Races like this ruined Mcmurrays season. Running top 5 then bam! Engine trouble. If he had made the chase in 04 (missed it by one spot) he would have finished 4th in points with how he ran in the final 10. Would have made his career look much different. Still had 23 top 10s.
Fast, fun race. Loved that Dale Jarrett Arnold Palmer UPS car! Really thought Mayfield was gonna pull it out late, but Junior was just too fast. 2004 was when Dale Jr. had it all- on-track success to go with his off-track popularity. 6 wins, winning on all types of track: restrictor, mile and a half, short track.
2004 Golden Corral 500 Location: Hampton, Georgia Track: Atlanta Motor Speedway Type of race track: Speedway Starting cars: 43 Finishing cars: 35 Laps: 325 Cautions: 3 Pole Winner: Ryan Newman (12) Most laps led: Tony Stewart (20) (127 laps led) Race Winner: Dale Earnhardt Jr. (8)
Why suffer through another big ass point lead and have it ended weeks in advance - 2003 was the reason it was changed - Rather see the title be decided on the final race personally
One thing that's bugged me about old commentary is they stay on the rookies hard.. kahne knows how to drive a car at this point he raced in the Busch series forever. I just don't like how they act like they are stupid or never raced a stock car before.
Races like this make me incredibly sad to see where NASCAR has fallen today. 800 HP, tire wear, somewhat low downforce, only three cautions in a 500 mile race, points actually meaning something - all those things aren’t true anymore. Not hard to see why ratings are where they’re at today when you compare it to an incredible race like this
