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CNN Saturday Morning News
Racers Prepare for Daytona 500
Aired February 16, 2002 - 09:20 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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Big day ahead tomorrow in NASCAR racing. The gentlemen, and a woman, will start their engines at the Daytona 500 12:30 Eastern time.
CNNSI's Johnny Phelps joins us now from Daytona Beach, Florida, with the latest. You in Daytona Beach, or Daytona?
JOHN PHELPS, CNN/SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: Daytona Beach. The speedway is right in Daytona Beach, Miles.
O'BRIEN: Is it on the beach, or is it -- Oh, yes, I guess it is. All right. Anyway...
PHELPS: Well, it's inland a bit.
O'BRIEN: OK. Anyhow, it's nice to see you, sir. This is -- you know Johnny specializes in NASCAR, for those of you who don't tune in to CNNSI regularly. This is the big event for you. I hope you're having a good time down there.
PHELPS: It's been quite a busy week, Miles. I'll tell you, the story line primarily has been the speed of the Chevys and Pontiacs, the lack of speed of the Fords, and the Dodges somewhere in between. The GM cars have been dominant throughout the week.
So in order to sort of level the playing field, NASCAR has granted the Fords a quarter-inch reduction in the rear spoiler twice, and that is the third -- twice this week. That's the third time since January testing. The Dodges were also granted a quarter-inch reduction in the spoiler.
What that means, it eliminates the drag of the car as it's moving through the air. It also does not make the car as stable. So stability and handling is a problem when you reduce the size of the spoiler.
Two 26-year-old drivers are going to be on the front row driving Chevrolets. They're both driving their first Daytona 500, Jimmy Johnson on the pole and Kevin Harvick on the outside. But most people feel the winner of the race is going to come from the next two rows, Jeff Gordon and Michael Waltrip, who won the twin 125 qualifying races on Thursday, start on row two, and they are both former champions. Gordon has won it twice, Waltrip won it last year. And then on row three, Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Stewart has won two races down here this week, he won the Bud Shootout on Sunday, the IROC race yesterday, the International Race of Champions, and Dale Earnhardt, Jr., won the last race here at Daytona last July, the Pepsi 400.
So most people feel those are the favorites to watch.
Two historical notes regarding the Daytona 500 this year. Dave Marcus, who turns 61 on March 1, is going to be driving his 33rd 500, and Shawna Robinson has qualified as the second woman to drive in the 500. Janet Guthrie was the first back in 1980.
And as you point out, about 12:30 on Sunday they'll take the green flag for 500 miles -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: Johnny Phelps, I know you'll be enjoying it. I hope -- do you enjoy it, or is it all work for you?
PHELPS: Oh, it's a wonderful time to be here. The week does get a little long as you go. We've been here last Saturday. So you can understand what that's like.
O'BRIEN: Yes, yes. And you got to do all the parties and so forth, for research purposes, right, yes. I know how that goes.
All right, Johnny Phelps, enjoy it. We'll see you tomorrow, OK?
PHELPS: Sure thing.
O'BRIEN: All right.
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