Everyone talks about jr going 6th to 1st in 6 laps,but nobody ever talks about the fact that mikey went from 14th to 2nd in 6 laps

Every time I think of this race I always imagine Dale Sr. looking down from heaven and saying "...That's my boy!"

“USING LESSONS LEARNED FROM HIS FATHER TO GO FROM 6TH TO FIRST AND SCORE THE VICTORY IN THE PEPSI 400!”

NASCAR fans: Do you want us to cry with tears of joy? NASCAR: Uhhh yes

everything about this era of nascar was pure gold. the commentary, the cars, the racing, the crowd, the charisma of the drivers, even the way the cars sound seems better. simply amazing time in this sports history.

Jr and Waltrip hugging at the top of Mike's car... what a moment to NASCAR

Chocolate Meyers being the first to hug Jr. is really, really something.

I wish I had a time machine so I could experience this race in person.

I've been a Ford guy my whole life, but I remember being on my feet in my living room, heart rapidly beating through my chest, and cheering loudly for Dale Jr. in those final laps. There were tears of joy running down my face as he took that checkered flag. This was one of the greatest moments, not only in NASCAR history, but sports history. Mikey finally getting to celebrate his Daytona 500 with a 2nd place finish here was pure poetry as well. Man, it's still emotional to this day watching the replay.

Those last 7 laps we didn't see Dale Jr drive, we got to see the old man one last time on the track to let us know he's ok. Emotional.....only an Earnhardt can pull this off!!

Still gives me chills and tears when I watch this, especially when Chocolate is the first to run out there and hug Junior.

Elliot Sadler saying in the post race saying "I beat Michael off pit road and I pulled over and said boys he's going to the front I'm just gonna follow him" he wasn't wrong!

Those 2 hugging on the car at the end has to be one of the most beautiful moments in all of sports..

God Bless Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr. He had God given talent, gives me chills. RIP Benny Parsons. Damn special.

Love Michael Waltrip man, hearing him so happy just made me smile 😃

Bring back Allen Bestwick

That's one of the best NASCAR races of all time.

20 years to the day. The most emotional finish I've ever seen and the end to what I think is the greatest racing story.

There will never be a better victory than this one. EVER

Other than Dale Sr's Daytona 500 win in 1998, I think this race and it's outcome is probably one of if not the most defining moment in the history of the sport, because of the story-line that went along with it. You really couldn't write a better script.

Those last 7 laps will forever be in my memory His dad was with him all 7 laps I know it

Great race. Also can’t avoid mentioning “Fuel” by Metallica playing on the background all the time🤘🏻

Man there's nothing better sounding than those restrictor plate cars back then, those cars screamed!

NASCAR will never be the same

Miss that red #8. Nice to see a similar one running in the two car series. This is the race that I'll probably never forget. Best moment in the sport.

Yet the most emotional finish EVER! R. I. P Dale Earnhardt

Couldn't have been a more perfect ending to this race 😭

I was there with some friends that night, it was great, we were off turn 4. It was so loud, everyone was cheering

I would pay for every nascar race ever filmed to be uploaded in maximum broadcast quality

Was at this race on a fluke occurrence. One of the best experiences of my lifetime ❤

I was always a Martin fan but I’ve never pulled for a driver to win a race like I did Jr in this race. Absolutely amazing race. I was literally standing up and yelling by myself in my living room.

Can’t believe it’s been 20 years since this

20 years later today, it's still one of the greatest races ever to happen

My first Daytona race was in 98 when Dale Earnhardt won not missed a race since then twice a year we went best time's ever. not renewing my tickets anymore just not the same .sad. glad I was part of this generation

I've been waiting for a higher quality race replay for a while

The crowd going nuts when Jr. passed Benson going into 4, chills dude...

What a fantastic race Dale JR was awesome and especially when his father died on that track Simply put a very deserved win for that number 8car

This was a very historic and memorable race

ah the pinnacle of emotions you can feel at a NASCAR race. Allen Bestwick Benny Parsons Wally Dallenbach ushering a new era on NBC...

21 years later and it still gets me all emotional. I have this race on a vcr tape.

NASCAR can be epic at times. This was one of those times. The crowd roaring over the cars gives me chills.

The most amazing story book ending to any race. Best story ever. DEI is TOUGH (BACK THEN)

20 years later this still cuts the onions. One of the most incredible sporting moments of my life.

The best race ever. Definitely emotional

Cry everytime I watch this. Own DVD also.

Great Win for Junior, raced like His Dad.

20 years later still brings a smile to my face and a tear to my eye!

Everything about this era of NASCAR was just perfect. Will never be like this again. To see that many guys racing so frantically and keeping it clean in the final laps, amazing. Best drivers ever, period.

I always come back to watch this race every so often. This was peak nascar. My father attended this race and said the atmosphere was something he’s never felt before.

This is the race that healed everyone. This was the moment that everyone could finally move on.

Nobody gonna talk about how you can literally see brittany spears left nipple

One of my favourite races for sure, it was just too perfect to be true

Dale Earnhardt and Dale jr are my favorites all time this race means so much to me

The pinnacle of nascar racing right here.

I remember watching it live but it’s still awesome that dei swept that year at Daytona what a tribute

Hard to believe this race will be 20 years ago this year

We believe this is the race replay that we all (NASCAR fans and experts) have been waiting for. Like if you agree. 👍🏻

R.I.P DALE EARNHARDT, SR.

It's overlooked what MW did. Went from 14th to 2nd in 4 laps.

20 years ago. Time flies.

Daytona needs a statue of jr and waltrip ontop of the car somewhere outside the track.

I don't care what people say, but Junior in the #8 and Michael in the #15 were by far the best duo in super speedways during the early '00s. Junior always had a lot of raw pace and speed at Daytona and Talladega, but half of his wins there wouldn't have happened without Michael being such a great teammate and wingman, never afraid of shutting the door hard on anybody trying to overtake them.

If this was Dale Jr’s only Victory. I would still consider it a Successful career for him. The context & Story of this Victory is Incredible. Very Emotional Win.

20+ years and dozens of views later and the tears still flow over this victory and celebration. What a night! ❤️❤️❤️

A great race and finish. Thanks for showing it again.

I watch this a couple times a month snd literally has never gotten old

If Sr would see his son like this

The Oppermans from Texas will always love and miss you Dale Earnhardt Sr, your devoted fans forever

Something about the wicker on the top of the cars make them look so awesome!!

The plate Dynasty that was DEI from 2001 to 2004 was no joke. The greatest plate dynasty of all time and I don't think its even close! 2001 Daytona 500 Michael Waltrip 2001 Aarons 499 Bobby Hamilton 2001 Pepsi 400 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2001 EA Sports 500 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2002 Daytona 500 Ward Burton 2002 Aarons 499 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2002 Pepsi 400 Michael Waltrip 2002 EA Sports 500 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2003 Daytona 500 Michael Waltrip 2003 Aarons 499 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2003 Pepsi 400 Greg Biffle 2003 EA Sports Michael Waltrip 2004 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2004 Jeff Gordon 2004 Jeff Gordon 2004 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dynasty much DEI? That's 11 wins 16 races! Ive been a fan since 1999 and I haven't seen anybody come close to that level of plate dominance. And it wasn't just Cup. Just go google their Xfinity stats during that time and the non points events like the Budshootout and the Twin 125s. Unreal. Long live Capital E and the plate POWER he left behind. Those cars could literally pass at will most of the time and the race was always for 3rd place. I saw it all and it was just like this race you all just watched.

The glory days. Granted 5 months after the loss of a legend. Haven't watched a lap of racing since jr retired.

Good to see this race uploaded in high quality, but still I enjoy seeing the prerace show from the other uploads on here

Thanks NASCAR for the upload.

I finally heard what euery sr said to jr. that was just like the old man out there. Unbelievable. I have watched 100 times just now made it out

Michael is such a great teammate man

I was blessed to get a chance to interview Jr in Seattle days after this win. He was there for the baseball all star game

I have been to many spectacular sporting events in my life but I remember when Dale Jr took the lead coming out of turn 4 the most the crowd was soooooo loud it was deafening and the stands literally shook it’s the one and only NASCAR race I have ever been to to this day I was 14 at the time a guy behind be at the end of the race while he was spinning around the infield said don’t ever go to another race cause it will never come close to this

This is gonna be great. EDIT: And saying it's gonna be great means saying it's gonna be one of the greatest races in NASCAR history.

Greatest moment in Nascar history ...PERIOD

What a helmet JR had

2001 pepsi 400 had to be the best races i ever watched

I was there to see this live those stands felt like they were going to come down everybody was going crazy crying and hugging each other I remember looking at the sky and pointing the #3 cause I could feel his presence with Dale Jr that night

This race and the 500 that year were three years before my time but I can remember bein really young watching races with my grandparents that they had on tape, I got to see decades of Dale Sr. so I guess you could say I grew up watching him race, I may not have been alive for any of it but it still makes me emotional to this day

This race is, in my opinion, the greatest moment in the history of auto racing.

I watched this race live in some cantina in southern baja mexico, so so so lucky that had Directv!!!!! Was in heaven!

My all time favorite NASCAR Race ever! I cried my eyes out watching this live.

Dale Jr wins for Dale Earnhardt in Daytona i will remember this memory this is a greatest moments in NASCAR

Watching this race live was amazing. Die Hard Jeff Gordon fan, but seeing Jr. get this win and wearing an open face helmet, purely epic. LOVE IT!!!

I very well remember watching this race on TV. My brother and I were both cheering when Junior took the lead! What an exciting race to watch!

One of the greatest moments in sports history no question

20 years ago....

so beautifull to see EVERYONE celebrating for Dale! must be emotional for everybody there. first time back at daytona.

Just watched this for the first time since the original race and damn had tears in my eyes again! Good Lord that 8 car was fast!

I remember watching this that summer Saturday night on TV. 2001 was the kickoff of a new age of NASCAR and I think it lived up to it despite the loss of Earnhardt. Had we not had Jr. in the season or have him win this race, the season would have been remembered more for the loss of NASCAR's greatest rather than the arrival of Jr.

I never noticed chocolate was the first out there on foot!!

A race you never will forget no matter if you were there in person or watched it on TV like I did. The paint scheme on Ken Schrader's #36 Pontiac was amazing.

This is the greatest Nascar race of all time.

OH, I MISS THIS SOUND!!!

Will forever be my favorite nascar race of all time

Man to bad I was a baby when this race happened. Now I finally get to see the whole thing. Thanks KZfaq👍