Notes: Passing time, planning to pave

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – This was no ordinary Daytona 500.

AJ Allmendinger's team played video games on the flat-screen TVs behind their pit box. Crew members for Bobby Labonte tossed a football on pit road.

Drivers and crew members did anything they could to keep busy during a long delay Sunday after a pothole in the pavement forced two red flags, including one that lasted well over an hour, making for a wacky time at Daytona International Speedway.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. started the fun on his radio while parked on pit road before drivers were allowed out.

"You know who the all-time career hits leader is in baseball?" he asked.

"I'm not a baseball fan," crew chief Lance McGrew said.

"Pete Rose, man," Earnhardt said. "You know who the all-time steals leader is? Rickey Henderson."

McGrew responded, "You have been listening to Dale Earnhardt, baseball trivia."

All this during NASCAR's biggest race? No joke.

The initial fix took 1 hour, 40 minutes, and the drivers then completed 36 laps on the repaired superspeedway before the patchwork broke up. The second repair lasted 44 minutes.

Some drivers snacked on potato chips and sodas when they left the cockpit during the longer wait. Tony Stewart went up to his crew chief's tower and used a laptop, appearing to look over race information. Mark Martin spent the time beefing up on protein bars.

Apparently it wasn't enough.

"I should have had a meal when they stopped the thing," Martin said later. "That's a long time to go without a meal."

EARLY EXIT: Cars were running at Daytona International Speedway with the race red-flagged Sunday.

Just not on the track.

During two long delays to repair a pothole in the pavement at the Daytona 500, the real action was in the parking lot. Many in attendance bolted before the race was over, while other frustrated fans stayed behind.

"Everybody was disgusted," said 54-year-old Craig Wood, who moved to the infield to watch after much of the grandstands filtered out.

Wood was debating how long he would stay. He was with friend Chet Boraski, 64, but was getting hit with continuous text messages from others poking fun at the long wait.

"Hey old timer, you're going to have to take a nap to finish this race," one read.

"Guess that stimulus money hasn't come yet for Daytona," another wrote.

Those who stuck around withstood temperatures dipping into the mid-40s. Some covered up with blankets and sweaters, others used the time to drink a little more beer and sing melodies.

The loudest cheer came after driver Carl Edwards was doing an interview over the track's loudspeakers and proclaimed, "We need to go race."

Those who didn't leave were treated with a thrilling finish.

Jamie McMurray eventually won more than six hours after the start, holding off a furious push by Dale Earnhardt Jr.

"What can you do?" Boraski said. "Things happen."

The 2½-mile, high-banked superspeedway was last paved in 1978 and is scheduled for a $20 million repaving in 2012. But officials said it could be moved up if necessary.

Daytona International Speedway president Robin Braig apologized to fans for the long delays and said he didn't blame those who left early. He said he will do everything he can to ensure delays won't occur again.

SPARK PLUGS:

There were a Daytona 500-record 21 leaders.

McMurray led the final two laps, the fewest ever for a Daytona 500 winner.

There was 52 lead changes, third most in race history.

Fox Sports sold out advertising slots for the Daytona 500, selling close to 85 units at prices between $500,000 to $550,000.

Atlanta Motor Speedway will sell 2,000 tickets to the Kobalt Tools 500 for just $1 to commemorate McMurray's win. The first 1,000 tickets will be available to fans in line at the speedway's box office, while a second 1,000 tickets will be made available at 9 a.m. to phone and online customers.