Today. Sunday, february 24, 2013. Very festive music on this sunday morning. Wish you were walking awe with a statue right now. I think we should. Im erica hill. And im lester holt. Well have more on oscar buzz coming up. But we have serious news, including the scary crash at daytona. A crowd went flying into the wall during the final lap. 33 people hurt. Crews working throughout the night to get the track ready for todays daytona 500. A live report in just a moment. Also this morning, yet another round of gridlock. Were just five days away from sweeping spending cuts that could impact everything from your food to your paycheck, and they could be just the beginning. Coming up, why lawmakers cant reach a deal. Former notre dame linebacker manti teo speaks out for the First Time Since the scandal over his fake girlfriend. He hopes to close the door as he looks forward to a future in pro football. We did a little digging in the family photo albums to find some favorite childhood photos. Thats erica. Right there. D dylan. There is lester. Were recreating the pictures. The pictures i was looking for, unfortunately, i didnt have my bonnett on. You did get a dress out of the deal. I did get a new dress out of the deal. And the whole thing was a lesson of turning something very cute into something horrifying. Lets begin with the massive crash a daytona that injured dozens of fans. The race will go on today in just hours, janet shuar janet ss us. Reporter we were here when it happened. A horrifying crash, a car literally sheared in half. It soon became evident it was worse than that. The most serious injuries werent the drivers in the cars, but the fans in the stands. And contact reporter a violent crash that started on the track and ended in the grandstand. The wreckage of a race car, large chunks of metal and a tire, flying into the air and hitting fans as high as 45 rows up. It was the final lap. Drivers jockeying for a position, when a bump between cars turned terrifying. Tony stewart is going to win the race. Drive kyle larsens car cut in half and tore through the fence designed to protect fans. One spectator posted this stunning video on youtube. A tire in the stands. People scrambling and waving to get help for the injured. Mike wilkinson had a clear view from his seat but couldnt bear to watch. I was stunned. My hand was over my mouth. I when i saw the car fly up and hit the fence and a fireball erupt, i turned away, i didnt want to see what happened. Reporter others say it was a scene of complete chaos. Nascar reports more than 30 hurt. 14 taken to daytona hospitals. Among the most serious, a child in critical, but stable condition. Fans want to be close to the action at daytona. If you were to walk by the fence here, you will feel it. Your hair will literally be sucked sideways because are you so close to the action. Thats what fans want. Reporter amazingly, kyle larsen walked away from the accident and no other drivers seriously hurt. They moved quickly to repair damage to the fence and retaining wall ahead of todays daytona 500, its signature race. As nascar said, it would take a close look at what happened. We need to take the type to study it, see what we can improve on and if we can, certainly the safety of our fans is first and foremost and well make that happen. It can be Risky Business navigating the heavily horsepowers cars. As one driver said after the accident, we assume the risk. It shouldnt be the fans. And the speedway worked overnight to repair and replace the retaining wall and the fence that was damaged in the accident. Daytona is ready for the signature race that starts at 1 00 eastern today. Fans will be seated in the same stands where so many were hurt on saturday. Lester. All right, janet shamlian, thanks. Kevin meister had a birds eye view. What did you see . All the action really started as soon as drivers came around turn four and the checkered flag started waving. And the racers jumped on the gas and right before they hit the checkered finish, everybody started getting loose and made a block and all of a sudden there was a huge crash right into the gate and there was a car completely vertical, and all of a sudden you saw fiberglass just everywhere like confetti as a party. Tell me what was going on in the stands . You went down to the ledge to shoot what was below you. What did you see in terms of the people in the impact area . Right. As soon as i ran down to the ledge to, you know, see what had happened, see what exactly was going on, people were, you know, panicking, and police and ushers were trying to escort people out of area so that the medical teams to get to injured folks. There were a lot of people around trying to comfort those who were clearly injured. And i even saw a man take off his shirt and wrap it around a couple you know, lacerations that another man had. I saw another guy passing out water. But you really saw human compassion right after that happened. People were kind of in a state of shell shock. Kevin, you are a big nascar fan, seen a lot of crashes. And weve seen the fences to protect the crowd from flying debris from crashes. How shocking to see it go above that fence and into the area where the crowd was . Right, you see the fence and you feel pretty safe as a spectator, but until Something Like that actually happens and, you know, the engine actually broke through the fence. That was surreal, to think that Something Like that actually had a possibility of happening and did yesterday, i mean, was just devastati devastating. You will attend the race today with no reservations . No reservations at all. Im an avid nascar fan. And thankfully we were out of the debris zone, but 15 feet in front of me, sort of right down below, it looked like a shock absorber, a metal rod of some type, came all the way up into my section in the upper deck. Very frightening fi ining pi. Thank you for spending time with us this morning. Youre welcome. Now here is erica. Huge crowds filled st. Peters square for Pope Benedict xvis final sunday blessing. The vatican is slamming some media reports about why the pope chose to resign now. Anne thompson outside vatican city with the latest. Good morning. Reporter good morning, erica. A mixture of joy and intrigue here in vatican city. Catholics and the curious jammed st. Peters square to hear Pope Benedicts final sunday blessing. The 100,000 people who attended on got not only a blessing but heard the pope shed light on why he resigned. He said that god called him to the mountain to live a life of more prayer and meditation. He wasnt going to abandon the church. The pontiff said god asked him to live this life with the same kind of dedication, but to do so in a way that was more appropriate to his age and strength. Now, this very joyous event took place against a background of scandal. There are new headlines in britain this morning, three priests and a former priest, accused the scottish Cardinal Keith obrien of inappropriate behavior going back some 30 years. They want Cardinal Obrien to resign immediately before he comes to rome to vote for the new pope. I asked the papal spokesperson about this today. He told me that the pope will be informed of this matter this afternoon and that tomorrow the vatican will issue a statement. Erica. And, anne, were hearing plenty about the scandal at home in the u. S. The former archbishop of los angeles. And also facing problems with a priest Sexual Abuse Scandal there. Reporter he is. Thats Cardinal Roger mahony. He was depossessed yesterday for almost four hours. Asked by lawyers what he knew about a visiting mexican priest who was accused of abusing some 26 children in the 1980s. Court documents released earlier this year show that Cardinal Mahony did play a role in shielding abusive priests. Some u. S. Catholics called on mahony not to come to rome to vote on the new pope, but he says he will participate. Erica. Anne thompson, thank you. In washington, time is ticking for congress and the president to reach a deal. Otherwise, massive spending cuts you keep hearing about, the sequester that could have a major effect on you. David gregory, moderator of meet the press. Boy, i feel like we say this a lot, with good reason. Broken record yet again. Give us a quick sense of what this could do to people . Cuts go into effect on friday. One of the things, what does it mean for air travelers . The ability of air controllers or the prospect i should say of flight controllers being furloughed. A number of them losing their jobs. Airport towers being closed in certain parts of the country could mean very real delays. Thats what the transportation secretary is warning of. Republicans say thats overblown. The reality, federal workers will be cut. The defense is going to be cut. By 50 of this. And the meat cleaver approach, which both sides agree is a terrible idea, is how the cuts will be made. And thats got so many people worried. Both sides agree its a terrible idea, but it seems like a foregone conclusion. Why cant, david, lawmakers find some sort of agreement here . Because they just philosophically on opposite ends of this. The president wants a mix of spending cuts and new tax revenues through some kind of tax reform, closing loopholes and whatnot. Blaming congress for not giving in on that. Republicans say he just got new revenue to avert the fiscal cliff here at the end of the year. There ought to be more pronounced spending cuts. They cant see eye to eye. They arent really even talking to each other, which is so absurd. Both sides working the Public Relations aspect. The public is fed up and will only get more fed up. The pr campaigns not exactly winning over the people that put them in washington. David, well check in with you later for a preview of meet the press. And this mornings other top stories. Police in las vegas have identified the person responsible for a deadly shooting on the strip. They found the vehicle believed to be involved in the shooting and subsequent crash that killed three people on thursday. Also, theyve identified 26yearold amare harris as the suspect. They havent found him, but his vehicle found blocks away from the shooting scene. Oscar pistorius remains hold up in his uncles home, there are legal troubles for his brother. Facing a culpable homicide charge from a 2008 road death. Probation officers visited pistorius at his uncles home. He is not able to go back to his home because its considered a crime scene. 20 teenagers arrested after police say they were running around causing a chaotic scene at a mall in chicago. The boy band mindless behavior was there signing autographs, but the mall said that had nothing to do with the chaos, just coincidence. Fireworks good. Fireworks going off without anyone setting them off is bad. Started shooting out of a building in the middle of night when a fire happened inside that started in a candle production area and spread to a fireworks warehouse. Let me see if i get this. Candles and fireworks being made in the same building. Okay. Tonight, hollywood will recognize the best of the best. But last night, the worst of the worst took center stage at the razz razzies. The big winner or loser twilight breaking dawn part two. Kristen stewart, worst actress, and taylor lautner, worst actor. Who cares . Because they made a bazillion dollars making the movie. I will half all the way to the bank. Thank you very much. Jenna, thanks. Dylan with the first check of the weather. Storms in the plain states. Its in the rockies and well pick up another 6 to 10 inches of snow in denver through the day today. Blizzard warnings posted through the plains. Kansas, looks like well see our second blizzard in just a week. What were facing through the plains. A rough go through kansas into nebraska, into northern parts of oklahoma and the panhandle of texas as well. Well keep an eye on that for tomorrow. Today, about denver. 6 to 10 inches of snow possible. Ew england, with 2 to 3 inches we started the day with fog and clearing skies as we go into the afternoon. The winds become a little gusty later today. As we go through the sevend and that is your latest forecast. Erica. Dylan, thanks. Up next, manti teo tackles new questions about the embarrassing hoax involving a fake girlfriend. Back after this. , i got it made i got it made fresh at subway breakfast made the way i say i got it made i got it made, i got it made, i got it made fresh at subway breakfast made the way i say [ male announcer ] get breakfast made the way you say. Like your very own sizzlin steak, egg white cheese. Amazingly under 200 calories. Want green peppers, red onions on toasty flatbread . Oh, you so got it made. At subway [ female announcer ] roc® retinol correxion max. The power of roc® retinol is intensified with a serum. Its clinically shown to be 4x better at smoothing lines and deep wrinkles than professional treatments. Roc® max for maximum results. And deep wrinkles thaneveryone wants to beents. The cadbury bunny. Cause only he brings delicious cadbury creme eggs, while others may keep trying. Nobunny knows easter better than cadbury new honey bunches of oats greek yohere we go. Ole grain. Honey cornflakes and chunks of greek yogurt. Im tasting both the yogurt and the honey at the same time. Im like digging this yogurt thing. I feel healthy. New honey bunches of oats greek. This year, dont just take time off. Put time in. Turn spending time with your family into spending time as a family. At the one place where every heartpounding, jawdropping, goosebumping second counts. Its your vacation. Dont just take it. Mean it. Universal orlando. Vacation like you mean it. Former notre dame linebacker manti teo at the nfl combine, trying to put an embarrassing episode in the past firmly behind him. He faced the media to talk about the girlfriend, who we all know, turned out not to be real. Teo is trying to prove himself, both on and off the field. Reporter manti teo faced a crush of media and questions at the nfl scouting combine in indianapolis. Ive been in front of a few cameras, but not as many as this. Reporter the First Press Conference since the woman he was date never existed. I cared for somebody, and, unfortunately, it didnt end up the way i thought it would. Reporter it ended up with teo believing his girlfriend died from cancer. It played out online. Ta i hurt every day. Reporter teo was asked why he never saw the girl. I did try. It just never worked out. Reporter it showcases the next wave of nfl talent. But it also gave teo the chance to tackle the criticism he didnt come forward sooner after finding out he had been duped. It was a whirlwind of stuff. Me, a 22yearold, 21 years old at this time, just trying to get your thoughts right. Reporter teams are taking a hard look at this top defensive player to see how he handles the pressure. But the real test, Sports Writers say, is yet to come. Nothing compares to when you step into a locker room and have to face that macho testosteronefilled environment and more so when you have to get on a field. And teams are testing you physically, but also mentally. Reporter former pro players say controversy is not new to sports and teammates and the public will give teo a chance to prove himself. Winning cures all. Come in as a rookie, top 15 pick, become a starter, lead your defense to a better season than they had the year before, that cures it. Reporter for today, michelle franzen, nbc news. Still ahead, the oscars are tonight and some studios spending a lot of green hoping their film will bring home a gold statuette. That after these messages. Orldl. But there are some things ive never seen before. This ge jet engine can understand 5,000 data samples per second. Which is good for business. Because planes use less fuel, spend less time on the ground and more time in the air. Suddenly, faraway places dont seem so. Far away. Still to come on today, the sound of music for those who need it most. Top musicians who are donating their time and talent to help others. I love that story. Plus, were taking you back in time, sort of. 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If you heard a loud noise around coal spring lane, this is what it was. Bg e imploded the gas holder near west cold spring lane. Were told the structure has been idol since 1997. The 79yearold container has been made obsolete by the upgrade in the system. And county police say councilman todd huff was pulled over 3 00 a. M. Saturday morning when officers saw him driving without his highlights. He represents the Third District and was in his countyowned jeep at the time. He was cited with a d. U. I. And released. The medical examiner confirmed the two bodies found inside a burning car friday morning were homicide victims. Just before 5 00 a. M. Friday neighbors reported hearing an explosion. Crews found a burning car with bodies inside. Officials now say each victim suffered one gone shot wound. The medical examiner is still working to determine the identities of the victims but they say one is a man and the other a woman we started off the day with a lot of clouds and fog and drizzle. Looks like this is all pushing off to the east. Thats where the storm system is going. So try drying and warmer conditions but our next storm system coming in on tuesday. It will produce snow in the plains and be a rainmaker as it moves towards us. But First Sunshine later today. Upper 40s to lower 50s. Wind could add chill to the air then into monday, full sunshine with high pressure. 48 degrees. By tuesday a rain event. Maybe a little snow and sleet. Maybe a flurry on thursday. Overall once we get past this, drying conditions into next weekend. Thank you for joining us 11 news sunday morning starts in 25 minutes. See you then. We are back on sunday morning. Sunday, february 24, 2013. Last sunday of the month. Nice, but cool day in midtown, man hat appear. Tha manhattan. Thanks to folks joining us here. Im lester holt here with erica hill, jenna wolfe and dyl