might move to Winston Cup next season. The new Dodge Intrepid car is being developed by Ray Evernham, Jeff Gordon former crew chief. Matt Lingerfelt, front tire changer for Tony Stewart's car, was injured on the team's fourth pit stop off lap 157 and sustained a fractured left femur.

He was transported to Halifai Medical By David Jones FLORIDA TODAY DAYTONA BEACH There were times during Sunday's Daytona 500 when father and son didn't exactly work together like either expected. When it came down to crunch time late in the race, finishing positions became more important than family or so it appeared. Dale Earnhardt Jr. said he expected his father to team up and help him draft, but felt Dale Earnhardt Sr. didn't seem interested.

And Dad? Put it this way, Little would be wise not to ask for any allowance in the next few weeks. "I thought he'd be one of the first to help, but he was the last guy that stayed behind me," Little said. The younger Earnhardt finished 13th in his first Daytona 500, eight spots ahead of his father. Earnhardt Jr. actually had a shot at taking the lead late in the race.

He was fourth with) 30 laps to go but couldn't find a dafting partner. Time of race: 3 hours, 12 minutes, 43 seconds Winner's average speed: 155.669 mph Caution flags: 6 for 24 laps Lead changes: 9 among 7 drivers Lap leaders: Rudd 1 Skinner 2-4, Jarrett 5-33: Elliott 34; Jarrett 35-90; little 91-92; Martin 93-157; Benson 158-19S; Jarrett 197-200 1.