| Official Race Results | |||||||||
| Daytona 500 | Daytona International Speedway | |||||||||
| February 15, 1998 | Race 1 of 33 | |||||||||
| Average Speed: 172.712 mph | |||||||||
| Margin of Victory: Under caution | Time of Race: 2 hours, 53 minutes, 42 seconds | ||||||||
| Lead Changes: 13 | |||||||||
| Cautions: | |||||||||
| Fin | St | Car | Driver | Make | Sponsor | Pts / Bonus | Laps | Status | Winnings |
| 1 | 4 | #3 | Dale Earnhardt | Chevrolet | GM Goodwrench Service Plus | 185/10 | 200 | Running | $1,059,105 |
| 2 | 1 | #18 | Bobby Labonte | Pontiac | Interstate Batteries | 175/5 | 200 | Running | $548,555 |
| 3 | 13 | #12 | Jeremy Mayfield | Ford | Mobil 1 | 165/0 | 200 | Running | $375,005 |
| 4 | 31 | #33 | Ken Schrader | Pontiac | Skoal Bandit | 160/0 | 200 | Running | $312,780 |
| 5 | 12 | #2 | Rusty Wallace | Ford | Miller Lite | 160/5 | 200 | Running | $232,005 |
| 6 | 10 | #36 | Ernie Irvan | Pontiac | Skittles | 150/0 | 200 | Running | $204,500 |
| 7 | 21 | #97 | Chad Little | Ford | John Deere | 146/0 | 200 | Running | $126,980 |
| 8 | 8 | #31 | Mike Skinner | Chevrolet | Lowe's | 147/5 | 200 | Running | $135,005 |
| 9 | 6 | #21 | Michael Waltrip | Chevrolet | CITGO | 138/0 | 200 | Running | $142,005 |
| 10 | 19 | #94 | Bill Elliott | Ford | McDonald's | 134/0 | 200 | Running | $128,455 |
| 11 | 39 | #44 | Kyle Petty | Pontiac | Hot Wheels | 130/0 | 200 | Running | $125,155 |
| 12 | 22 | #4 | Bobby Hamilton | Chevrolet | Kodak MAX Film | 127/0 | 200 | Running | $117,455 |
| 13 | 2 | #5 | Terry Labonte | Chevrolet | Kellogg's Corn Flakes | 129/5 | 200 | Running | $116,005 |
| 14 | 32 | #50 | Ricky Craven | Ford | Budweiser | 121/0 | 200 | Running | $107,710 |
| 15 | 7 | #23 | Jimmy Spencer | Ford | Winston | 118/0 | 200 | Running | $115,555 |
| 16 | 29 | #24 | Jeff Gordon | Chevrolet | DuPont | 120/5 | 200 | Running | $114,730 |
| 17 | 16 | #9 | Lake Speed | Ford | Cartoon Network | 112/0 | 200 | Running | $96,005 |
| 18 | 17 | #43 | John Andretti | Pontiac | STP | 109/0 | 200 | Running | $105,480 |
| 19 | 38 | #28 | Kenny Irwin * | Ford | Texaco/Havoline | 106/0 | 199 | Running | $106,580 |
| 20 | 37 | #16 | Ted Musgrave | Ford | PRIMESTAR | 103/0 | 199 | Running | $101,030 |
| 21 | 26 | #13 | Jerry Nadeau | Chevrolet | FIRSTPLUS Financial | 100/0 | 199 | Running | $87,155 |
| 22 | 3 | #40 | Sterling Marlin | Chevrolet | Coors Light | 102/5 | 199 | Running | $121,305 |
| 23 | 23 | #73 | Mike Wallace | Ford | X1-R | 94/0 | 199 | Running | $85,405 |
| 24 | 42 | #11 | Brett Bodine | Ford | Paychex | 91/0 | 199 | Running | $94,855 |
| 25 | 9 | #22 | Ward Burton | Pontiac | MBNA America | 88/0 | 199 | Running | $98,105 |
| 26 | 28 | #42 | Joe Nemechek | Chevrolet | BellSouth | 90/5 | 199 | Running | $92,380 |
| 27 | 34 | #90 | Dick Trickle | Chevrolet | Heilig-Meyers/Simmons | 82/0 | 198 | Running | $91,005 |
| 28 | 41 | #41 | Steve Grissom | Pontiac | Kodiak | 79/0 | 198 | Running | $90,030 |
| 29 | 18 | #95 | Andy Hillenburg | Chevrolet | Shoney's Inn | 76/0 | 198 | Running | $79,505 |
| 30 | 27 | #75 | Rick Mast | Pontiac | Remington Arms | 73/0 | 197 | Running | $78,355 |
| 31 | 25 | #7 | Geoffrey Bodine | Chevrolet | Philips | 70/0 | 197 | Running | $84,880 |
| 32 | 30 | #77 | Robert Pressley | Ford | Jasper Engine's/Federal-Mogul | 67/0 | 197 | Running | $76,355 |
| 33 | 43 | #17 | Darrell Waltrip | Ford | Speedblock/Builders Square | 64/0 | 196 | Running | $82,005 |
| 34 | 5 | #88 | Dale Jarrett | Ford | Quality Care/ Ford Credit | 61/0 | 196 | Running | $110,805 |
| 35 | 36 | #47 | Billy Standridge | Chevrolet | Fans Can Race | 58/0 | 196 | Running | $73,305 |
| 36 | 35 | #71 | Dave Marcis | Chevrolet | Team Realtree | 55/0 | 193 | Running | $72,230 |
| 37 | 11 | #30 | Derrike Cope | Ford | Gumout | 52/0 | 191 | Running | $80,605 |
| 38 | 15 | #6 | Mark Martin | Ford | Valvoline | 49/0 | 187 | Running | $87,505 |
| 39 | 24 | #98 | Greg Sacks | Ford | Thorn Apple Valley | 46/0 | 173 | Running | $77,430 |
| 40 | 14 | #99 | Jeff Burton | Ford | Exide Batteries | 43/0 | 160 | Engine | $89,205 |
| 41 | 33 | #1 | Steve Park * | Chevrolet | Pennzoil | 40/0 | 158 | Ignition | $70,030 |
| 42 | 40 | #10 | Ricky Rudd | Ford | Tide | 37/0 | 117 | Ignition | $86,480 |
| 43 | 20 | #91 | Kevin Lepage * | Ford | Pionite | 34/0 | 78 | Engine | $70,480 |
| * Denotes Rookie | |||||||||