Cold wind and weather a factor at Daytona 500

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -The Great American Race nearly turned into the Winter X Games on Sunday.

With temperatures never climbing above 54 degrees and a chilly 25 mph wind blowing in the faces of some 250,000 fans, it was the race cars that faced the biggest challenge.

The stiff northwest breeze, actually a crosswind on the backstretch, swayed the 3,400-pound cars toward the wall coming off Turn 2, despite 145 mph speeds coming down off the bank.

“I thought the wind was a factor, at least we hoped it was, because that’s the way we set up our car,” said third-place finisher Jeff Burton.

It appeared the first caution of the day was caused exactly by that wind. Boris Said, who had raced his way into the Daytona 500, fishtailed into David Reutimann on Lap 18 directly off Turn 2 and his Ford Fusion went spinning on the grass. Both cars were able to continue.

The later 3:30 p.m. start also made the sun a factor. Two-time Daytona 500 champion Sterling Marlin needed crewmen to duct tape a tint onto his windshield during the first pit stop.

With a freeze warning in effect for the Daytona Beach area later Sunday night, temperatures dipped into the high 40s by the time the checkered flag fell at 7:15 p.m.