In a restart with five laps to go, Jeff Gordon led Sterling Marlin. A chain reaction began between the eighth and ninth positions after one driver missed a gear. Five cars were damaged, including the defending Daytona 500 winner Michael Waltrip, who spun into the pits and nearly hit the pace car being driven by Jay Leno. Up front, Marlin came through the gears a bit quicker than Gordon, and took his momentum to the inside. Gordon went to block only to turn himself. The two incidents brought out the caution flag, but under the rules at the time, the field continued racing at full speed back to the start/finish line, and Ward Burton pulled alongside of Marlin on the outside. Marlin, his car smoking from damage to the right front fender, beat Burton to the line by a nose, only for the red flag come out. Concerned about damage on his right front fender, Marlin got out of his car and tried to pull the fender away from the tire while the cars waited. Because NASCAR rules forbid working on the car under a red flag, he was penalized before the restart and was sent to the rear of the field. Ward Burton raced to victory after the caution and restart.
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To learn more about Ward Burton, go to The Ward Burton Wildlife Foundation.