On Sunday night, when Dale Earnhardt Jr. crossed the finish line first in the 56th running of the Daytona 500 after more than a six-hour rain delay, fans everywhere celebrated. Backing up a promise he made earlier, Earnhardt joined Twitter and, more importantly, became the first driver to all but throw his name in for a spot in the reformatted Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Earnhardt held off Denny Hamlin as the field approached the checkers before a wreck ended the race under caution. The victory was Earnhardt’s second in the season opener and his 20th overall.