No. 5: The 1989 Daytona 500

Winner: Darrell Waltrip
Margin of victory: 7.64 seconds

Why it's No. 5: Waltrip was nicknamed "Jaws" because he ran his mouth as hard as he ran the motor of his race car. But the brash Tennessean liked to say: "Boys, it ain't braggin' if you do it."

In the 1989 Daytona 500, Darrell did it. Nursing a gasping gas tank, Waltrip managed to dart across the finish line 7.64 seconds ahead of Ken Schrader, claiming his first Daytona 500 win in his 17th try in, fittingly, car No. 17.

Darrell Waltrip won the 1989 Daytona 500.
©2007 MSI/Nigel Kinrade
Darrell Waltrip said this of his 1989 Daytona 500 win:
"This is the race everybody will always remember."


An incredulous Dale Earnhardt, who finished third, questioned Waltrip's amazing mileage. "I'd like to get a look at that gas tank," Earnhardt growled.

Another doubting driver said: "For $5, I'd drink what was left."

Waltrip didn't hear the harpies; he was too busy spiking his helmet and doing the "Icky Shuffle" in Victory Circle. "This is the race everybody will always remember," said Waltrip. "This is Daytona."

Waltrip has retired from racing, but he hasn't retired from talking. Today, he is an award-winning broadcaster on Fox Sports' racing telecasts.

Here are the top-10 finishers in the 1989 Daytona 500:

Finish Driver
Car
Money Won
1 Darrell Waltrip Chevrolet $184,900
2 Ken Schrader
 Chevrolet $182,700
3 Dale Earnhardt
 Chevrolet $95,550
4 Geoffrey Bodine
 Chevrolet $79,250
5 Phil Parsons
 Oldsmobile $70,325
6 Rick Mast
 Chevrolet $52,252
7 Alan Kulwicki
 Ford $52,325
8 Rick Wilson
 Oldsmobile $47,325
9 Terry Labonte
 Ford $68,400
10 Eddie Bierschwale
 Oldsmobile $31,725

For more information on NASCAR and on cars in general, check out:
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