After a tumultuous week in Daytona Beach, Fla., Dale Jarrett and the #44 UPS Toyota Team leave Daytona International Speedway with a 23rd-place finish in the Daytona 500. Jarrett dodged the big wrecks and brought the UPS Toyota securely home in his first start for Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) and Toyota.
The pace was patient and steady for the #44 UPS Toyota Team. Jarrett started the race in 43rd position and paced himself early, testing the handling on the UPS Toyota. The car's handling leaned toward the tight side early but by the halfway point Jarrett said the handling on the UPS Toyota was "near perfect."
As the laps in the race started to wind down, Jarrett started trying to position himself to be able to make a charge to the front of the field. With Daytona being a track where handling becomes an issue, the field tends to get strung out, which is exactly what happened during the closing laps before a late wreck and a red flag closed the field back up. Unable to gain ground on the lead cars during the final two laps, Jarrett avoided the melee in the final corner and settled for a 23rd-place finish.
"It wasn't bad," Jarrett said of the day in Daytona. "We had hoped for more but we just couldn't make up the track position. The car was tight a good bit of the day but Matt (Borland) and the guys did a good job of adjusting on the car and getting the car to handle better so that was definitely something positive. It's a long two weeks we spend here in Daytona but I think we're all looking forward to getting to California and getting back to our normal race weekends."
Jarrett's teammates experienced ups and downs, as both Waltrip and Reutimann found trouble during the event. A cut tire forced Waltrip to pit during the midway point of the race, which caused the #55 NAPA Toyota to lose the lead draft. Waltrip was never able to overcome the lost time on the track, and eventually lost a lap to the leaders. He finished the day in 30th position.
It was a day of learning for Jarrett's rookie teammate, David Reutimann, who made his first ever start in the Daytona 500. Reutimann lost a lap early but was rewarded the "lucky dog" that placed him back on the lead lap during the second caution that waved on lap 79. However, trouble eliminated him from competition and he finished the event in 40th position.
The trio of Michael Waltrip Racing drivers find themselves 24th, 30th and 41st in the point standings with Jarrett in 24th, Waltrip in 30th and Reutimann in 41st.
Kevin Harvick scored his first Daytona 500 win. He raced side-by-side with Mark Martin heading to the checkered flag and barely edged Martin out at the start/finish line. Jeff Burton finished third.
The series continues racing next weekend at California Speedway. The Auto Club 500 is scheduled for a 12:30 p.m. PST start. FOX will go live with its broadcast of the event at 12 p.m. PST.
