▁E ST . ▁The ▁conditions ▁on ▁the ▁grid ▁were ▁dry ▁before ▁the ▁race , ▁the ▁air ▁temperature ▁at ▁ ▁with ▁clear ▁sk ies ▁expected . ▁Country ▁music ▁singer ▁Laura ▁Bell ▁Bund y ▁began ▁pre - race ▁cer emon ies , ▁performing ▁the ▁national ▁anth em . ▁Bob ▁Had ley ▁of ▁West side ▁Bapt ist ▁Church ▁in ▁Day ton a ▁Beach , ▁Florida ▁then ▁delivered ▁the ▁inv ocation , ▁and ▁actress ▁Am ber ▁He ard ▁gave ▁the ▁command ▁for ▁drivers ▁to ▁start ▁their ▁engines . ▁ ▁E arn hardt ▁retained ▁his ▁pole ▁position ▁lead ▁into ▁the ▁first ▁corner , ▁but ▁by ▁the ▁conclusion ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁lap , ▁Bow yer ▁was ▁leading . ▁Bow yer ▁remained ▁the ▁leader ▁for ▁the ▁next ▁four ▁la ps ▁with ▁assistance ▁from ▁E arn hardt . ▁On ▁the ▁sixth ▁lap , ▁K ah ne ▁drove ▁to ▁pit ▁road ▁because ▁of ▁problems ▁with ▁his ▁race car . ▁On ▁the ▁following ▁lap , ▁Stewart ▁and ▁Ham lin ▁began ▁to ▁draft ▁with ▁each ▁other ▁while ▁in ▁the ▁third ▁and ▁fourth ▁positions . ▁By ▁lap ▁nine , ▁Johnson ▁had ▁moved ▁up ▁ 1 6 ▁positions ▁into ▁the ▁fifth ▁position . ▁One ▁lap ▁later , ▁Bur ton , ▁with ▁assistance ▁from ▁E arn hardt , ▁moved ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁first ▁position , ▁but ▁on ▁lap ▁ 1 1 , ▁E arn hardt ▁rec laimed ▁the ▁lead . ▁On ▁the ▁tw elf th ▁lap , ▁Stewart ▁became ▁the ▁leader , ▁but ▁after ▁one ▁lap ▁Bur ton ▁rec laimed ▁the ▁first ▁position ▁as ▁Edwards ▁moved ▁up