At the track that bursts with triumph and tragedy for his family, Earnhardt celebrated Thursday night when JR Motorsports and driver Justin Allgaier qualified for Sunday’s season-opening race.

Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson and 2017 champion Martin Truex Jr. both ran lap times fast enough to lock themselves into the season opener at Daytona Int’l Speedway. Allgaier’s No. 40 Traveller Whiskey Chevrolet narrowly missed locking in on speed by 0.080 seconds, which was a difference of 0.290 MPH.

Where else do you go and barely make the field and cry tears of joy?” The answer is Daytona, the place that means so much to the Earnhardt family.