CUP: Rain Delay Tedious For All

Some NASCAR drivers did Internet chats, others answered fans’ questions on Twitter, most said they passed the time during Sunday’s 4-hour Daytona 500 rain delay — and ultimate postponement — by eating, napping and watching television.

Bobby Labonte said his team “cleaned out the refrigerator.’’ Joey Logano played his XBox. And there was some talk about organizing golf cart races for the drivers.

However, for new fathers such as Carl Edwards, Ryan Newman, Jeff Gordon and Greg Biffle, the bad weather posed a different dilemma: keeping their toddlers busy and happy.

“The rain, I think, is hard on everybody,’’ said Edwards, who has a 2-year-old daughter and a nearly 1-year-old son.

“Myself, my wife, you want to get out and go do stuff. You sit inside and wait these things out. You get cabin fever.’’

Even so, Edwards said he managed to steal a nap and even watch a classic U.S. Open professional bowling tournament on television.

He joked that, at this point, he wasn’t quite ready to just dress the kids in rain gear and send them outside to play. But after a whole day inside, the idea of taking them to the park in the driver motor coach lot Sunday evening was sounding better and better.

Most parents will tell you it is tough keeping young children happily occupied at home on a rainy day. Try doing that in the relatively small confines of a motor coach a thousand miles from home.

Newman’s wife, Krissie, took a tried-and-true approach with 1-year-old daughter Brooklyn. She baked cookies during Brooklyn’s afternoon nap.

“She was happy when dad came back (during the rain delay) and then we did an interview together,’’ said Newman, seen on the NASCAR on FOX telecast outside with Brooklyn, who was riding a small, pink motorized toy in between the rain showers and cookie breaks.

With more rain forecast for Monday, families such as the Newmans and Edwards may have to get even more creative as NASCAR negotiates with Mother Nature for time to run the season-opening Daytona 500.

As Edwards joked to reporters, “You guys have to be as bored as we are.’’