Everything that you’ve heard about Daytona is true and then some. I can’t say enough about the size and the scope of that event. It’s like spring break at the Super Bowl for NASCAR fans and the faithful who pack the infield know their way around a cold beverage or two. Every night after our 11:20 live shot for sports we would pack up and head home for a few hours of sleep while the Infield Faithful would just be getting cranked up with the campfires and cold brews. Nothing we saw was out of hand like the crazy stories I’ve heard about Talladega, but it was just a bunch of people having a good time. I can’t tell you how great it is to know that these are the people who we work for, the people who really love sports and share it with their families and friends.

Now, the guys driving along Saturday night with the strobe light, stripper pole and a keg mounted on the bed of the pickup truck -- they looked like they were about to fall out of the truck until police stopped them and politely told them somebody had to get out. The guy with the short straw looked like someone had stolen his puppy.

Another thing that really hit me about the scope of Daytona is the shock on Ryan Newman’s face in victory lane. That is usually a chaotic scene and it was for everyone but Newman himself. He really was stunned at what he had pulled off and that was cool. He admitted it would take some time to sink in and I’ll bet he’s only now getting to that point, two days later.

Hats off to photographer Herman Towe, walking backwards while shooting ahead through the chaos of the post-race garage so we could interview Dale Junior after his 9th place finish. I was behind Junior, stretching the microphone and looking ahead, warning Herman when there was a car or a mass of humanity coming at him from behind. Junior handled the media pack like he hardly noticed. He never seems bothered by the media and that’s a good thing. The pack will only get bigger as he wins more races in the Hendrick No. 88.

I do need to say a hearty, “I’m sorry” to the Fox network crew trying to do post race interviews for the live race broadcast. I was so sure they had already interviewed Kyle Busch after his 4th place for their live broadcast and I started to ask Kyle about the final lap when I heard a loud, “EXCUSE ME!” It was well warranted and I’ll make sure I follow protocol next time.

Special thanks to Raquel and the crew at Barnacles in Daytona Beach. They took pity on us when we came in after closing time and fed us a great meal. I recommend everything about that restaurant, from the food to the service and the friendly people who work there. We had to stay late at the track putting pieces together for the morning show and they took care of us when they didn’t have to. There’s nothing fancy about Barnacles, just really good seafood and nice people.

The aforementioned Herman and his sidekick Ken Corn made it all happen for our Sunday Sports Extra Show. I wanted to thank them on-air, but we ran out of time. They were the backbone of a lot of coverage all week from Daytona and I hope everyone realizes that for every one of us you see on the air, 20 more have to work really hard.

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Everybody wants a shot at Hendrick

The Gibbs vs Hendrick Match of the Century only picked up more steam Saturday.

Tony Stewart was kidding when he used that expression after qualifying, but you can feel two things here at Daytona. Everybody wants a shot at Hendrick, and the Gibbs drivers are sure they're gonna get their shot on Sunday.

We we standing beside JD Gibbs when he hugged his team after Stewart's win in the Camping World 300. From everything we've seen and heard this week today's win will only make the Gibbs gang hungry for more.

In the pits after his 3rd place win Dale Junior actually looked refreshed. It was almost like he had just wrapped up a relaxing day with friends. He's that comfortable with his new Hendrick team and it really showed today after a 3rd place finish every bit as much as it did when he won the Bud Shootout and the Gatorade Duels.

The track was slick today and Kurt Busch educated us on the tires here at Daytona. You can get 40 laps on fuel, but the tires want to blister after 25--28 laps. Watch that strategy play out on Sunday. It will be warm early for fans and I'm sure hot on the track.

Busch was so reserved this morning when we talked with him. He's clearly learned the art of what to say in his quiet moments. I really enjoy talking with him, but we also love it when he tanlges with people like Tony Stewart.

The infield is almost quiet tonight. Everybody who showed up a week ago is catching their breat a little bit before the race Sunday. The campfires are my favorite part. It's great to see all those families together and talking. I'm sure racing comes up, but so does life, too. Those are memories they'll have forever.

Hats off to photographer Herman Towe. The backbone of all our coverage almost hit the wall, but we pulled him back by making fun of him until he laughed today.

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Pushing the limit (Feb. 16)

If you watch golf you’ve seen it more than once: Phil Mickelson or another top player trying not to wince as someone asks one more question about Tiger Woods. Tiger has been so dominant for so long that he is “the topic” every week. Today at Daytona, the “Tiger Rules” have been transferred into the “Junior Rules.”

Kyle Busch said about Junior-mania, “I don’t care. I’m here to beat him.” Jeff Burton gave a great and honest answer when he told us the sport has to be bigger than one person and all of those merchandise sales with No. 88 don’t help anyone but Junior and the vendors doing the selling. I love that Burton would be that honest with us. He’s secure enough to move beyond caring whether people love his opinion or not. This has nothing to do with jealousy, just reality. The “other 42 drivers” are great talents in their own right and they didn’t get here by accepting second place.

It is remarkable how much 88 gear and Amp gear you see here. I knew Junior’s fans were loyal, but thousands have spent more money than I have to completely revamp their race day wardrobes. I never knew that the dark green Amp logo came in so many combinations. One fan today lifted off his new hat to reveal ANOTHER new 88 hat. What a testament to his incredible popularity. As we interviewed Dale in victory lane after the duels he talked about wanting to live up to everything that every one of his fans wants, and he looks more determined and capable than ever.

Who can challenge Junior? Look out for the Toyotas and Kyle Busch. He’s the runaway winner for the most confident man in the garage. Kyle is more relaxed today than I’ve ever seen him and he knows he has the car to win on Sunday. Everyone we talked to today pointed to the 18 car as the best in the field. Maybe this is the beginning of what Jack Roush warned us all about: once Toyota gets it in gear, they have so many resources they’ll be a giant that everyone else won’t be able to handle. It’s hard to imagine teams like Hendrick falling by the wayside, but Toyota is clearly on to something.

Matt Kenseth was matter of fact: If it’s not Gibbs or Hendrick, it will take something strange for anybody else to win. What a statement two days before the biggest race of the year. Can you imagine the Giants saying “it will take a fluke to beat the Patriots”? Beware Toyota.

Last stop

Thanks to everyone for all of their help to get us on the air every day on WCNC. This year we decided to ramp up our coverage in more newscasts all afternoon long. As you watch, picture me running to our location, along with photographers Herman Towe and Ken Corn. We do interviews, race to the satellite truck to edit, run to the live location and hopefully make some sense on the air. It’s tiring and crazy and it’s also a blast. We hope you have as much fun watching as we do trying to juggle it all.

I am pleased to report no parking problems today. I overslept so any issues at the gate would have sunk the ship. We’re off to grab something to eat so we can race back for our Micheal Waltrip story at 11.

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The new Dale Jr. has arrived (Feb. 14)

Every win at Daytona is a big one, even a win in the Gatorade Duels. But anyone expecting the old Dale Jr. to get out of his car today in victory lane was in for a surprise.

At first I thought he might just be worn out after a long week at Daytona and a long night worrying about the new engine his Hendrick team had to put in his car overnight. But as he started to talk with our group in victory lane, it was immediately clear -- this is the day that Dale Jr. fully realized that everything he has ever wanted and worked for in racing is now within his grasp.

Junior talked about the teamwork from everyone at Hendrick to switch out his bad engine overnight. How his initial goal for the week was simply to stay humble and not cause anyone trouble. How his second win in less than a week changes nothing about his ultimate goal, to win the 500 on Sunday. Finally, he summed it up explaining that he wouldn’t have ever imagined that his start at Hendrick could be this good.

More than that, Junior wouldn’t allow himself to believe it could be this good. All those visions and dreams from his fans about multiple championships and thrilling wins might have been beaten down and beaten out of him when he blew a half dozen engines and wrestled with the wrenching decision to leave DEI. How could it go from that disappointing and that exhausting to a win in the Bud Shootout backed up by a win in the Gatorade Duels? The answer is simple: Junior has found his home.

That doesn’t mean that he’s turned his back on his family’s legacy. Instead he’s living one of the great lessons his father taught him. When he was young, Dale Junior would follow his dad to the tracks and Dale Sr. always pointed out the people he could trust in NASCAR. It was a short list, but Rick Hendrick was on it. All the things you’ve heard about the way Hendrick treats his people are true. He understands the value of people and Dale Jr. has quickly understood that it’s all genuine.

Isn’t it amazing what people can do when they feel good about themselves? Toss in a bunch of talent and you get Dale Jr.’s amazing start to 2008. Even if he doesn’t win on Sunday, notice has been served. This is a new Junior. Still great in all the old ways, but more focused than ever. I stood right next to him today in victory lane and I could feel the difference.


Other thoughts from Daytona

Kenny Wallace raced his way into the 500 today. It couldn’t happen to a nicer guy. When I first showed up at a NASCAR track, Kenny welcomed me and showed me the ropes. He always speaks his mind -- and sometimes that’s a “little too always” -- but he’s a shot of energy and joy and we’ll feature his great reaction tonight at 11 p.m.

Last shot -- like many back in Charlotte, I’ve battled the flu this week, so a special thanks to Donna at the Daytona credential office. For some reason, someone decided that no more media could park today at 11:20. We were stopped at the front gate and were turned around and forced to drive back out into traffic. That meant no shot to cover the duels, do my job or keep my job for that matter. No way we could carry the hundreds of pounds of gear that we need (cameras, batteries, tripod, lights, cables, etc). We fought through 45 minutes to traffic one way and were rescued by Donna at the credential office. THANK YOU, DONNA! She gave us a pass that allowed us to bypass all the foul-ups at the gate. We couldn’t have told Dale Jr.’s story without her.

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My first look at Daytona (Feb. 13)

"Did it spill?!?!" It was more of a scream than a question and more of a plea than anything else.

As we looked back in the garage today, I expected some type of catastrophe for somebody's race team. Was it oil or some other vital fluid? Nope. It was lunch. Everyone back in Charlotte can rest easy. Patrick Carpentier's team got their Olive Garden to go, and it looked good, too.

As I walked into the garage at Daytona for the first time today I thought back to my introduction to Humpy Wheeler, almost a year ago to the day. Humpy welcomed me to Charlotte and I told him that NASCAR was one of the main reasons I had moved from Seattle. It's everything it's cracked up to be and more.

And nowhere is it bigger than Daytona. The garages are big, the lines are big and the complex is even bigger. Much more grand in person than what we've all seen on TV.

There is a sense of anticipation that you can feel from the drivers. Dale Jarrett told us today he was tired of talking and ready to race. As short as we all think NASCAR's off-season is, it's way too long for everybody in mid-February.

The great part is that no one is exactly sure what to expect on Sunday. Jimmie Johnson told us you can drive to new car sideways and still save it, so he expects a great show. Others have no idea how the car will handle long runs in big packs. That's what so great about all the off-season "catching up" that everyone told us they'd done with mighty Hendrick in mind. They still don't know and they won't until Sunday.