Helmet off, mischievous grin peeking through the open window of the Chevy, the kid celebrated the greatest day of his life just hundreds of yards away from the spot of his greatest pain.
Another Earnhardt was a champion at Daytona.
“I’m happy as hell,” Dale Earnhardt Jr. said after snatching a slice of heaven by winning Sunday’s Daytona 500.
Earnhardt held off the persistent charge of Tony Stewart for the final 19 laps, winning by four car lengths and scripting the sentimental storyline that roars across America today:
His father, a stock-car icon, died on the final lap of this race after crashing into the wall off Turn 4 in 2001.
“He was over in the passenger side riding with me,” Earnhardt said. “I’m sure he was having a blast.”
An estimated 180,000 fans shared the moment at Daytona International Speedway, minus one prominent president, who took off on Air Force One shortly before 4 p.m., with 86 laps to go.
After a dozen drivers dropped out of the field in a scary convoy of bumper cars on Lap 72, the field separated into small pods. Those left behind included defending champion Michael Waltrip, whose car spun and ended up upside down on the infield grass.
“It was kind of crazy,” Waltrip said, “but as a racecar driver, you understand it’s not the safest thing in the world to do.”
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Edited by the Sports staff of RedEye
