Filed under: Jimmie Johnson, Juan Pablo Montoya, Daytona Int'l Speedway

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The autograph line wound from the garage to Daytona International Speedway's famous victory lane, at least a full football field away.

One man took a vacation day from his job to drive three hours from Valdosta, Ga., to wait six more hours in line just to get NASCAR champ Jimmie Johnson to sign a photo and a shirt. A family waited nearly as long to have former Indy 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya sign 10 miniature replicas of the No. 42 Chevy he drives in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

"This is one of the cheapest races we can go to,'' said Fernando Zapata, 42, who brings his wife and two young children to the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona sports car race every year.

To see their favorite NASCAR drivers.

It's enough to make sports car purists cringe, but for the Grand-Am Series - NASCAR's sports car sibling - it doesn't matter why fans are coming through the gates or watching on television. As long as they're paying attention.

 

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