RICHMOND, Va. - NASCAR attracts celebrities everywhere it goes, and it drew one Saturday who was accompanied by guards wearing bulletproof vests in this security-conscious time.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta came to Richmond International Raceway to be the honorary starter and announce a new seat belt initiative - "Click it or Ticket" - with the support of NASCAR.
"If anyone knows the value of a safety belt, it's these men who drive for a living on NASCAR's raceways," Mineta said during a media briefing, where he was joined by NASCAR president Mike Helton and several drivers.
Mineta said NASCAR's involvement took seven or eight months to finalize, and Helton said it was a natural cause to support.
"It seemed only fitting that NASCAR could help the Department of Transportation send a public message about how critical it is as a safety component to have your seat belt on," Helton said.
Mineta said 18,000 people killed in car crashes last year were not wearing seat belts - about a third of them men between 18 and 34.
"These are needless deaths, deaths that could be prevented," he said.
Between May 24 and June 6, Mineta said about 10,000 law enforcement organizations will take part in the initiative.
NASCAR drivers who will be involved in public service announcements include Bobby Labonte, Jeremy Mayfield and Kurt Busch from Nextel Cup, and Busch drivers David Green and Justin Labonte.
FRANK THE FAN: Virginia Tech football coach Frank Beamer was the guest of track president Doug Fritz, a Tech alum, for the race and said he's become a big fan of stock car racers.
"I enjoy watching them and I really admire these drivers," Beamer said before the race. "I admire the operation. ... Just the pit strategy and how they all operate together. I really admire what these guys do."
Caleb Hurd, the holder on kicks for the 2000 Hokies when they lost to FSU in the national championship game, is a gas man on Jeff Gordon's team.
GLIB GIBBS: Joe Gibbs took a break from his duties as the new coach of the Washington Redskins to check in on his race teams.
The transition from full-time NASCAR involvement to peripheral involvement as he works to rebuild the Redskins is going well, he said.
"Everybody asks me how it's going in football and I say as long as we don't play a game, we're doing great," he said, starting to laugh. "It's going to get real nasty here in about three months."
GOING BACKWARD: Jeff Green started third but lost ground quickly. By Lap 100 he had dropped from third to 24th. ... Elliott Sadler was to start 14th, but had to go to the back of the field because he changed engines after qualifying. He was joined at the back by Ricky Craven and Kasey Kahne, both in backup cars after qualifying crashes.
