Mid-race Developments
On Lap 77 Sterling Marlin (Marlin had won the race in 1994 and 1995) took the lead for 3 laps before he had engine problems. Not much later, Terry Labonte, from whom Marlin had taken the lead, began to drop back with overheating issues after leading a race-high 44 laps. Labonte managed a decent finish, but Marlin retired almost instantly from the lead. The new leader was IndyCar veteran John Andretti. He and Earnhardt, Bill Elliott, Dale Jarrett Ken Schrader, and Michael Waltrip were all prime contenders at halfway. On Lap 131, after 72 laps of green flag racing, Andretti, whose uncle Mario won the race in 1967, had a hard crash in Turn 2. Michael Waltrip clipped him as he tried to sneak past Andretti's spinning car, damaging the right-front fender. The damage seemed to improve the car's aerodynamic qualities. Shortly after the restart Mike Wallace suddenly snapped loose and collected Loy Allen Jr., Brett Bodine (all 3 done for the day), and Bobby Labonte; the Texan's car was relatively undamaged.
Read more about this topic: 1996 Daytona 500
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—C. Vann Woodward (b. 1908)