Welcome race fans!!

Thought we'd give a mention to one of racings biggest events coming this
weekend, the Daytona 500.

Festivities going on all week and we wanted to share a USA today article about the race and so forth.

I'm not a big race fan, but my late father and step mother were and I know they would be perched on the couch or down in Daytona watching the race themselves.

So, enjoy your trip if you are heading down for the race and come back and tell us your stories...

Fast lap leads Jeff Burton to Daytona 500 pole
By Nate Ryan, USA TODAY

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Considering he captures pole positions about as often as America elects presidents, Jeff Burton hadn't forgotten the last time he qualified first in NASCAR's premier series.

"There was a Busch race right after that," he said. "There was no time to celebrate, no time to do anything. (While they were taking photos), I remember thinking, 'I've got to get out of there.' "

The Richard Childress Racing driver had plenty of time to savor the moment Sunday at Daytona International Speedway. He will open his 13th Nextel Cup season at the front of the Daytona 500.

On a blustery day at the 2.5-mile oval, Burton swept to his third career pole — and first in 189 races — with a 189.151-mph lap in the No. 31 Chevrolet. Defending race winner Jeff Gordon's No. 24 Chevy qualified second at 188.877 mph, followed by the Robert Yates Racing Fords of Dale Jarrett and Elliott Sadler.

Only Burton and Gordon locked in their starting spots. The rest of the field for Sunday's 48th running of the Great American Race will be set after two qualifying races Thursday.

"It's a big, big deal to be on that front row," said Gordon, a four-time champion whose crew was shuffled after finishing outside the top 10 in points last year for the first time since 1993. "Sometimes it takes some beatings before you really get things turned around."

Burton, whose previous poles came at Richmond International Raceway in September 2000 and at Michigan International Speedway in August 1996, also is rebuilding.

The South Boston, Va., native is mired in a 148-race winless streak and hasn't been ranked in the top 10 the past four seasons. He won 17 races and was a perennial championship contender for Roush Racing between 1997-2001 but has only nine top-10 finishes since joining Childress' team 50 races ago.

"I'd love to say, 'All's right in the world and everything's perfect from here on out.' But I'm smart enough not to," Burton said. "Hopefully, this isn't the highlight of our year. Today went well, but when they drop the green flag, they don't care who's on the pole anymore."

The qualifying times of Jimmie Johnson's No. 48 Chevrolet and Terry Labonte's No. 96 Chevrolet were disallowed after failing postrace inspections. Johnson had originally qualified fifth, Labonte was 28th. The No. 96 car is owned by Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman.

Both cars will start at the rear in Thursday's qualifying races. NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter left open the possibility that their cars could be confiscated by the governing body. Additional penalties also could follow

NASCAR officials said someone illegally altered the rear window on Johnson's Chevrolet after it passed through pre-qualifying inspection. The infraction was discovered when the car was presented after its qualifying run for a second inspection. Labonte's car was found to have illegal modifications to the carburetor.

Childress had one of the strongest teams in the sport until longtime driver and friend Dale Earnhardt was killed in a crash during the 2001 Daytona 500. Kevin Harvick had a good season for RCR after replacing Earnhardt the following week at Rockingham, but the team has struggled in the years since.

Childress was determined to turn things around, making numerous personnel changes and radically improving the team's equipment since the end of the 2005 season. This was the first big test.

"Yeah, it's emotional," Childress said. "We've struggled for the last few years. We've got to put it all together and we've got to start winning."

The drivers will start Thursday's first qualifying race in the back of the field, but NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter left open the possibility that their cars could be confiscated by the governing body. Additional penalties also could follow.

"These were serious infractions," Jim Hunter said. "I don't think we would disallow the times if this was not serious."

The top 35 teams in last year's standings are guaranteed starting positions in the race, leaving just eight positions for the rest of the entries. The two top-finishing non-qualified drivers from each of the Thursday's races will make the field, along with the fastest remaining drivers from Sunday's time trials.

Among the other big names before the disqualifications, top 2005 rookie Kyle Busch was 10th, followed in 11th by older brother and former series champion Kurt Busch, making his debut for Penske Racing South. Reigning Cup champion Tony Stewart was 18th, 2005 runner-up Greg Biffle 25th, third-place Carl Edwards 26th and fan favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr., 39th.

The fastest of the drivers not guaranteed a starting position was two-time Daytona 500 winner Bill Elliott, eighth at 187.715. Travis Kvapil and Hermie Sadler, 19th and 20th, were next fastest among the entries who must drive into the race.

Those three will make the 43-car field, either by racing in on Thursday or because of their qualifying speeds.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

Daytona 500 lineup

At Daytona International Speedway

Daytona Beach, Fla.

Lap length: 2.5 miles



Good stuff.

Til next time with more spring break and summer events.
Be sure you visit our site www.discount-florida-vacations.com
to find out more of what's going on for your Florida trip.

Joe