Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the Daytona 500, holding off Tony Stewart in the closing laps.

Exciting race. The threatened rain never came, President George W. Bush used the race as a political photo op and the “big one” crash that took out 12 cars bruised more egos than bodies.

An Earnhardt in victory lane. No unusual. Dale Sr. won more raises at Daytona than any other driver, although it took him more than 20 years of trying to win the 500. Dale Jr. did it within five years and just three years after his dad died in the race. He may end up winning more races than his daddy.