sweet move.

8:39pm UPDATE: NASCAR has determined jeff gordon's winning car was just under an inch too low at the rear quarter panels due to a "part failure" that was "likely unintentional". despite this lack of intent, nascar will still move the 24 to the back of the field for the start of the 49th running of the daytona 500 on sunday. he will start 42nd. i realize nascar is trying to make a statement, but this is going over the line. when the director of competition calls it a "part failire", where is the penalty? this precedent set by nascar is very dangerous for their credibility in my book. it'd be nice if these violations could be traced to a black and white rule book, not just a gray area.

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how bout dem apples? jeff gordon used an incredible move, with a little help from matt kenseth's favorite person (david stremme), to get by kurt busch on the last lap of the 2nd duel at daytona today for the win. gordon will now start 4th in sunday's daytona 500.

gordon ran behind juan montoya for the first 25 laps of the race before montoya broke a wheel hub and brought out the first caution. brian vickers later cut a tire and hit the wall, ruining red bull racing's chance at making the great american race, and bringing out a caution. gordon decided to come in and take two tires and came out 13th with less than ten laps to go. he marched through the field to himself in position at the white flag to grab the checkers.

in the first race, tony stewart won the race as michael waltrip and boris said both raced their way in to the field. waltrip has had quite a roller coaster ride in the past 24 hours after the discrepancies with this engine from qualifying on sunday.

tomorrow, the craftsman truck series takes on the high banks of daytona for their first race of the season under the lights and the busch series starts their season on saturday on espn2.

as for now? we'll celebrate the win and a good start to the season and hope for the best in the 500.

go 24.