Intensity picks up at Daytona International

By Staff
East Mississippi Group regional sports director Austin Bishop is on assignment at Daytona International Speedway covering the first weekend of Speedweeks. This is the third of four daily installments tracking his experiences.
By Austin Bishop/EMG regional sports director
February 8, 2004
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. Intensity has certainly started to pick up around the Daytona International Speedway.
Access was pretty easy in and out of the infield on Thursday and Friday, but security began to intensify on Saturday perhaps because the big boys were set to race that night as Nextel Cup officially kicked off with the Budweiser Shootout.
But, popping my trunk open so some super sleuth in a rented security uniform could dig around certainly wasn't that much of an inconvenience. And neither was having to produce a photo ID, although I'm not quite sure what the sixth security guy I had to go through was using to compare it to.
Basically if you had a driver's license even if it was of Alice Cooper in full makeup and a pass of some sort, you were on your way.
The day began with a little uncertainty.
Daytona Beach endured a pretty heavy rainstorm on Friday night, although it was nothing more than a rumor to me because I slept right through it.
Not just another day
But by the time I made it to DIS at 8:45 a.m. the blowers were on the track trying to get it dried up in time for the IPOWERacing Dash Series cars to get in the first of two practice sessions on the day.
Things are pretty lenient during the Dash Series and ARCA practice sessions. Access in and out of pit row is open, and if you can find a space you can even sit on pit wall while the drivers try to get their cars dialed in.
But when the Cup guys come out the attitude of security changes. Without a NASCAR "Hot" pass, you must go.
However, that's not really a problem. There are several good spots to watch the track action from the infield. Most of the folks try to find a motorhome or car hauler to climb on top off, but you can also walk into some of the parking areas near the turns and get some great views.
Drivers, drivers everywhere
While walking from the Dash Series garage to the media center and then on to pit row you can find yourself bumping into several of NASCAR's big names.
Cup driver Jeff Green buzzed by in his golfcart at mid-morning, but the folks you seem to see the most are the Pettys.
Kyle Petty may be the most mobile of all of the Cup drivers. There is just no telling where he may show up. In fact he wandered into the Dash Series garage during the week just to say hello to some friends.
Richard Petty was out strolling around in all of his glory on Saturday and he appeared to be a really good guy. Petty was dressed in black from head-to-toe, including his patented cowboy hat, and didn't mind stopping and talking to fans as they approached him.
He still has his smile. I tell you, it's hard not to pull for Petty Enterprises to get back into the winners' circle. Those guys seem like a real class act.
It's getting close to race time, finally
It's about 2 p.m. now and the ARCA Advance Auto Parts 200 is just a couple of hours away. While the ARCA garage is still buzzing, things seem to be a lot more serious as the time to drop the green flag nears.
I'm about to head back over to the IPOWERacing Dash Series garage and see what I can do to help. Those guys are through practicing for the day, but now they must focus on getting set for the IPOWERacing Dash 150, which is set to start on Sunday at 2 p.m. (Central). The race will be shown on SPEED.
I've already made a couple of errand runs for the IPOWERacing officials today. Both times it took me across the street and down the road a bit to Office Max.
That is not nearly as easy as it seems. One of the odd parts is that the shopping center sells parking in their lots for $40 bucks a day. That's right, 40 dollars.
They hand shoppers passes so they can go into the business at no charge, but quite frankly there wasn't a lot of shopping going on Saturday morning and afternoon.
Also, when race time nears, it seems that that the six-lane roads running parralel to the track belong to pedestrians, so the ability to bob and weave is an important one.
But luckily, I didn't pick off any NASCAR fans with my bumper.
But hey, I've still got another day to go, so anything is possible.
That was almost a full-fledged "Mess"
On the way back to the garage I got a chance to see a near 60-year-old woman absolutely swoon over a younger man.
I had just turned out of the main media compound and was headed down the narrow road between the Cup garages and the drivers/owners motorhom parking lot when I saw a lady absolutely shaking. Her eyes were as big and moons and she began shreaking "It's Junior, It's Junior." I absolutley thought she was about to smack the pavement face first.
The man with her, possibly her husband, ignored his shaking companion turned to face the drivers' entrance and said, "Earnhardt? Whur?"
By then he was gone.
As I avoided the giggle session and moved on toward the Dash Series garage and looked to me left and sure enough, there was Dale Earnhardt Jr., making his way toward the garage.
Hey, these NASCAR fans are for real.