2007-07-19T17:23:51Z tag:blog.washingtonpost.com,2007:/nascar//80 Copyright (c) 2006, WashingtonPost.Newsweek Interactive 2007-07-19T17:23:51Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2006-02-19:/nascar/2006/02/in_the_superstretch_stands_chi_1.html

I went back to meet up with my peeps back in the Allison Tower grandstand on the Superstretch for today's Daytona 500. I've had seats there since they opened in 1998. Under the Allison grandstand, Duane Mainville, Joe Pagels and I fight off the winter chill during a caution. (Barbara Hannemann - special to washingtonpost.com) Aside from my buddy Joe Pagels, usually the folks in the seats around ours are different every year. To my...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Mike Snyder 2006-10-04T08:00:00Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2006-02-19:/nascar/2006/02/daytona_500_results.html

Congrats to Jimmie Johnson! It wasn't even close to my hoped for outcome, but he's now a Daytona 500 champion. That's a pretty durned exclusive group! At least now he'll have to park that winning car for a year at Daytona USA. ;-) Here are the unofficial race results (courtesy of NASCAR) and the race coverage from washingontonpost.com. What else can I say, watching from the grandstand in the Daytona Superstretch: It was cold and...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Mike Snyder 2006-10-04T08:00:00Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2006-02-19:/nascar/2006/02/post.html

I got a little bit of a late jump-start this morning. I was up past midnight shooting pool and sharing beverages with my buddy Joe Pagels in the Ramada Inn lounge in Titusville, Fla., after spending some time with the campers in the infield. Joe and I worked together for about eight years at a newspaper in Washington. But we can't hang much nowadays since Joe cashed out of his northern Virginia townhome, moved to...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Mike Snyder 2006-10-04T08:00:00Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2006-02-19:/nascar/2006/02/in_the_infield_its_springer_vs.html

Eileen McComb's view from the top in the infield campground between turns 3 and 4 may soon disappear as long-time campers are being priced out. (Mike Snyder - washingtonpost.com) It's David vs. Goliath in the infield. In this case, the little guy is the tent camper; the big guy is the high-rollers in the RV's. Neal Moran's a Brevard County firefighter who hails from Brooklyn, N.Y., originally. He's been coming here for years, parking...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Mike Snyder 2006-10-04T08:00:00Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2006-02-19:/nascar/2006/02/o_canada_well_race_hard_for_th.html

Canada and NASCAR? Why not! I've mentioned in passing in some earlier posts that I've been finding a rather large contingent of Canadian fans here at the speedway. I guess I should say the contingent's larger than I would have expected. If there are any Canadians reading, they probably know what I didn't: NASCAR is huge in the Great White North. In my trek through the infield during the Bush race today, I saw several...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Mike Snyder 2006-10-04T08:00:00Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2006-02-19:/nascar/2006/02/sundays_trivia_question.html

In honor of the late, great Dale Earnhardt, I'll make this question a tribute to him as we mark the fifth year since he lost his life on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. Dale Earnhardt is Daytona Internation Speedway's winningest driver of all time. He won here 34 times over his legendary career. How many Daytona 500's did he run in before he finally won in 1998? I'm heading to the backstretch...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Mike Snyder 2006-10-04T08:00:00Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2006-02-18:/nascar/2006/02/from_an_alaskan_fishing_trawle.html

I talked today to a fan camped in the infield who traveled farther to attend Speedweek than anyone I'd met yet. Matt Baird made the trip from White Salmon, Wash., in the Columbia River Gorge. Matt Baird, camped out in the infield. (Mike Snyder - washingtonpost.com) Considering that Matt works for Trident Seafoods, trawling for pollock in the frigid Alaskan waters, I think it makes his trip that much more special. It's Matt's first Daytona...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Mike Snyder 2006-10-04T08:00:00Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2006-02-18:/nascar/2006/02/paying_to_park.html

Dan Snyder, eat your heart out! Ever since 1997, when I first started coming to Daytona for the 500 weekend, the cost of parking in private lots across from the track has been jacked up by $5 to $10 each year. I think we paid about $10 or $15 the first year on the day of the 500. Last year we paid either $50 or $60. It's usually a dime less on Busch race days....Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Mike Snyder 2006-10-04T08:00:00Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2006-02-18:/nascar/2006/02/stewart_wins_kissables_in_fron.html

Tony Stewart won the Hershey's Kissables 300 today, driving around and away from the pack during an intense five-lap shootout at the end of the Busch race. In and of itself, that was really something to watch after the frontrunners had run nearly three straight laps three-wide. It got crazier. Right as Stewart crossed the finish line, the cars running sixth and seveth got tangled up, causing a wreck that reminded me of a pinball...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Mike Snyder 2006-10-04T08:00:00Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2006-02-18:/nascar/2006/02/more_speedweek_photos.html

Superfan Jim Ruda Jr. sent me some more Speedweeks photos. Here's one of them. Click continue for another, along with a shot I took of some fans I met under the Roberts grandstand on the front stretch. Pork Racing's California USAC Midget driver, Jenna Frazier was in the garage area during Speedweeks. (Jim Ruda Jr. - special for washingtonpost.com)...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Mike Snyder 2006-10-04T08:00:00Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2006-02-18:/nascar/2006/02/maryland_drivers_toughest_race.html

Sometimes it just pays to be lucky. Jim Long's "do" says it all. (Mike Snyder - washingtonpost.com) As I was heading out to interview Busch driver Donnie Neuenberger, who was raised in Brandywine and lives in Edgewater, Md., I ran into another Marylander, Jim Long of Ellicott City. Check out Jim's "do," and you'll know why I had to stop to ask him a few questions.. Not every fan is willing to go the extra...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Mike Snyder 2006-10-04T08:00:00Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2006-02-18:/nascar/2006/02/results_craftsman_truck_race_b.html

Mark Martin won the Daytona 250 Craftsman Truck series race from the pole position. Ted Musgrave said afterward that he and teammate Todd Bodine had a plan to pick off Martin after a late-race caution that led to a green-white-checker flag situation. Their plans were undone when Ron Hornaday's spin out that caused a wreck and brought out the yellow flag. Sounds like sour grapes to me. The fans love Mark, so they got what...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Mike Snyder 2006-10-04T08:00:00Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2006-02-17:/nascar/2006/02/saturdays_trivia_question.html

It's Hershey's Kissable's 300 day, so I've got a Busch race question for y'all: Which driver holds the records for most career starts, most consecutive starts and most starts before winning? This one's a bit of a toughie, so I'll give you a hint: It's as red as the nose on your face. And how about a bonus question today: Which driver holds these records: Most times completing all 300 miles, most miles completed, most...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Mike Snyder 2006-10-04T08:00:00Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2006-02-17:/nascar/2006/02/diggin_in_at_daytona.html

Daytona International Speedway is several miles from the beach -- but when they first started racing stock cars in Daytona, half the course was actually on the beach. That may be why sand sculpture is part of the scene during Speedweek. Suzanne Altamare of Daytona Beach and Carl Jara of Cleveland update their sculptures every day during Speedweeks. (Mike Snyder - washingtonpost.com) This year, the speedway has trucked tons of sand into the infield Fan...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Mike Snyder 2006-10-04T08:00:00Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2006-02-17:/nascar/2006/02/race_at_the_races.html

Last night, as I was leaving Daytona Beach to get back to my motel, there was an incident that really disturbed me. I was driving west on International Speedway Boulevard, right in front of the track. As I pulled up to a red light, there were a couple of guys sitting in the bed of a pickup truck next to me. They were laughing and shouting, it looked like they'd had a long, fun day...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Mike Snyder