The Latest: NASCAR’s Brian France warns field about blocking
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) The Latest on the Daytona 500 (all times local):
NASCAR chairman Brian France issued a stern warning to drivers about blocking during the pre-race meeting for the Daytona 500.
France rarely wades into competition issues, but used his time at the microphone to warn the field that NASCAR will not interject if a driver tries to block another and it goes wrong.
”Blocking is part of racing,” France told drivers. ”It causes big crashes. When you block somebody, you better hope there is a good Samaritan behind you.”
In other words, NASCAR won’t penalize a driver who wrecks someone trying to block.
Blocking caused multiple accidents in the Truck Series and Xfinity Series season openers at Daytona earlier this week.
– Jenna Fryer
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11:50 a.m.
Daytona 500 crasher!
Owen Wilson might need more time to rehearse his lines as the race’s grand marshal. Wilson’s quip that he should have an easy time instructing drivers to start their engines for the Daytona 500 backfired when he messed up one of the key words.
”Well, yeah, um, it shouldn’t be too tricky. I think it’s, `Racers, start your engines?”’ Wilson said.
Told it was, ”drivers,” Wilson cracked, ”Oh, see, I already made a mistake.”
Rule (hash)76: No excuses. Give the command like a champion! Luckily for him, he gets a second take.
Wilson will voice Lightning McQueen in the upcoming movie ”Cars 3.” Wilson said his former ”Cars” co-star Paul Newman would have been the actor that would have been the best NASCAR driver. Newman, who died in 2008, was a passionate race fan, driver and team owner.
”I just saw a documentary on his racing and he seemed to have almost more of a passion for that than the stuff he was doing in the movies,” Wilson said.
Wilson received some Daytona tips from ”Wedding Crashers” co-star Vince Vaughn, who served as grand marshal two years ago.
”His big tip was not to watch his YouTube clip of him doing it because why see perfection?” Wilson said.
With ”Zoolander 2” out of the running for an Oscar, Wilson picked ”La La Land” as the favorite to win some awards in tonight’s ceremony.
”That `La La Land’ I thought was pretty good,” he said. ”I went in seeing that, I was like, `I don’t know how much I’ll like a musical.’ But I felt that one was good pretty. And then, umm, yeah.”
– Dan Gelston
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11:45 a.m.
A star-studded lineup of actors, musicians and celebrities is usually on hand for the Daytona 500. A handful of them have definitive roles for the season opener.
There are always a few more just taking in NASCAR biggest event.
The list this year includes actor Keanu Reeves, former NFL coach Rex Ryan, Hall of Fame outfielder Ken Griffey Jr., celebrity chef Guy Fieri, comedian Nate Bargatze, UFC fighter Anthony ”Rumble” Johnson, rapper Waka Flocka Flame, hip hop disc jockey DJ Whoo Kid and Olympic gold medalist Laurie Hernandez, a gymnast…