The 1990 Daytona 500 was a Winston Cup (now Sprint Cup) event held at Daytona International Speedway on February 18, 1990. It was the season opener. Dale Earnhardt appeared well on his way to victory, but in a shocking finish, lost a left rear tire on the last lap. While Earnhardt limped to 5th, upset driver Derrike Cope cruised onto his first career victory, by far the biggest upset in the race's history. Stats