The 2004 Daytona 500 was a Nextel Cup (now Sprint Cup) event held at Daytona International Speedway on February 15, 2004. It was the season opener and first ever race under the "NEXTEL Cup" banner. To the cheers of million, NASCAR's most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt, Jr won the biggest race of the year, sweeping past Tony Stewart with twenty laps to go. Pit stops prevented the field from reforming and Stewart was never able to mount a challenge. Stats