The 2004 EA Sports 500 was a NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race that took place on October 3, 2004, at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama. It was the 29th race of the 2004 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series and the third in the ten-race, season-ending Chase for the Nextel Cup.

2004 EA Sports 500
Race details[1]
Race 29 of 36 in the 2004 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series
2004 EA Sports 500 program cover, based on the cover for the NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup video game
2004 EA Sports 500 program cover, based on the cover for the NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup video game
Date October 3, 2004 (2004-10-03)
Official name EA Sports 500
Location Talladega, Alabama, U.S.
Course Talladega Superspeedway
2.66 mi (4.28 km)
Distance 190 laps, 505.4 mi (813.2 km)
Scheduled Distance 188 laps, 500.1 mi (804.833 km)
Average speed 156.929 miles per hour (252.553 km/h)
Attendance 150,000
Pole position
Driver MB2 Motorsports
Time 50.202 sec (190.749 mph, 306.981 km/h)
Most laps led
Driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dale Earnhardt, Inc.
Laps 78
Winner
No. 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dale Earnhardt, Inc.
Television in the United States
Network NBC
Announcers Bill Weber, Benny Parsons, Wally Dallenbach Jr.

Results

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Source:[2][3]
Fin St # Driver Sponsor Make Laps Led Status Pts
1 10 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Budweiser Chevy 188 78 running 165
2 15 29 Kevin Harvick GM Goodwrench Chevy 188 3 running 175
3 3 88 Dale Jarrett UPS Ford 188 0 running 165
4 26 77 Brendan Gaughan Kodak, Jasper Engines & Transmissions Dodge 188 7 running 165
5 8 97 Kurt Busch Sharpie, Irwin Industrial Tools Ford 188 4 running 160
6 30 20 Tony Stewart Home Depot Chevy 188 4 running 155
7 1 01 Joe Nemechek U.S. Army Chevy 188 1 running 151
8 34 41 Casey Mears Target Dodge 188 5 running 147
9 36 31 Robby Gordon Cingular Wireless Chevy 188 0 running 138
10 28 0 Ward Burton NetZero Hi Speed, Shark Tale Chevy 188 1 running 139
11 4 10 Scott Riggs Zerex, Valvoline Chevy 188 1 running 135
12 2 21 Ricky Rudd Motorcraft, Rent-A-Center Ford 188 0 running 127
13 13 30 Jeff Burton America Online Chevy 188 6 running 129
14 7 17 Matt Kenseth Smirnoff Ice, DeWalt Ford 188 0 running 121
15 17 6 Mark Martin Viagra Ford 188 0 running 118
16 19 12 Ryan Newman Alltel Dodge 188 1 running 120
17 24 42 Jamie McMurray Texaco, Havoline Dodge 188 0 running 112
18 41 09 Mike Wallace Miccosukee Gaming & Resorts Dodge 188 4 running 114
19 5 24 Jeff Gordon DuPont Chevy 188 12 running 111
20 37 49 Ken Schrader Schwan's Home Service Dodge 188 1 running 108
21 38 5 Terry Labonte Kellogg's, Delphi Chevy 188 0 running 100
22 6 38 Elliott Sadler M&M's Ford 188 1 running 102
23 11 02 Hermie Sadler East Tennessee Trailers Ford 188 1 running 99
24 22 33 Kerry Earnhardt Bass Pro Shops, Tracker Boats Chevy 188 0 running 91
25 14 15 Michael Waltrip NAPA Auto Parts Chevy 188 7 running 93
26 33 2 Rusty Wallace Miller Lite Dodge 188 15 running 90
27 23 9 Kasey Kahne Dodge Dealers, UAW Dodge 187 0 running 57
28 12 16 Greg Biffle National Guard, Subway Ford 187 0 running 54
29 35 45 Kyle Petty Georgia-Pacific, Brawny Dodge 187 0 running 76
30 20 11 Ricky Craven Old Spice Chevy 187 0 running 73
31 29 22 Scott Wimmer Caterpillar Dodge 187 0 running 70
32 43 1 Kenny Wallace Aaron's Chevy 185 0 running 67
33 42 98 Larry Gunselman Mach One Inc. Ford 183 0 running 64
34 32 40 Sterling Marlin Coors Light, Rascal Flatts Dodge 178 0 crash 61
35 27 18 Bobby Labonte Interstate Batteries Chevy 178 0 crash 58
36 21 25 Brian Vickers GMAC Financial Services Chevy 164 0 overheating 55
37 16 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe's Chevy 157 35 engine 57
38 9 19 Jeremy Mayfield Dodge Dealers, UAW Dodge 147 0 crash 49
39 18 43 Jeff Green Cheerios, Betty Crocker Dodge 142 0 crash 46
40 40 4 Jimmy Spencer Lucas Oil Chevy 142 1 crash 48
41 31 06 Chad Blount Mobil 1 Dodge 131 0 engine 40
42 25 99 Carl Edwards Roush Racing Ford 122 0 engine 37
43 39 32 Bobby Hamilton Jr. Tide Chevy 120 0 crash 34
Failed or qualify or driver change
POS NAME NBR SPONSOR OWNER CAR
44 Kevin Lepage 37 Carter's Royal Dispos-all John Carter Dodge
45 Kirk Shelmerdine 72 Vote for Bush Kirk Shelmerdine Ford
46 Carl Long 80 Commercial Truck & Trailer Stan Hover Ford
DC Dave Blaney 99 Roush Racing Jack Roush Ford

Profanity controversy

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Following the race, Earnhardt Jr. was asked about the importance of his then-fifth win at Talladega, to which he replied, "It don't mean shit right now. Daddy's won here 10 times."[4] He was fined $10,000 and docked 25 driver points for the violation; without the penalty, he would have still finished fifth in that year's championship, finishing only six points behind Mark Martin for fourth.

Earlier in the year, NASCAR president Mike Helton warned drivers to not use profanity during radio and television interviews (in light of the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy).[5] A similar penalty was delivered to Johnny Sauter after he swore during a radio interview that occurred after a Busch Series race at Las Vegas in March,[6] as well as Ron Hornaday Jr. for comments following a Busch race at Dover in June.[7]

References

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  1. ^ "2004 EA Sports 500". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  2. ^ "2004 EA Sports 500 - The Third Turn". www.thethirdturn.com. Retrieved 2021-05-14.
  3. ^ "Race Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved 2021-05-14.
  4. ^ Woodson, Rick (October 13, 2004). "Dale Jr.'s fine sends the right message". The Daily News. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  5. ^ Christ Jenkins (March 16, 2004). "Drivers warned about objectionable language". USA Today. Retrieved April 20, 2011.
  6. ^ "NASCAR fines Johnny Sauter". United Press International. March 10, 2004. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  7. ^ "BUSCH: Hornaday penalized for Dover language". Motorsport.com. 2004-06-10. Retrieved 2022-06-11.