Notes: Waltrip has simple qual procedure for Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- You'd think a two-time Daytona 500 winner would understand the qualifying process for the race, but Michael Waltrip confesses he's still confused by a unique system that begins with pole day a week before the race and concludes with the Gatorade Duel 150s in between.

Because Waltrip finished 2007 outside the top 35 in owner points, he's not locked into the 50th running of the Daytona 500 on Feb. 17. But the path to a starting spot is simple -- just beat all the other go or go-home cars in your respective qualifying race.

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"People try to make racing more complicated than it is," Waltrip said.

"If you're passing cars, that's good. If cars are passing you, that's bad. If you're at home on Sunday when you're supposed to be at the racetrack, that's really bad."

The key, Waltrip says, is simply to finish ahead of every other driver who is trying to race his way into the field on Thursday.

"If you beat all the scrubs, you're in the Daytona 500," he said.

Johnson: Riddle me this

Cup champion Jimmie Johnson had a busy week, with a trip to the Super Bowl followed by a visit to the White House.

Johnson found President George W. Bush engaging and conversational, but the 10-minute meeting didn't involve a subject Johnson has been addressing ad nauseam for months.

"Did the President ask you about Dale Earnhardt Jr.?" Johnson was asked.

"No," was the one-word reply.

Johnson was more impressed with the Oval Office itself, and the riddle it posed.

"One of the things that really surprises me is, when you're in the hallway waiting to go into the Oval Office, the door that leads you in there doesn't have a handle on the outside," he said. "You can see where there's a door, and then you're waiting and waiting, and you're not sure which door is the right door or what's going on. And then the door flies open and there's the President. So, it's weird." (Continued)