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CNN Sunday Morning

Weather May Affect Daytona 500

Aired February 16, 2003 - 10:16   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.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: In usually sunny Florida concerns that the not so sunny weather may be affecting the running of NASCAR's Daytona 500 today. Heightened security is in place for this year's event, which kicks off the NASCAR racing season. And CNN's Josie Karp is there with the very latest.
Is it raining yet, Josie?

JOSIE KARP, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Not yet, Fredricka. You know the rain and the weather is the potential villain here today. As for the favorite, we know who that is. It's Dale Earnhardt, Jr. He's won just about every race that there is to win here during Daytona's speed week.

And at 28 years old, he's in position to possibly win the Daytona 500 for the first time. He will start in the front row. And this week he expressed a lot of ambivalence about the fact that he might have a chance to do this so early in his career. Obviously, he has a very strong connection to this track. Everyone remembers that his father died here during a wreck at the Daytona 500 two years ago. But growing up, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. watched his father become a premiere driver of his generation, but still struggled to win here at the track. He finally won the Daytona 500 in 1998. And again, Dale, Jr. is the favorite to win if they can get the race in today.

We mentioned the weather. It is not raining right now, but the forecast calls for rain -- intermittent rain all afternoon long. The race is scheduled to have a green flag drop at 1:28. And the forecast says there are probably going to be showers around that time. These cars go around the track at about 198 miles an hour. Clearly, it must be completely dry. They have mechanisms in place to dry the track. It could be delayed, but it also could be postponed until tomorrow.

The 200,000 fans who are expected to come through the gates today are hoping, of course, that the race goes off without a hitch. Security measures are tight for those fans. Today, they were not only looking underneath cars that were entering with a mirror, they were also for the first time opening up the trunks and taking a look inside. According to our security expert and reporter, Mike Brooks, there's a lot more vigilance today when it comes to checking in coolers and all of the security measures that they do have in place. Again, they're hoping, of course, that there's no problem security wise and that this race, Fredricka, does actually go off today -- back to you.

WHITFIELD: And Josie, just from the video it looks like people -- the fans are cooperative and very understanding of the security measures. Everyone seems to be taking it in straight there.

KARP: It looks like they are and one of the reasons they seem to be moving relatively quickly, people prepared for a very long day. Even under the best of circumstances at all of the different speedways, they know to get in early, find your seat, have a drink and get ready to wait.

WHITFIELD: All right, Josie Karp in Daytona. Well, hopefully, the rain will hold off. It would be a shame to have to postpone the big start-off. All right, thanks a lot.

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 16, 2003 - 10:16   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: In usually sunny Florida concerns that the not so sunny weather may be affecting the running of NASCAR's Daytona 500 today. Heightened security is in place for this year's event, which kicks off the NASCAR racing season. And CNN's Josie Karp is there with the very latest.
Is it raining yet, Josie?

JOSIE KARP, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Not yet, Fredricka. You know the rain and the weather is the potential villain here today. As for the favorite, we know who that is. It's Dale Earnhardt, Jr. He's won just about every race that there is to win here during Daytona's speed week.

And at 28 years old, he's in position to possibly win the Daytona 500 for the first time. He will start in the front row. And this week he expressed a lot of ambivalence about the fact that he might have a chance to do this so early in his career. Obviously, he has a very strong connection to this track. Everyone remembers that his father died here during a wreck at the Daytona 500 two years ago. But growing up, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. watched his father become a premiere driver of his generation, but still struggled to win here at the track. He finally won the Daytona 500 in 1998. And again, Dale, Jr. is the favorite to win if they can get the race in today.

We mentioned the weather. It is not raining right now, but the forecast calls for rain -- intermittent rain all afternoon long. The race is scheduled to have a green flag drop at 1:28. And the forecast says there are probably going to be showers around that time. These cars go around the track at about 198 miles an hour. Clearly, it must be completely dry. They have mechanisms in place to dry the track. It could be delayed, but it also could be postponed until tomorrow.

The 200,000 fans who are expected to come through the gates today are hoping, of course, that the race goes off without a hitch. Security measures are tight for those fans. Today, they were not only looking underneath cars that were entering with a mirror, they were also for the first time opening up the trunks and taking a look inside. According to our security expert and reporter, Mike Brooks, there's a lot more vigilance today when it comes to checking in coolers and all of the security measures that they do have in place. Again, they're hoping, of course, that there's no problem security wise and that this race, Fredricka, does actually go off today -- back to you.

WHITFIELD: And Josie, just from the video it looks like people -- the fans are cooperative and very understanding of the security measures. Everyone seems to be taking it in straight there.

KARP: It looks like they are and one of the reasons they seem to be moving relatively quickly, people prepared for a very long day. Even under the best of circumstances at all of the different speedways, they know to get in early, find your seat, have a drink and get ready to wait.

WHITFIELD: All right, Josie Karp in Daytona. Well, hopefully, the rain will hold off. It would be a shame to have to postpone the big start-off. All right, thanks a lot.

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