By Brian Bielanski, Editor

(RacingWire) – It is the type of story Hollywood dreams of writing. Ten years to the day after the death of his best friend and mentor, Michael Waltrip returned to victory lane at the track where he won the Daytona 500 while tragedy struck Dale Earnhardt Sr.

Waltrip, driving a black No. 15 Toyota Tundra slingshot past Elliot Sadler coming out of turn four on the final lap to win the NextEra Energy Resources 250 Camping World Truck Series race at Daytona International Speedway.

Waltrip is competing in all three NASCAR races at Daytona to honor his fallen friend. “I came here to celebrate his life with my black truck and my No. 15 car,” said Waltrip. “I didn’t come here to celebrate a win.”

Sadler had led much of the last 20 laps leading up to a caution for a huge wreck with four laps to go which took many of the contending cars from third place back.

Sadler and Waltrip's second place truck were in front of the wreck and led the field to a green, white checkered finish after a brief red flag stoppage to clean up the carnage.

Waltrip set up Sadler for a classic Daytona slingshot move to take the victory. “I went to victory lane to congratulate him,” Sadler said, “and I said to Michael, ‘If anyone deserves to win a race today, you do.’ ”

Sadler finished second and Clay Rogers, Miguel Paludo and Kyle Busch rounded out the top five.

Jennifer Jo Cobb's sixth place finish is the best finish for a woman in truck series history.

The win was Waltrip's first in the truck series putting him a small class of drivers who have won races in each of NASCAR's top three series.

During the final laps in the race the right side of the rear spoiler collapsed on Waltrip's truck.  It appears as though the problem was due to a parts failure.

If NASCAR finds there is a reason to penalize the team the series usually allows the win to stand and levies points and fines in the week following the event.