What Daytona 500 race is most memorable to you!?

May be...

2004 Dale Earnhardt Jr. and 1998 after 20 years of trying 20 years Dale Earnhardt wins the Daytona 500.

97 and 98 are tied for me. 97 my boy wins and The Intimidator puts donut on Jeff's drivers side and said if I can't win at least my Signature will be in Daytona USA . And then in 98 The Intimidator won and all of the crews came out to congratulate him.

2001 and 2007.
I'd like to forget 2001 though.

Back-to-back 1997 and 1998. 1997 was a beautifully balanced race, as in a good amount of racing, wrecks, and the drama whose significance went up as the race went on. And the 1-2-3 Hendrick finish is just beautiful, all capped with the big one, and the funny images of DJ blowing the right-front tire into oblivion (complete with blown up fender and all). Could we also add Dale Sr. turning over in his 19th try?

Speaking of Dale Sr. and tries, the 20th time is the charm (Susan Lucci likes to say hi too). The race was a tad low on the action side (no one DNF'ed due to crash damage, an absolute rarity), but seeing Dale Sr. finally do it is a site to behold. The imagery of Dale Sr. rolling down pit road, with all the pit crews hi-fiving him, then doing burnouts, is without a doubt the most memorable in Daytona 500 history. It gives me literal goosebumps, and when I found the DVD at FYE, I bought that sucker.

A special mention goes to 2001, where in terms of memorable, is like one point back. The racing, the big one, and Dale Sr's passing all in one race makes an event like that epic, In a way, I compare it to the 2004 Super Bowl with its Nipplegate, because as awesome as that game was, Janet Jackson will always be remembered,

2007 when NASCAR failed epically at trying to get the winner right.

I'd say 1998 when Big E won, and when in 1997 Gordon won his first 500 are also very memorable.

Sadly to say it was 2001. It would stand out for just the reason everybody thinks, but for me it was also my 25th birthday. So it can never be erased from my history. Every year when someone says "happy birthday", it brings me back to that day. So ironically, if you want me to have a happy birthday, don't remind me its my birthday.

2001. It was the first race I really watched. The massive wrecks and tight racing took me in. My dad was an Earnhardt fan, so he was elated when DEI drivers finished 1-2. Then I said "Yeah, but earnhardt crashed." and my dad said "so?" Then we heard he died and were totally confused. In 02, my favorite driver won, but 01 was most memorable.

1998 When Senior finally won the elusive 500
2001 Will be etched in my heart forever :(
2004 When Junior won

Those years are kind of tied together in a way for me.

2007, I was there was 1998 is way up there too.

Mine 1998 win Earnhardt finally wins after soooooooo many tries.

Sterling Marling winning in 1994 and 1995.

I would have to agree with you, Totally!

for the wrong reasons, 2001 when Tony Stewart flips and ends up in hospital and Sr dies on last lap. Felt SO bad for Mikey, to finally win a race after 463 or so starts but have your car owner and good friend die, couldn't imagine the emotions he went though

For me, it was the 2001 Daytona 500 for Earnhardt getting killed. I didn't say it was memorable for a good reason, but I think that has to be it.

If you want one that has a good feeling to it, it was the 2007 Daytona 500, mostly for the wild finish.

DALE SRS WIN GO DALE

The 1995 one when Sterling Marlin won it and it was the first race I ever actually sat down and watched after meeting Dale Sr. the December before and him suggesting I watch it.
Then 1998 when he did get his first win there!!!

For me it was the 1998 Daytona 500 and Dale Sr finally got that awesome win, and I was there to see it. (R.I.P Dale Sr)

Go Dale Jr & Hms

Unfortunately, 2001 sticks out. I hope this year is good.

The race I can remember for when the time I tell my grand kids is 1991, 2007, and 2008.

When the INTIMIDATOR won back in 1998. v

2001 - When Tony Stewart's car flip up-side-down on top of the #4 car in what I thought would be the worst wreck of that day, sad to say it was not. :-(

I gotta agree with almost everyone here, with Dale Sr. finally taking the checkered flag in 1998 after 20 years of trying.

# 2 was 2004, when Dale Earnhardt Jr. won it.

While it isn't a Daytona 500 memory, I have to remember the 2001 Pepsi 400 when Jr won and Mikey finished second and they hugged on the infield after Sr's death. Wasn't a dry eye in the place.

I still get misty watching it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmphcMC-f...

1998 When Dale Earnhardt Sr. finally won the big race that eluded him for so many years....I agree!

*JAKD*

1998 was the best but I loved 2007 too cause that was the first Daytona 500 win for RCR since Earnhardt died. 2004 was great too.

All of them have been great but to me the 1979 race when NASCAR was "introduced" to the world on CBS....Cale/Donnie/Bobby duking it out on the backstretch while Richard Petty and Darrell Waltrip went on to fight for the win. It was a very memorable moment.

Just an opinion as always.

any race my Lord dale jr has won.~praise~jdm civic type r body kit