Originally published Sunday, February 10, 2008 at 12:00 AM
Auto Racing | Dale Earnhardt Jr. kicks off season with win
Dale Earnhardt Jr. aced his first test with his new team. Earnhardt had a smashing debut in his Hendrick Motorsports ride, getting a boost...
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Dale Earnhardt Jr. aced his first test with his new team.
Earnhardt had a smashing debut in his Hendrick Motorsports ride, getting a boost from his new teammates to power past Tony Stewart to win the Budweiser Shootout on Saturday night.
It was Earnhardt's first victory in any series since summer 2006, and could be a sign of things to come now that NASCAR's most popular driver is partnered with its most powerful team.
Seconds after taking the checkered flag, Earnhardt declared himself a favorite for next week's season-opening Daytona 500.
"What a race car!" Earnhardt yelled over his radio. "This might be a [Daytona] 500 winner here and you don't know it."
The winner of the 70-lap exhibition has gone on to win the Daytona 500 five times, with Dale Jarrett the last in 2000.
It was Earnhardt's 11th victory at NASCAR's most famous track, but first since a second-tier Nationwide Series win in June 2006. His last official Cup win came at Richmond the month before.
"I don't know what took him so long to win a race for us," car owner Rick Hendrick quipped. "It sure takes a lot of pressure off."
Stewart capped a tumultuous 24 hours by finishing second. The two-time series champion was ordered to steer clear of Kurt Busch after the two tangled on the track in a Friday night practice session and later argued in the NASCAR hauler.
That meeting ended abruptly when Stewart allegedly struck Busch and left, four sources with knowledge of the incident told the Charlotte Observer.
When asked Saturday whether NASCAR officials Robin Pemberton, John Darby and Hunter witnessed Stewart strike Busch on Friday evening, NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston replied, "What transpires in the NASCAR hauler, remains in the hauler."
On Friday, Stewart hit Busch during a practice session for the Shootout, causing Busch's car to slam into the wall. Stewart's car rolled down the track and slid into his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin.
![]()
As Stewart turned onto pit road, Busch twice slammed his car into the side of Stewart's No. 20. When Stewart attempted to turn into the garage area, Busch cut him off.
During a TV interview Saturday morning, Busch said his focus was on preparing his Daytona 500 car.
"Tony and I are competitors, we always have been and we're going to be just fine," Busch said. "We're going to move forward."
Defending Cup champion Jimmie Johnson finished third, and was followed by Jeff Gordon, Reed Sorenson and Casey Mears. All four Hendrick cars finished in the top six.
Other event
• Driving his second race for Bill Davis Racing, Michael Annett guided his Toyota to victory in the crash-filled ARCA 200 on the high-banked, 2.5-mile oval at Daytona International Speedway.
Annett, making his Daytona debut, added the season-opening victory to a dominating win in a BDR car last fall at the 2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway, the first ARCA/REMAX Series win for Toyota and Annett's first stock-car triumph.
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company
NEW - 04:01 PM
Michael Phelps breaks 100-meter butterfly world record at U.S. nationals
Lance Armstrong stays a split second off Tour lead
NW Briefs: Hydros driver Jean Theoret: "I drowned" after boat flip
Thursday's Emerald Downs handicap
Summer salmon fishing season is off to a good start, despite bad weather on the coast

Gen. David Petraeus: Iraq and Afghanistan Wars
Watch highlights of General David Petraeus discussing the Iraq and Afghanistan War at the Global Leadership Series sponsored by the World Affairs Council.
Entertainment | Top Video | World | Offbeat Video | Sci-Tech
shopping

events for Thursday, Jul. 9th
- Queen Anne Farmers Market
- Kibbn Storewide Summer Sale
- Tottini Argington Sale
- Julep Nail Parlor "Sandal-Ready and S...
editors' picks
More shopping guides- Key lawmakers warn of Boeing no-strike ultimatum
- Hemmed-in Ballard house to rise above
- Seattle-area homebuilder losing projects to foreclosure
- UW Football | Tailbacks David Freeman, Brandon Johnson ineligible
- Health-plan costs soar for individuals
- Drunken man shocks Spain with his generosity
- Trees vs. houses: Narrow, leafy street is last chance for two Madrona homes waiting to be moved
- Experts work to untangle US, Korea cyber attack
- Nickels gives City Light chief $40,000 bonus
- Coffee City | New "sexpresso" stand coming to Ballard
- Mass. files lawsuit against federal marriage law
907 - Key lawmakers warn of Boeing no-strike ultimatum
602 - Health-plan costs soar for individuals
392 - Mariners game thread, July 8
186 - Judges strike broad ban on Washington's Plan B rules
157 - Teen charged in pit bull attacks ordered held after pleading not guilty
139 - Sheriff's Office: Man not armed when fatally shot by deputy
119 - Trees vs. houses: Narrow, leafy street is last chance for two Madrona homes waiting to be moved
76 - Pay parking in West Seattle?
68 - Wednesday night notes
66
- Hemmed-in Ballard house to rise above
- Seattle-area homebuilder losing projects to foreclosure
- Key lawmakers warn of Boeing no-strike ultimatum
- Health-plan costs soar for individuals
- Rick Steves' Europe | Beware of new and classic travel scams
- Happy Hour | Ruth's Chris has super rib-eye sliders and quality cocktails
- Trees vs. houses: Narrow, leafy street is last chance for two Madrona homes waiting to be moved
- All You Can Eat | "Top Chef": Seattle chefs tapped for Bravo knife fight in Vegas!
- Grab the kids and hop on Amtrak for a stress-free getaway to Portland
- All You Can Eat | Oceanaire files bankruptcy, shutters Seattle, former chefs weigh in
