From the Media Tour ...

CONCORD, N.C. -- NASCAR.COM writers' observations from the Media Tour:

• This could be interesting. The weather is supposed to get bad about noon, with sleet and freezing rain in the forecast.

• Talent lineup for new Inside NASCAR show on Showtime includes Chris Myers, Randy Pemberton, Brad Daugherty and Michael Waltrip.

• I have been informed in no uncertain terms that NASCAR.COM did in fact have free flash drives available yesterday. Dang. That's what I get for being late.

• More than a few members of the wretched media masses seem to be dragging a bit this morning. Strap in, through.

• The white flag is out ... it's the last day of the tour!

• Felix Sabates is here for his team's news conference. Heck, yeah! Slow news day ... go talk to Felix. You never know what's gonna be on his mind, and he's definitely not afraid to let you know all about it.

• Larry McReynolds just said that Felix Sabates is not an ear massager.

• Sabates says he's going to give his opinion on the state of the sport. And away we go ...

• He says he won't b.s. anybody.

• He says the Daytona 500 will draw more people than the Super Bowl, and that while things are bad, they "ain't that bad."

• Felix pointed at the media and said, " You all have jobs. You're getting paid."

• Now Chip Ganassi says he doubts the media will write anything about the crew members in the trenches.

• He says he was ticked off when the Chase went to 12 cars, a couple of years after his team finished 11th and 12th in the standings.

• Ganassi says he gave Juan Montoya grief for his run-in with Tony Stewart at Homestead.

• A break in the action ... nothing else on the schedule until 1 p.m. ET.

• It hadn't hit me until just now. Walking back into the NASCAR Research and Development Center will be the first time I've been here since, well, I had a really bad day at the office.

• Bingo! There was no way we were gonna get shut out. Sprint Cup flash drives are being handed out with press kits.

• John Darby has been promoted to managing director of competition for NASCAR. Darby now will be working in the R&D Center.

• The yellow-line rule is staying!

• According to CEO Brian France, NASCAR wants to see more contact on the race track. Calling drivers Montoya and Stewart, table for two!

• France just thanked Darby for his service as Cup director.

• Marty Smith has provided the voiceover for the NASCAR promo video.

• There will be no restrictions on bump-drafting, according to Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition.

• NASCAR president Mike Helton says the last thing NASCAR wants is to over-regulate the sport.

• More than two dozen changes have been made to NASCAR's new/current car.

• Darby compares the Cup director to being the mayor of a small town. Good analogy.

• The biggest restrictor plate since 1989 will be in use at Daytona.

• That's it -- the checkered flag. Final tally: 22 events, 87 variations on the word "excited" and 12 flash drives ... but still no NASCAR.COM edition. (Continued)