Mark Martin ran third, Polesitter Danica Patrick came home eighth

Jimmie Johnson sped away from the field after a restart with six laps left in Sunday’s Daytona 500 and held off a charging Dale Earnhardt Jr. to win the 55th running of the Great American Race at Daytona International Speedway.















Reviewed in our mind’s eye, it seems to take forever. The events unfold slowly, in exact detail, a perfect panorama of color and speed. By now, we know it frame-by-fame — the black car bending to the right, the climb up the banking, the inevitable impact and the out-of-control slide back down into the grass.
Jimmie Johnson may have secured a fourth NASCAR Sprint Cup title in a row, but there is still more to come. At long last, Jimmie Johnson allowed himself to savour the magnitude of his accomplishments — but don’t let that fool you.
The failure of Jeff Gordon to visit Victory Lane.
“If somebody said, ‘Hey, will you take 10th at Talladega, right now? You don’t have to run the race.’ I’d take in it a heartbeat,” the Sprint Cup title contender said.
On July 21, 2008, the National Stock Car Racing Commission heard and considered the appeal of Dale Earnhardt Inc. regarding the No. 1 car.