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- The 2006 Daytona 500 was the first stock car race of the 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. The 48th running of the event, it was held on February 19, 2006, in Daytona Beach, Florida, at Daytona International Speedway before a crowd of 200,000 spectators. Hendrick Motorsports driver Jimmie Johnson won the 203-lap race starting from the ninth position. Casey Mears of Chip Ganassi Racing finished second and Ryan Newman took third for Penske Racing South. Jeff Burton won the third pole position of his career by posting the fastest lap in qualifying. He led the first 18 laps until the first round of pit stops. On the 28th lap, Tony Stewart became the leader for the following 20 laps. From laps 58 to 80, Matt Kenseth led, before Dale Earnhardt Jr. took the lead on the 86th lap. Earnhardt led seven times for a total of 32 laps, more than any other driver. Before the final round of pit stops, Johnson became the new leader by passing his teammate Brian Vickers on lap 187. He maintained the lead over Newman and Mears to win under caution after Greg Biffle lost control of his car on the final lap. There were 11 cautions by a record-breaking 32 lead changes by 18 different drivers during the race. It was Johnson's maiden Daytona 500 win, his first at a restrictor plate track at either Talladega Superspeedway or Daytona International Speedway, and the 19th of his career. The victory came after Johnson's crew chief Chad Knaus was suspended for unapproved alterations to his car, for which he received a fine of $25,000, and was suspended until March 22. It was the first of five races of the 2006 season that Johnson won en route to claiming his first of seven NASCAR Cup Series championships at the end of the season. As this was the first race of the season, Johnson led the Drivers' Championship with 190 points, followed by Mears and Newman on 170 points each. Elliott Sadler and Stewart were fourth and fifth with 165 and 160 points, respectively. In the Manufacturers' Championship, Chevrolet led with nine points, ahead of Dodge in second with six points, and the third-placed Ford with four points. The race attracted 20 million television viewers. (en)
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- The 2006 Daytona 500 was the first stock car race of the 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. The 48th running of the event, it was held on February 19, 2006, in Daytona Beach, Florida, at Daytona International Speedway before a crowd of 200,000 spectators. Hendrick Motorsports driver Jimmie Johnson won the 203-lap race starting from the ninth position. Casey Mears of Chip Ganassi Racing finished second and Ryan Newman took third for Penske Racing South. (en)
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