Winning the Daytona 500 is a special achievement for any driver, and Dale Earnhardt Jr is no different. The 49-year-old won The Great American Race for the first time in 2004 and the trophy he earned still seems to hold on to a piece of memorabilia from the celebrations that day. A little stain from the Red Gatorade that Junior consumed that day remains on the trophy, even after his wife Amy Earnhardt’s multiple attempts to clean it.

Dale Earnhardt doesn’t mind a piece of eccentric history

It was unarguably a big deal when Dale Earnhardt Jr drove onto victory lane in 2004 at the Daytona International Speedway. He was serenaded by his crew and his family members as soon as he jumped out of the car. It was one of the greatest moments in his life and his team didn’t leave any stones unturned when it came to celebrating the moment. However, amid the commotion, it was the trophy that had to bear the brunt, as red Gatorade somehow ended up on it. However, that’s not a bad thing as what was first a stain has now become a memory and a piece of history.

Talking about the same, Junior shared on X, “Amy decided to clean up the 2004 Daytona trophy and it still had red Gatorade on it. 20 years. Looks good as new. Along with the tweet was a picture of the trophy, which really did look as good as new. However, upon closer inspection, one would perhaps notice the red stain that adorned the memento. 

Junior also added a follow-up to his initial tweet, featuring a close-up shot of the trophy, after his wife Amy turned unsuccessful at cleaning the mark. The tweet read, “As some have suggested: She left it.”

The 2004 Daytona 500 was a wild experience for the 49-year-old. Only 6 years after his legendary father celebrated his first win in The Great American Race, Junior did the same. Considering that it was only a few years after The Intimidator’s passing, it must have been an emotional day for the 2-time Xfinity Series champion.

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Fitting tribute paid by son to father after first Daytona 500 glory

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He might have pulled off the win on track, but on that day, Dale Earnhardt Jr believed that his father was right there, sitting in the passenger seat in the #8 car, cheering his son to victory. The Intimidator might have won 7 Cup Series titles, but it took him several years to win his maiden Daytona 500 victory. Junior said that he had learned a lot from the mistakes his father made in the event.

“I’ve seen it been lost so many times by dad over and over, and I was taught so many lessons by this place before I ever got behind the wheel. I’m glad I ain’t gotta worry about it no more. Man, this is awesome,” the 2-time Xfinity Series champion said as per Whiskey Riff. “He was over in the passenger side, riding with me. I’m sure he was having a blast,” the veteran added.

Today, the 49-year-old looks back on those memories with a lot of fondness. It has been a long time since he felt that elation of winning the Daytona 500 for the first time, but he sure does keep that memory close to his heart.

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