No restricting these drivers

Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2004 | 9:49 a.m.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- There was a time, not long ago, when you had to wait until after the two 125-mile qualifying races before you could predict who was going to be a contender for the Daytona 500.

That, however, was before Dale Earnhardt Inc. perfected the art of restrictor-plate racing.

Lately, every conversation about pre-race favorites begins and ends with DEI drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Michael Waltrip and, to a lesser extent, John Andretti, who will drive a third DEI Chevrolet in Sunday's race.

DEI's dominance during the past three seasons at Daytona and Talladega -- tracks where NASCAR has mandated the use of restrictor plates to curtail speeds -- has been nothing short of staggering.

Earnhardt and Waltrip have combined to win nine of the past 12 restrictor-plate races, including five in a row at Talladega and four of the past six races at Daytona.

Waltrip, winless in his first 462 career NASCAR Cup races, won the 2001 Daytona 500 in his first start with DEI and has now won two of the past three 500s.

Earnhardt said the reason his team got so far ahead of the others in mastering the restrictor plate is simple.

"We put a lot of emphasis on winning this race," Earnhardt said of the Daytona 500. "We probably spend 25 percent of our company revenue or income on plate stuff.

"I think a lot of teams spend a good chunk -- maybe 15 percent or something like that, (but) that's just a guess. A lot goes into this (race); it's pretty important to all of us."

Although he won the 2001 July race at Daytona and has won the past two Busch Series races here, Earnhardt made it clear where winning the Daytona 500 ranks among his lists of goals.

"This is a real important race," he said. "It's one of the top two goals of my career. I want to win a championship. To win one, and consider myself among all the other champions, would be a great addition to my career.

"I also want to win the Daytona 500."

As a two-time winner of the "Great American Race," Waltrip understands his teammate's feelings.

"I think back to when I was a kid and I used to come here to watch my brother (Darrell)," Waltrip said. "Everyone who has ever aspired to be a stock-car driver wants to win the Daytona 500. If someone says that it's better to win somewhere else, that tells me one thing for sure: They've never won at Daytona or they wouldn't say that.

"It's the pinnacle of our sport. It's quite an honor (to have won it twice) and I don't take it lightly."

As the defending champion of the Daytona 500, Waltrip said his confidence going into NASCAR's season opener is at an all-time high.

"I'd like to be realistic and say there's probably a good chance we can win this race," Waltrip said. "It's hard to be over-confident when you were zero-and-462 at one point, so you try to keep your balance.

"You understand that things could go wrong and you might not win it. That was the case here in July; I felt like I was going to win that race but things happen that are out of our control. So you just balance it as best as you can."

As much of a fan as Earnhardt is of restrictor-plate racing, he said he wouldn't mind NASCAR doing away with the horsepower-sapping devices for one race at Daytona.

"I'd like to try it without the plates just one time to see what that's like; we'd go real fast," he said.