Raceway Rant
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Dale Jr. Fans
Lynne Tibbet
There is no doubt NASCAR fans are some of the most passionate, but things were taken to a new level during pre-event ceremonies on Thursday at the Gatorade Duels in Daytona.
A Dale Earnhardt Jr. fan, decked out head-to-toe in Amp gear, reached down and pulled a big clump of grass out of the infield. That's the area in front of the start-finish line with the big Daytona 500 logo in it. He put the grass in a bag that was already filled with souvenirs. It was a Kodak moment, that's for sure.
It was very cool today at the track as 26 past champions of the Daytona 500 came into the media center to chat with the press. It's the 50th anniversary of the race and this was part of the celebration. Bobby Allison, Cale Yarborough, Ernie Irvan, Mario Andretti. They were all there reminiscing.
In other Daytona sightings, there were fried bologna sandwiches on sale in the vendor midway area. I didn't have the courage to try one. I did try a Slim Jim....and some Tums shortly thereafter. Keep an eye on the commercials during the race on Sunday. Rumor in the garage is that they are pretty awesome. I believe 20-25 drivers will be featured in a variety of spots, including Dale Jr. fending off a gorilla to help promote his new sponsor, Amp. Plan your trips to the fridge strategically!
