I just got this e-mail from Kevin Woods, who does PR for Dale Earnhardt Inc.:

“In honor of Dale Earnhardt’s 1998 Daytona 500 victory, Dale Earnhardt Inc. Sprint Cup teams will pay tribute to the legendary driver by standing on pit wall on Lap 3 of the season-opener, holding up three fingers to salute the life, legend and legacy of Dale Earnhardt.“

So keep an eye on that if they show it during the race.

It’s 10:33 a.m. and I’ve been in the press box for a bit, after taking nearly three hours to drive the 32 miles to the track from my hotel. I left my hotel at 7:30 a.m., pulled in a little after 10. Yes, I left 8 hours before the race, and it still took me nearly three hours. There are a LOT of people here.

It’s a gorgeous day, supposed to get up to about 83 degrees, and the garage and infield are already packed. There’s an electricity in the air, and I expect today’s race to really be something special. Here’s hoping!