NASCAR Notebook

Gibbs still committed to racing, but football is No. 1 right now

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Joe Gibbs walked through the NASCAR garage area Friday, shaking hands, signing autographs and surveying his racing teams.

The stroll stirred memories of Daytona International Speedway. Some good, some bad. None was enough to make him question his decision to return to the NFL's Washington Redskins after a 12-year hiatus.

"It doesn't do me any good to sit back say I'm going to try and figure all this out," Gibbs said Friday, two days before the Daytona 500. "I've never been that way. It's like in racing when I didn't know anything. I just dove in. You learn on the job. It's been a big learning curve."

Gibbs signed a five-year contract last month to coach the Redskins, the team he led to three Super Bowl titles before resigning after the 1992 season to concentrate on his fledgling racing operation.

Gibbs has been deeply involved in the day-to-day operations of the team since 1993. He was rewarded that year when Dale Jarrett won the Daytona 500, NASCAR's premier event.

The team continued its steady progress through the 1990s and won the title in 2000 with Bobby Labonte. Tony Stewart gave Gibbs a second championship in 2002.

Although he remains committed to his racing operation -- which his eldest son J.D. is now running -- Gibbs said football is foremost on his mind these days.

He traveled to Daytona on Monday, but found himself spending equal time dealing with football issues. He even flew in one of his assistants Thursday for a five-hour meeting.

Gibbs conceded he has been on a "crash course" to learn details about free agency and the salary cap, have changed drastically since 1992.

"I definitely feel like I'm starting all over again," said Gibbs, adding that he has avoided wearing his Super Bowl rings to the Redskins' facility. "All the stuff we did back in the old days really is the old days -- 12 years ago. You're starting all over again. You've got to prove yourself again. It's been a real learning process for me.

"It's a totally new venture. The path doesn't buy anything but some memories. We're starting from scratch."

Team tension

Teammates Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Michael Waltrip didn't work together in a 125-mile qualifying race, sparking some spirited debate between Waltrip and Earnhardt's crew chief.

But crew chief Tony Eury Sr. said Friday that he and Waltrip have settled their differences.

"I don't think you'll see that problem Sunday," Eury said. "I don't know why it happened. It really got blew all out of proportion. We probably should have kept our mouth shut."

Earnhardt's team was upset because it felt Waltrip abandoned the team's drafting strategy to get to the front of the race Thursday. And Eury made his feelings clear.

"Michael dumped us 10 laps into the race," Eury said. "We were trying to get to the front just like he was. For some reason, he didn't want us to go with him. We got dumped. That was what upset us. He put us on the outside line and sent us to the back."

Earnhardt won the race, while Waltrip finished fourth.

"We did what we had to do to win a race," Eury said. "As far as we're concerned it's all over, and hopefully he'll want to work with us Sunday. If he don't, we'll get somebody else probably."

Hulk has a daughter?

Wrestling star Hulk Hogan and his 15-year-old daughter, Brooke, were the featured guests for the NASCAR truck race Friday night.

Hogan was the grand marshal, and his daughter sang the national anthem.

"I'm more nervous than being in the Pontiac Silverdome fighting Andre the Giant," Hogan said, referring to his daughter's performance.

Racing for Republicans

For the first time ever, the Republican National Committee will register voters during the weekend of the Daytona 500.

RNC volunteers will be accompanied by a "Race to Victory" motor home designed to energize voters and provide fans a convenient opportunity to register to vote.

NASCAR driver Rusty Wallace planned to help register voters Saturday, and U.S. Rep. Tom Feeney, R-Fla., will assist on race day.

Pit Stops

There were four weddings in Victory Lane on Friday and four more scheduled for Valentine's Day. ... Michael Waltrip crashed during Busch series practice Friday following qualifying. Waltrip's left rear tire went flat, he slid sideways, bounced off the right front of Martin Truex's car and hit the wall. Waltrip, who had qualified 11th, had to switch to a backup car and will start from the rear of the 43-car field Saturday. ... Kevin Lepage was the fastest in practice Friday for Sunday's Daytona 500, edging Jamie McMurray and Dale Earnhardt Jr. at 191.881 mph. Happy Hour is Saturday.