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CNN Live At Daybreak

Need for Speed: 2 Days Till Daytona

Aired February 13, 2004 - 06:49   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: For Chad Myers and other motor racing fans, Sunday is arguably one of the biggest days of the year, it is the Daytona 500. And this year it is a whole new ballgame, OK, race, whatever.
I'm surrounded by guys, they are all here to talk about the Daytona 500. We have a lot going on this morning and everybody wants to talk about it, including Chris Cotter with 790 "The Zone" and Chad, of course. And also Steve Overmyer is joining us live this morning in Daytona.

Steve, what's going on down there? The weather doesn't look too bad right now.

STEVE OVERMYER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know it's -- right now it's all right. We're just hoping we don't get any rain on Sunday, especially for the big race. And I think a lot of people are wondering, you know, why do you put the biggest race of the year at the beginning of the season? It's almost like asking to put the Super Bowl early on in the year or the World Series in spring training.

But I'm telling you, this is the biggest event in NASCAR, it's the biggest event in racing and everybody is ready for the Daytona 500. Yesterday they got their last chance to actually get some competitive racing in in the Twin 125s, which is really a race before the race. It's a qualifying race to set the starting grid for the Daytona 500.

A lot of people will be questioning well is the -- is this prestige of the Daytona 500 going to fall away, especially with the new point system that adds a lot of emphasis to the end of the season? But no, this is the Super Bowl of NASCAR and a win here can pretty much make a career.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DALE JARRETT, 3-TIME DAYTONA 500 CHAMPION: This isn't just a race for the United States. I mean this is worldwide. This is paid attention to around the world. So it's pretty cool.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GREG BIFFLE, DAYTONA 500 POLE SITTER: Getting the pole, a lot of people have told me, the veterans, you know getting the pole for the Daytona 500, that trophy, that you know Bud Pole trophy on their mantle is one that they always remember. So I'm excited about that to be starting on the front row of the Daytona 500. It's a big, big deal.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BOBBY LABONTE, 2000 NASCAR CHAMPION: There's a lot of work that goes into it. And then all of a sudden Sunday comes around to the Daytona 500. And we've seen cars get tore up on the first laps to later on in the race and big wrecks that tear 20 cars. But then when we leave here, we still have got 37 more races to go or 36 more races to go, whatever it is. So it's like it's a big deal, but you know in the big scheme of things for the end of the year, it's not.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

OVERMYER: No, it really is a big deal. I mean it's a big deal when the president is here. President Bush is going to be making an appearance on Sunday. Really not that much of a stretch, because pretty much all of the garage, I think, is Republican.

Catherine, I'm telling you, this -- back in 1992 -- I mean I don't think that's much of a stretch. Back in 1992, his father actually made this same drive down here to Daytona, and it didn't exactly work out for him in the -- in his bid for reelection. I'm sure that the son is hoping for a better outcome, at least in that respect.

CALLAWAY: Yes, well, you know you still -- it's hard to stay away from the Daytona 500, a lot of fun down there.

Chris Cotter, you know we were talking a little bit about the changes this year. We heard about the point system and all that, but what about the tires?

CHRIS COTTER, AM 790 "THE ZONE": Well that's going to be a big thing, actually. NASCAR and Goodyear got together in the off season and decided to try and do something on the, you know, restrictor plate races and superspeedways to try and make the racing a little more exciting.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Follow the leader.

CALLAWAY: Yes.

COTTER: Yes, previously it's just been get in line and if you...

CALLAWAY: Stay that way.

COTTER: ... if you dare to get out of line, you go all the way to the back. So they made a softer tire this year. And what they are hoping that does is it will stretch the field out a little bit and get people jostling for position a little bit more and make the racing a little bit more exciting. Because you know at Daytona and Talladega, usually what you get is everyone just kind of watching and waiting for the big wreck to happen...

MYERS: Right.

COTTER: ... because everyone is so close and in tight.

MYERS: And here is the big one.

COTTER: Yes, it makes for more racing and instead of waiting for the big wreck.

CALLAWAY: Yes, waiting for a tire to blow just to see some kind of change in the lineup.

MYERS: Also, smaller gas tanks, too. I mean we had these last year, only 13 gallons. The window is much smaller. You can't go as far. The tire is going to be less of an issue on Sunday than it was yesterday. It was hot. It was 84 degrees yesterday. It's going to rain all day Sunday. It's going to be cooler on Sunday. I think the tire will hold up a lot better.

CALLAWAY: What about Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the restrictor plate dominance that we hear so much about, is that really going to play a role here?

COTTER: Well Dale...

CALLAWAY: Is he untouchable?

COTTER: DEI, Dale Earnhardt Incorporated, with Michael Waltrip, who has won two of the last three, and now Dale Earnhardt Jr., together they have won 9 of the last 12 restrictor place races whether at Daytona or Talladega. They have dominated. I think that they are certainly the favorites, although this particular race I think you will also see some other veterans like maybe a Rusty Wallace, maybe a Mark Martin who has had a very good week...

MYERS: Could. Yes, he's got...

COTTER: ... play a role.

MYERS: He's got motor sputtering problems. And all that Yates Rausch (ph) motor thing is starting to sputter in the corners and they don't know why. They have changed about everything. When they get out of the corner, the car starts to, well, basically get flatulent on the corners, and it's not running well. Basically that's what it sounds like inside the car.

CALLAWAY: Well...

MYERS: My prediction...

CALLAWAY: Yes.

MYERS: ... Dale Earnhardt, Michael Waltrip, DEI, they lead all but four laps of the race. COTTER: And dominate like they have been. And Dale Earnhardt, by the way, Dale Earnhardt Jr. turning 30 this year. So it's kind of like...

CALLAWAY: Wow, so young.

MYERS: He's like this big.

COTTER: I know.

CALLAWAY: Yes.

COTTER: His father already had a championship by the time he was 30d so maybe it's Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s time to kind of come of age a little bit.

CALLAWAY: We're running out of time here, but I have got to talk about Bobby Labonte and this "Passion of Christ" car. You know representing the movie is going to be interesting going around the track, isn't it?

COTTER: Well it's Interstate Batteries is also having some type of sponsorship with the movie as well. And that's his main sponsor, so that's why the tie-in is there. But I'll tell you, this year you know NASCAR has been growing in popularity so much, but this year there are some established drivers looking for sponsorship.

MYERS: Yes.

COTTER: The money is not there as much as it has been in previous years.

MYERS: But you know what, the AOL car is doing well.

COTTER: And that's what is very important around these parts, I understand, right?

CALLAWAY: Well let's just hope it all goes.

MYERS: That's right.

CALLAWAY: I hope the weather doesn't interfere. All right.

COTTER (?): All right.

CALLAWAY: Chris Cotter, thank you for being with us this morning.

COTTER: Sure. Thank you (ph).

CALLAWAY: Chad, thanks for coming up.

MYERS: Sure, no problem.

CALLAWAY: Chad, I know how much you love NASCAR.

MYERS: I do.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com








Aired February 13, 2004 - 06:49   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: For Chad Myers and other motor racing fans, Sunday is arguably one of the biggest days of the year, it is the Daytona 500. And this year it is a whole new ballgame, OK, race, whatever.
I'm surrounded by guys, they are all here to talk about the Daytona 500. We have a lot going on this morning and everybody wants to talk about it, including Chris Cotter with 790 "The Zone" and Chad, of course. And also Steve Overmyer is joining us live this morning in Daytona.

Steve, what's going on down there? The weather doesn't look too bad right now.

STEVE OVERMYER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know it's -- right now it's all right. We're just hoping we don't get any rain on Sunday, especially for the big race. And I think a lot of people are wondering, you know, why do you put the biggest race of the year at the beginning of the season? It's almost like asking to put the Super Bowl early on in the year or the World Series in spring training.

But I'm telling you, this is the biggest event in NASCAR, it's the biggest event in racing and everybody is ready for the Daytona 500. Yesterday they got their last chance to actually get some competitive racing in in the Twin 125s, which is really a race before the race. It's a qualifying race to set the starting grid for the Daytona 500.

A lot of people will be questioning well is the -- is this prestige of the Daytona 500 going to fall away, especially with the new point system that adds a lot of emphasis to the end of the season? But no, this is the Super Bowl of NASCAR and a win here can pretty much make a career.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DALE JARRETT, 3-TIME DAYTONA 500 CHAMPION: This isn't just a race for the United States. I mean this is worldwide. This is paid attention to around the world. So it's pretty cool.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GREG BIFFLE, DAYTONA 500 POLE SITTER: Getting the pole, a lot of people have told me, the veterans, you know getting the pole for the Daytona 500, that trophy, that you know Bud Pole trophy on their mantle is one that they always remember. So I'm excited about that to be starting on the front row of the Daytona 500. It's a big, big deal.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BOBBY LABONTE, 2000 NASCAR CHAMPION: There's a lot of work that goes into it. And then all of a sudden Sunday comes around to the Daytona 500. And we've seen cars get tore up on the first laps to later on in the race and big wrecks that tear 20 cars. But then when we leave here, we still have got 37 more races to go or 36 more races to go, whatever it is. So it's like it's a big deal, but you know in the big scheme of things for the end of the year, it's not.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

OVERMYER: No, it really is a big deal. I mean it's a big deal when the president is here. President Bush is going to be making an appearance on Sunday. Really not that much of a stretch, because pretty much all of the garage, I think, is Republican.

Catherine, I'm telling you, this -- back in 1992 -- I mean I don't think that's much of a stretch. Back in 1992, his father actually made this same drive down here to Daytona, and it didn't exactly work out for him in the -- in his bid for reelection. I'm sure that the son is hoping for a better outcome, at least in that respect.

CALLAWAY: Yes, well, you know you still -- it's hard to stay away from the Daytona 500, a lot of fun down there.

Chris Cotter, you know we were talking a little bit about the changes this year. We heard about the point system and all that, but what about the tires?

CHRIS COTTER, AM 790 "THE ZONE": Well that's going to be a big thing, actually. NASCAR and Goodyear got together in the off season and decided to try and do something on the, you know, restrictor plate races and superspeedways to try and make the racing a little more exciting.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Follow the leader.

CALLAWAY: Yes.

COTTER: Yes, previously it's just been get in line and if you...

CALLAWAY: Stay that way.

COTTER: ... if you dare to get out of line, you go all the way to the back. So they made a softer tire this year. And what they are hoping that does is it will stretch the field out a little bit and get people jostling for position a little bit more and make the racing a little bit more exciting. Because you know at Daytona and Talladega, usually what you get is everyone just kind of watching and waiting for the big wreck to happen...

MYERS: Right.

COTTER: ... because everyone is so close and in tight.

MYERS: And here is the big one.

COTTER: Yes, it makes for more racing and instead of waiting for the big wreck.

CALLAWAY: Yes, waiting for a tire to blow just to see some kind of change in the lineup.

MYERS: Also, smaller gas tanks, too. I mean we had these last year, only 13 gallons. The window is much smaller. You can't go as far. The tire is going to be less of an issue on Sunday than it was yesterday. It was hot. It was 84 degrees yesterday. It's going to rain all day Sunday. It's going to be cooler on Sunday. I think the tire will hold up a lot better.

CALLAWAY: What about Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the restrictor plate dominance that we hear so much about, is that really going to play a role here?

COTTER: Well Dale...

CALLAWAY: Is he untouchable?

COTTER: DEI, Dale Earnhardt Incorporated, with Michael Waltrip, who has won two of the last three, and now Dale Earnhardt Jr., together they have won 9 of the last 12 restrictor place races whether at Daytona or Talladega. They have dominated. I think that they are certainly the favorites, although this particular race I think you will also see some other veterans like maybe a Rusty Wallace, maybe a Mark Martin who has had a very good week...

MYERS: Could. Yes, he's got...

COTTER: ... play a role.

MYERS: He's got motor sputtering problems. And all that Yates Rausch (ph) motor thing is starting to sputter in the corners and they don't know why. They have changed about everything. When they get out of the corner, the car starts to, well, basically get flatulent on the corners, and it's not running well. Basically that's what it sounds like inside the car.

CALLAWAY: Well...

MYERS: My prediction...

CALLAWAY: Yes.

MYERS: ... Dale Earnhardt, Michael Waltrip, DEI, they lead all but four laps of the race. COTTER: And dominate like they have been. And Dale Earnhardt, by the way, Dale Earnhardt Jr. turning 30 this year. So it's kind of like...

CALLAWAY: Wow, so young.

MYERS: He's like this big.

COTTER: I know.

CALLAWAY: Yes.

COTTER: His father already had a championship by the time he was 30d so maybe it's Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s time to kind of come of age a little bit.

CALLAWAY: We're running out of time here, but I have got to talk about Bobby Labonte and this "Passion of Christ" car. You know representing the movie is going to be interesting going around the track, isn't it?

COTTER: Well it's Interstate Batteries is also having some type of sponsorship with the movie as well. And that's his main sponsor, so that's why the tie-in is there. But I'll tell you, this year you know NASCAR has been growing in popularity so much, but this year there are some established drivers looking for sponsorship.

MYERS: Yes.

COTTER: The money is not there as much as it has been in previous years.

MYERS: But you know what, the AOL car is doing well.

COTTER: And that's what is very important around these parts, I understand, right?

CALLAWAY: Well let's just hope it all goes.

MYERS: That's right.

CALLAWAY: I hope the weather doesn't interfere. All right.

COTTER (?): All right.

CALLAWAY: Chris Cotter, thank you for being with us this morning.

COTTER: Sure. Thank you (ph).

CALLAWAY: Chad, thanks for coming up.

MYERS: Sure, no problem.

CALLAWAY: Chad, I know how much you love NASCAR.

MYERS: I do.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com