Motorsport News: Russ Bond's Weekly Report

Nope, here comes Sadler and Jr, Sadler has a run, with Jr in tow. Off four, one lap to go, here goes Jr on his own, with no help. He's done. Newman needs help from Mears, Newman moves out, crash

Jimmie Johnson wins his first Daytona 500. (Photo: Dorsey Patrick)

behind him - see I told you - the field is frozen, Jimmie Johnson wins his first Daytona 500 with his crew chief - Chad Knauss - at home after being booted for a technical infraction after qualifying. Mears is scored second once the field is frozen; Newman is third, which his best ever finish at the Daytona 500.

If you read those last couple of paragraphs, and can picture it in your mind, or even if you saw it live, you now know why NASCAR is as popular as it is. What a fantastic bit of entertainment, and nothing comes close to the last 30 laps of a Nextel Cup race. Next week, Fontana - I can't wait.

Daytona 500 Results (Fin St Car Driver Make Sponsor Pts/Bonus Laps Status):

• 1 9 #48 Jimmie Johnson  Chevrolet Lowe's 185/5 202 Running
• 2 14 #42 Casey Mears  Dodge Texaco/Havoline 170/0 202 Running
• 3 18 #12 Ryan Newman  Dodge ALLTEL 170/5 202 Running
• 4 3 #38 Elliott Sadler  Ford M&M's 165/5 202 Running
• 5 15 #20 Tony Stewart  Chevrolet The Home Depot 160/5 202 Running
• 6 37 #07 Clint Bowyer * Chevrolet Jack Daniel's 150/0 202 Running
• 7 35 #25 Brian Vickers  Chevrolet GMAC 151/5 202 Running
• 8 7 #8 Dale Earnhardt Jr.  Chevrolet Budweiser 152/10 202 Running
• 9 23 #21 Ken Schrader  Ford Little Debbie 138/0 202 Running
• 10 25 #88 Dale Jarrett  Ford UPS 134/0 202 Running
• 11 27 #9 Kasey Kahne  Dodge Dodge Dealers/UAW 130/0 202 Running
• 12 10 #6 Mark Martin  Ford AAA 132/5 202 Running
• 13 20 #7 Robby Gordon  Chevrolet Jim Beam 124/0 202 Running
• 14 28 #29 Kevin Harvick  Chevrolet GM Goodwrench 126/5 202 Running
• 15 11 #17 Matt Kenseth  Ford DeWalt Power Tools 123/5 202 Running
• 16 19 #1 Martin Truex Jr. * Chevrolet Bass Pro Shops/Tracker 115/0 202 Running
• 17 43 #96 Terry Labonte  Chevrolet DLP HDTV/Tweeter 112/0 202 Running
• 18 30 #55 Michael Waltrip  Dodge NAPA Auto Parts 109/0 202 Running
• 19 33 #136 Bill Elliott  Chevrolet Ginn Clubs & Resorts 111/5 202 Running
• 20 42 #27 Kirk Shelmerdine  Chevrolet Apex Electric 103/0 202 Running
• 21 16 #16 Greg Biffle  Ford National Guard 105/5 202 Running
• 22 29 #49 Brent Sherman * Dodge Serta 97/0 202 Running
• 23 22 #41 Reed Sorenson * Dodge Target 94/0 202 Running
• 24 34 #22 Dave Blaney  Dodge Caterpillar 91/0 202 Running
• 25 31 #61 Kevin Lepage  Ford Amp Energy Drink 93/5 202 Running
• 26 4 #5 Kyle Busch  Chevrolet Kellogg's 90/5 202 Running
• 27 24 #109 Mike Wallace  Dodge Miccosukee Gaming & Resorts 82/0 202 Running
• 28 2 #24 Jeff Gordon  Chevrolet DuPont 84/5 202 Running
• 29 40 #32 Travis Kvapil  Chevrolet Tide 81/5 202 Running
• 30 32 #40 David Stremme * Dodge Lone Star Steakhouse/Saloon 73/0 202 Running
• 31 17 #11 Denny Hamlin * Chevrolet FedEx Express 70/0 202 Running
• 32 1 #31 Jeff Burton  Chevrolet Cingular Wireless 72/5 202 Running
• 33 38 #01 Joe Nemechek  Chevrolet U.S. Army 64/0 199 Running
• 34 39 #14 Sterling Marlin  Chevrolet Waste Management 61/0 199 Running
• 35 8 #43 Bobby Labonte  Dodge Cheerios/Betty Crocker 58/0 198 Out of Race
• 36 6 #26 Jamie McMurray  Ford Crown Royal 60/5 197 Running
• 37 26 #19 Jeremy Mayfield  Dodge Dodge Dealers/UAW 52/0 196 Running
• 38 13 #2 Kurt Busch  Dodge Miller Lite 54/5 188 Out of Race
• 39 12 #45 Kyle Petty  Dodge Wells Fargo Financial 46/0 172 Running
• 40 41 #00 Hermie Sadler  Ford Aaron's 43/0 170 Out of Race
• 41 36 #18 J.J. Yeley * Chevrolet Interstate Batteries 40/0 156 Running
• 42 21 #66 Jeff Green  Chevrolet Best Buy 37/0 155 Running
• 43 5 #99 Carl Edwards  Ford Office Depot 34/0 79 Out of Race

* Denotes Rookie