Full Throttle

It took a while - both on this night that saw a two and a half hour rain delay - and 14 previous Daytona starts, but Tony Stewart finally got his first Daytona checkered flag. Stewart made it look easy while setting a new 400 mile record for laps led heading the field 151 of 160 laps at NASCAR’s most famous venue.

As noted earlier Daytona took it’s toll on those starting in the back of the field. After the first 11 laps were run under caution to dry the track the first yellow came out on lap 35. Triggered by Jeff Gordon slowing to enter the pits it involved 9 cars including Kurt Busch, Matt Kenseth, Bobby Labonte and Mark Martin all victims of bad qualifying positions and “The Big One.”

The wreck ended Martin’s night in his last NEXTEL Cup appearance at the track.