. >> good morning. escalating tensions. israeli air strikes pounding syria overnight hitting military targets for the second time in three days. israel now bracing for retaliation. we are live from the syrian border. gaming control. cooler, damp weather giving firefighters in southern california some much needed help in their battle against a massive wildfire. will it be enough to get the upper hand? zoirchlgts and into orbit. a thrilling race as the 3-year-old colt named orb comes from behind to win the kentucky derby. we'll talk to his trainer about the thrill of victory and the pressure now to win the triple crown, today, sunday, may 5th, 2013.

from nbc news this is "today" with lester holt and erica hill live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. welcome to "today" on this sunday morning. i'm erica hill. >> i'm lester holt. did you see that race yesterday? >> it looked so sloppy out there. what a thrilling race. i mean, this is kind of the same horseracing, you blink you miss it, and it's only a couple of minutes. this one really kept you engaged as you saw orb come from behind there. >> then we talk about the pressure. you win one sxrashgs now it's like you got to win three. >> immediate pressure. next one coming up in a couple of weeks. enjoy the win in a little bit with orb's trainer. we do have a lot to get to on this sunday morning. the national rifle association wrapping up its annual convention, and sparking new controversy after the leader

linked the gun control debate to the boston marathon bombing. >> plus, an update on amy copeland the georgia grad student who had her legs and hands amputated last year after contracting a flesh-eating bacteria. we're going show you how she's doing now. >> when you think of nascar pit crews, chances are the image that comes to mind, a bunch of guys frantically racing to change tires and gas up cars. sort of accurate picture. it's also one that's changing. i repeatly caught up with this woman right here who is hoping to be one of the first female pit crew members in nascar's elite sprint cup series. we'll handicap her chance there's. >> like that sound. later, it's an age-old question. what do you do with your child's stuff once they leave the nest? something we're going through right now. those old trophies, jerseys, and drawings that end up in garage sales across the country. well, kobe bryant is not happy about what his mother is doing with some of his childhood possessions. we're going to get into that coming up. >> kind of a different type of garage sale in that case. we do begin, though, this morning with those israeli air strikes into syria.

our chief foreign correspondent richard engel is in turkey near the syrian border. good morning. what can you tell us? >> reporter: good morning, erica. these attacks are far bigger in scale than any previous ones attributed in israel that can be felt all across dam affect whys and suggests that israel may be prepared to take a far bigger military role in the war in syria. syrian activists filmed in secret. whispering as explosions shook damascus just before 2:00 a.m. witnesses say shock waves were felt across the city. windows broke and the fires made the might look like day. u.s. officials tell nbc news israeli jets struck military targets on the mountains overlooking damascus. nbc news can't independently verify the videos, but witnesses said they do look like what they saw.

witnesses also heard multiple fighter jets flying low, apparently trying to evade radar. rebels in damascus said the jet struck at least nine locations in close proximity, including the research center, the syrian revolutionary guard, the elite division and a weapons depot. another attack in january also attributed to israel targeted the same research center which rebels claim is a military base jointly used by syria, iran, and the lebanese militia group hezbollah. syrian state tv blames sunday's predawn raid on israel and accused it of helping rebels. syria maintains that the uprising is led by islamic extremists and an alliance of the united states, israel, and the gulf states. for now there is an odd convergence with israel and groups that claim loyalty to al qaeda fighting against a common enemy. israel which borders syria

worries both about the rise of extremism as the war in syria drags on, and that weapons are flowing out of the country. israeli sources set targets on friday and sunday, and they included rockets bound for hezbollah. a u.s. official said israel braced for a possible retaliation from damascus, but so far none has come. taking a precaution, israel this morning said it mobilized its iron dome missile defense system around the cities of haifa and -- in northern israel. so far a retaliation team, unlikely. erica. >> richard engel, thank you. the national rifle association wraps up its annual convention today, and its leader hipp is laying out future plans when it comes to the gun control debate. dave gutierrez is in houston for us this morning. dave, good morning. >> reporter: lester, good morning. the nra is framing deet bait as stretching beyond gun rights to a larger culture war. the group is now focused on the

future. next year's midterm election and beyond. >> reporter: now claiming a record five million members. the. >> we will never surrender our guns. never. >> reporter: fresh off its congressional victory over expanded background checks. >> we must never confuse winning a battle with winning the war. >> reporter: the group's leadership is turning its attention to the 2014 midterm elections. a point brought home by political commentator glen beck. >> it's not just the democrats. it's the republicans as well. the problems are everywhere. >> reporter: also for the first time nra executive vice president wane la pierre is linking the gun control debate to the aftermath of the boston bombing. and police search for an armed suspect in an area where he says gun ownership is heavily

regulated. law pierre says residents were sheltered in place with no means to defend themselves. >> how many bostonians wished they had a gun two weeks ago? >> reporter: outside the convention this weekend small protests on behalf of victims of gun violence. xenia daniel was shot and killed by her estranged husband. her brother, a long-time gun owner and nra member, supports expanded background checks for gun sales. >> if we can save just one life, i think we owe it to ourselves to do that. >> today the nra is looking ahead. >> our future depends on young nra members. none younger at this convention than 3-year-old eliya wagner. her adopted parents say her grandfather bought her a lifetime membership. >> being a member of nra for me and for my daughter, for my sons, is teaching them that they actually have to protect themselves. >> reporter: the last day of this convention gets underway, and law pierre says the nra is on a mission to double its

membership. >> dave gutierrez, thanks. david gregory, moderator of "meet the press." >> fwm. >> the nra membership has grown throughout all of this. it helped defeat the background checks. has that organization become even stronger, has it become even more unlikely that we'll get some kind of a deal in the future in. >> well, i don't know about that last one, but i do think the nra is stronger. i think they are able to use moments like this to make the argument to their base of support that the administration wants to take their guns away ultimately. now, of course, that is denied up and down from the administration to other democrats, even republicans who are behind the background check bill, but there's no question that the nra and wayne la pierre and others said this this weekend. they are ready for a big political fight on this in 2014 and beyond. what does that say to prop ownents of more gun control? well, gun safety measures. this issue is back in a way that it hadn't been before because the democratic party had basically given up on gun control. the issue has come back.

the public is moving on it. even as some of the president's lossest advisors have said over the weekend, it's going to take more time. it's actually going to take people losing their jobs because of votes they have taken, for instance, opposing a background check, for the politics to really change in washington. >> i want to turn overseas and talk about syria. israeli has struck again inside of syria. the president touched off a whole conversation with his comments months ago about crossing a red line in syria. we just lost seven more troops in afghanistan this weekend. there's not a lot of appetite for war. what can the administration do to appease its critics, but yet, not cross its own red line? >> you know, this this is such a hard problem, as you know, lester, tom friedman and the "new york times" this morning arguing that syria is effectively iraq's twin. whether you have the sectarian tribal divisions in syria that mirror what happened in iraq, somebody has to step in and own that country.

the united states is not prepared to do that with a huge commitment of u.s. forces. can an international force do that? not clear yet. are there leaders within syria that can step up and govern the country if the assad regime were to fall? that's far from clear. right now looks like the administration is really focused on the immediate threat. chemical weapons, the use of them, the movement of them. that's why the israeli strikes are an important moment and perhaps will create even more pressure on the administration to back up its own red line. >> all right. we know you have a show to prepare. we'll check back with you later for a preview of "meet the press." >> in california this morning they are finally getting control of the area's biggest wildfires in southern california. we're live in malibu this morning. good morning. >> good morning, erica. for the first time in the past several days firefighters here feel optimistic that they have momentum on their side. the indication is that they have opened up major highways here in ventura county and have listed

all of the evacuation orders allowing residents to go back to their homes. >> reporter: for a fourth straight day a california fire burned wild and fast. this time in banning just south of los angeles. firefighters quickly moved in to contain it. first on the ground. then by air. the biggest firefight is still here. the springs fire that broke out in ventura county threatening thousands of homes, including neil michael's house that sits on the hill near deer creek canon. >> two days ago i was weed whacking right here, coincidentally, but it's also densible space and keeping the brush away from the house and having it with a reasonable buffer. at least 100 feet, 200 feet. >> reporter: irradic winds have been driving the fires the past few days, making their paths unpredictable, leaving local residents like lisa bowman worried. >> this is my first fire incident, i suppose, and it was

a little bit terrifying because all of a sudden we're watching this black smoke come up over the horizon and getting closer, and so we started saying let's go. >> that success has come with a little help from mother nature, but it also came after years of preparation. local fire officials here have been preparing the community for a blaze like this for the past several years. we've been speaking to officials, and they tell us they have established good contacts, first name relationships with many of the residents, and that is why many of the people who live in ventura county took the threat seriously and prepared for what we've seen over the past several days and sparing any loss of life and any major destruction to property. erica. >> thank you. >> the crews there watching the weather map. so is dylan to see what's going on in southern california. dylan, good morning. >> good morning. the good news is this weather pattern is so much better to help out the firefighters. we have this area of low pressure off the california coastline, but look at the winds. it pulls in that onshore flow. that helps put some moisture

into the air. it's a nice cooling wind that will keep temperatures mostly in the 70s, and it will also bring showers into the los angeles area where we could end up with about a half an inch of rainfall and all of these factors, the moisture in the air, the rain, and also that cooling wind will help firefighters as they try to contain this blaze down in california xshgs we will see improvements that stick around to the beginning of next week. lester and erica. >> dillon, thanks. as you mentioned earlier, with david gregory, lester, it's been a deadly weekend for american troops in afghanistan. jenna wolf has more on that and the rest of the morning's headlines. >> hey, guys. good morning. good morning, everyone. yes, it has been one of the deadliest days in recent history for members of the u.s. military over in afghanistan. seven troops were killed in two separate attacks. a nato spokesman says five died when an ied blew up. more were killed when an afghani soldier turned the gun on them. they're stepping up attacks as part of its spring offensive. in california five women are dead after the back of their

limousine that they were riding in caught fire. it happened early this morning as the limo was driving over the san mateo bridge. the california highway patrol spokesman says four other people in the back of a car were injured. the driver was not. no word on how that fire started. two workers at a wisconsin daycare facility are facing felony charges for allegedly standing by while several children were attacking another little boy in their care. what's worse, they allegedly taped the whole thing. a quick warning. some of you may find this video a little disturbing. the attacked boy's mother became suspicious when she says her son came home with bruises that she said she later saw from a video on-line. the workers are facing charges for not stopping the fight. the daycare has since been shut down by the state while it investigates. a very special honor for one at the boston marathon bombing. proving once again the boston strong motto. jeff who lost both his legs in the attack came out at the start of the boston bruins game

against the maple leafs wave aing boston strong flag. his picture as he become one of the most famous photos from the attack when he was shown being wheeled away from the terror by a man in a cowboy hat. and, finally, scranton p.a. reel dunder mifflin paper company reel. on saturday worlds collided when the stars of the hit tv show "the office" came together with real people in scranton. the series is coming to an end after nine seasons. the finale airs on may 16th. i went back and tried to find a couple of my favorite quotes, and i'm just like i'll read one on-line, and none of my favorite quotes were clean enough to read this morning, unfortunately. >> going to miss that show. >> it was a novel concept when it first started. a really creative, fun, interesting, funny show. >> most important jim and pam look like they're going to be okay. >> happy ever after. >> thank goodness. jenna, thanks. >> dylan has the rest of the national forecast. >> i missed you guys.

i haven't seen you in a while. >> been flying here and there. >> i have presents. we have flood warnings and watches all across the southeast. heavy rain is going to continue to fall. the storm is going nowhere fast from parts of southern ohio right down into georgia and south carolina. we could end up with up to four inches of rain with some of the heavier anybody notice it's a muggy start to the morning? we have temperatures in the upper 50s to near 60s. wind will be a big part of the story, gusty around the bay with the wind advisory along the coast and gusts up to 45 miles per hour. upper 60s to low 70s and a chance of seeing isolated showers and off and on at least through wednesday. the rick of showers will linger through the middle part of the week. dryer and warmer for the second half of the workweek. >> and that's your latest and that's your latest forecast. lester.

>> can't wait for our gifts. thank you. s. orb's big win. we'll talk with his trainer right after this. orb's big win at the kentucky derby. we'll talk with his trainer right after this. [ female announcer ] neil lane designs for hollywood's biggest stars. let's have a look. who is it for? it's for becky. she must be important. [ neil ] oh, she is. now, he designs for the star in your life. becky, will you marry me? yes! neil lane bridal. uniquely beautiful, hand-crafted rings from hollywood's master of vintage glamour. at kay jewelers -- the number-one jewelry store in america.

[ neil ] every woman should feel like a star. ♪ every kiss begins with kay mornings are a special time for the two of you...) star. and you can make them even more special... with fancy feast mornings. mornings are delicious protein-rich entrées... with garden veggies and egg. each one perfectly designed... to start her day with a little love. fancy feast mornings gourmet cat food. the best ingredient is love. kentucky bederby winner orb was a 5-to-1 odds winner. you wouldn't know that as he trailed, but he made up a stunning 10 lengths in the last mile as he won the run for the

roses by 2 1/2 lengths. it's been a longtime winner for schug mcgaughey. he joins us this morning. congratulations. >> thank you, erica. i appreciate it. a big thrill. >> a big thrill. you have been inducted into the racing hall of fame. you're a well-respected trainer. you had never won the derby with one of your horses. so what's it like for you? has it set in for you at this point? >> well, really, i haven't been able to sit down and sort of soak it all in, but it was a very exciting afternoon or evening yesterday, and this morning has been excited. i'm sure when i get home and sit down in my chair, my couch and think about it all, i'll just realize how lucky i've been. >> fire up that dvr and watch it over a few times. so as i understand it, and for people who are not familiar with racing, the comparison here is that orb being a 3-year-old colt, putting him into run into spring at this length is like having a 12-year-old run a marathon. you're known for putting your

horses in if you think they can perform. what is it about orb? >> well, one of the things -- we talked about that. he's a horse i knew would go the distance, but i am patient with my horses. i'm not one to try to force the issue. and i let him bring us here. he just -- he just started developing over the winter, say in january, and then just kept continuing until yesterday afternoon. you know, hopefully he'll keep continuing. the development of orb over the winter was something that i -- that i really never seen before. and i've been doing this quite a while. >> it's inevitable we have to ask you now about the triple crown. up next is the preakness. how are you feeling? >> i can't wait. it seems to come out -- come out of this race really well. and i'd be interested -- he's going back to new york this morning. i'd be interested to get him to baltimore when the time comes and living this all over again, and then we'll see where that takes it from there. >> we'll be watching. congratulations again. a great win. shug s

. good morning to you. looking live at sunrise over the bay bridge toll plaza. it is a very different start to the day today. rob wasn't kidding when he said it would be cooler today. i'm kris sanchez along with rob mayeda. >> it cranked up last night at 10:00, 11:00 and that's the story for the most part of the day. we have 50s and 60s outside right now. it's a mild start to the morning and you will see those winds around half moon bay, we do have a wind advisory up for the coastal mountains and along the immediate coast though it will be windy along the bay area and south winds picking up and moisture coming in across the south that will bring us a chance of seeing isolated showers at times. plenty of sunshine in between,

but yes, kris, a much cooler today. isolated showers part of the forecast mixed with sun through the middle part of the week. >> thank you very much, rob. we begin this morning with a developing story and nightmare on the san mateo bridge. five women are dead and four others are recovering from the hospital from burn injuries and burn inhalation after the limo they were riding in somehow caught fire on the san mateo bridge. here's a live look at the bridge where traffic is back to normal this morning, but drivers backed up for miles last night after that fire shut down that bridge around 10:00. all westbound lanes of the bridge were shut down for several hours and traffic was diverted off the bridge as chp investigated that scene. the lanes were re-opened at 4:00 this morning. these were the pictures of the blaze sent by an nbc bay area viewer and you can see the back end of the limo there fully engulfed with flames. the chp said all five of the women who died were trapped

inside that limousine. four other women and the man who was driving were able to escape from the limo. all of the women were in their 30s were headed from alameda to foster city. the driver was not hurt. chp said it was unclear how the the fire started, but that the limousine was the only car involved and the fire wasn't sparked by a crash. the driver reportedly noticed smoke and pulled over to the side of the bridge and moments later the fire was fully engulfed. an investigation is under way to figure out what caused that limo to go up in flames. >> we'll be looking at the safety of the vehicle and see if they had any prior inspections that they normally have as well as depending on where the fire started, the fire department will be looking into if it was something that happened in the vehicle or inside the vehicle. >> the limo company is based out of san jose and the driver is cooperating with investigators and they tell us he was allowed to go home to sleep after he was questioned last night.

coming up at 7:00 on "today in the bay," new video just into our newsroom of a townhouse fire on treasure island. the latest on the damage and injuries there. coming up, an update on the wildfires that we've seen around the bay area and of course, how the forecast can impact that fire fight. those stories and more at 7:00 right here on "today in the bay."

♪ we're back on a sunday morning. cinco de mayo, 2013. happy cinco de mayo. a beautiful day here in new york city, and a nice crowd enjoying it. we'll get dylan's forecast for the rest of the country in just a moment a big thanks to all of the folks who have joined us here this morning on the plaza. also, you at home. on the plaza, i'm lester holt alongside erica hill, dylan dreyer and jenna wolfe. first, two inspirational women. aimee copeland, lucky to be alive after ifighting the flesh-eating bacteria. it will be fun to catch up with

you. also, you'll meet christmas abbott. her name alone will draw you in, and then when you meet her, boy, you can't help but be inspired. she's an elite athlete who is also out now to prove she has the strength and drive to become one of the first women to go over the wall, as they say, as a member of the pit crew in an elite sprint cup series nascar race. she's pretty cool. >> you going to try it? >> i did. i got to use the air gun. >> you didn't call aaa? that's what i would have done. >> no, i can actually change the tire. i'll give you a lesson. >> okay. and then, if anyone is expecting a child in the next couple of months -- >> hmm! >> -- you may want to tune in here. i checked out classes that prove you are never too young to learn, from art to zumba to mandarin. are you kidding me? i got a firsthand look at the range of topics little ones are tackling before they even learn to read or, i don't know, walk backwards. i was beyond shocked, but i guess i have to prepare myself. >> so much for to you learn.

>> so much. so little time. >> you learn over time, that's how it works, i think. >> that's true. >> as we all know, i was at churchill downs yesterday for the kentucky derby. i did come bearing gifts. i don't know if you will love them. it's the thought that counts. >> the thought. >> yes, and i put a lot of thought -- >> yes. it's the gift that counts. >> be o. we'll see how i did. >> look forward to that. first, is it fair game or unsportsman-like conduct? we're talking kobe bryant calling foul against his mother for selling some of his childhood possessions. diana alvear has our story. >> reporter: your little league uniform may bring back memories, but kobe bryant's uniform could bring in millions. at least that's what his mother is hoping for. pamela bryant is planning to auction off the childhood possessions of her laker legend son. >> what's going on? >> one of his first jerseys kobe ever wore from when he grew up in italy, there's trophies from high school, jerseys, from when

he played in philly. there's great stuff from the b nba, all-star jerseys. >> reporter: they estimate the stash could be worth up to $1.5 million. which begs the question -- can mom and dad simply sell off your stuff if it's left in their house for years? >> items that belong to children after they grow up still belong to that person. the parents don't get to take over a kid's stuff unless there's an agreement where the young person says that a parent, you can have it. >> reporter: well, according to court filings, that's exactly what pamela says kobe told her five years ago. his lawyers beg to differ. mr. bryant's personal property has ended up in the possession of someone who does not lawfully own it. we look forward to resolving this legal matter through the legal system. here's the dilemma. are childhood mementos truly priceless, or is it fair for mom to say at some point, get 'em out of the house and onto the 50% off table?

>> well, you ask and you ask, do you want this, do you want to come and get it, when are you moving this other stuff? oh, i'm coming for it, mom. don't touch it. >> most of my collectibles are still in my mom's basement in boxes. and she'll hold them as long as they need to be there. they're not going anywhere. >> reporter: i still have all sorts of childhood drawings, picture, yearbooks at my mom's house, and she often reminds me about it. at least in my case, she's the only one who thinks they're priceless. when it comes to kobe's fans, anything their idol touched could be worth top dollar. for "today," diana alvear, nbc news, los angeles. >> that will give you plenty to talk about with your kids today. dylan has a final check of the weather now. dylan? >> it is still a little chilly out here. we have the lovely ladies here. brought me a boston strong cookie. and i will be eating this. tell me about your sign. >> oh, my daughter britney took three hours to make this sign for you. for all of you. >> great colors. >> we had to come and show it and give our support and be

happy to be in new york. >> thanks so much for being here. really appreciate it. it is a little chilly. it will warm up. we'll see a lot of sunshine today and temperatures should get into the 60s in the northeast. ton of rain in the southeast, 4 to 5 inches of rain posted in that area. also scattered thunderstorms out in the rockies. that will develop into a bigger storm for the plains as we head into early next week. the showers up across minnesota, those should be light. the rain stays in the southeast tomorrow and heavier rain starts to move into the west coast. as you saw on the national map we do have a chance of seeing some showers, but i think we'll see more wind as opposed to rain today. san mateo coast down to monterey bay and we will see a chance, at least off and on of isolated showers at times. partly cloudy skies. we're looking at most of the day being dry, but we will see passing showers and highs in the upper 60s to low 70s. we'll stay unsettled with the

risk of showers off and on through the middle part of the week and warm and dryer approaching friday. of course, for your forecast any time, check it out on weather.com and i am learning things out here, lester, i had no idea. lester, i had no idea. >> you learn things every time on the plaza. thank you very much. it's been a year of milestones for aimee copeland. the georgia graduate student was not expected to survive after contracting a rare flesh-eating bacteria. after undergoing multiple amputations, her road to recovery has been nothing short of amazing. michelle franzen says she's sharing her story to inspire others. >> reporter: at the annual run, walk, and roll fund-raiser in georgia, the rain didn't stop aimee copeland from shining. the georgia graduate student who nearly died after contracting a rare flesh-eating bacteria helped raise money for friends of disabled adults and children, and came with a message.

>> let them know that i'm doing great. you know, regardless of what happens to you, regardless of the circumstances in your life, there's always so much joy out there, and you just have to find it. >> reporter: it's been just a year since aimee cut her leg on a zip line and fell into a river. doctors found it was infected with a flesh-eating bacteria that quickly destroys tissue. doctors quickly amputated her right leg, left foot and both hands. her family marvelled at her recovery and determination. >> she does pushups with her elbows. she does, like, 100 pushups. >> reporter: aimee hasn't looked back since. in a week, she travels to ohio to be fitted with bionic hands and in a few more months, she hopes to reach another milestone, walking again with the help of a prosthetic leg. >> that will be an amazing breakthrough to have the hands and the leg. i think there's no stopping me at that point. >> reporter: in addition to speaking engagements, aimee is

finishing her masters in psychology and starts her second masters program in august. and she is also waiting for a new companion to arrive, a service dog. >> he'll be able to open doors, turn on and off lights and even retrieve things from the refrigerator, my three favorite snacks -- yogurt, carrot, and string cheese. >> reporter: a life dramatically changed, but her spirit intact. for "today," michelle franzen, nbc news. up next, we'll meet another lady who can change two 68-pound tires in about 12 seconds. meet the nascar trailblazer working to join an elite pit crew right after this meesages. this is bob, ] a regular guy with an irregular heartbeat. the usual, bob? not today. [ male announcer ] bob has afib: atrial fibrillation not caused by a heart valve problem, a condition that puts him at greater risk for a stroke. [ gps ] turn left. i don't think so.

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to visibly reduce fine lines andpure chocolate goodnesseek. that brings people together. when the chocolate is hershey's life is delicious. their. >p > nascar fans are kn thetheir loyalty and passion, they'they've thetheir loyalty and passion, they'they'v mostly been cheerir mr men men in thp menme changing. >>r >> indeed, it is. mop more wommore women are onto the track. yyou cap you can nyou can s whep where speed where spe tenths of a second.

and where christmas abbott is training to be one of the first women to join the pit crew in the elite sprint cup series. >>forallof the talk of the drivers on the track, it's the seconds here in the pit that can win or losea race. before the number 15 car is at a complete stop, the guys are already over the wall and getting down to business. fuel. tires. and no room for error. it's an elite club and until recently it was almost exclusively a boys' club. you actually got recruited for this job. >> it didn't spark my interest until they put the air gun in my hand. and then, i discovered that there's a whole different category of competition and sport within nascar. >> reporter: 31-year-old christmas abbott loves a challenge. she's already an elite cross-fit athlete, giving her the strength a nascar front-tire changer requires. if she successfully completes training, christmas will be one of the first women ever to go over the wall in a nascar sprint cup series race.

christmas has been training for your position. >> yes, a little scary. >> reporter: why a little scare? >> she's going to take my job. >> reporter: still, there's plenty of support in the pits. >> she can go out there and run 12 seconds a day, i don't care if it's a boy or a girlment we're looking for success on pit road, and that's the bottom line. >> reporter: greg miller is the head pit crew coach at michael waltrip racing. how important is the makeup of your team to your success? >> skill is very important. a very close second, though, is their mentality and their ability to get along with others. >> reporter: trust, consistency, accuracy. the keys to success in the pits. >> when i first met christmas, she's very driven. and i think that has to be a part of the equation. >> reporter: there are six members on a pit crew team. the rear and front-tire carriers and changers. the jackman. and a gasman. with each tire weighing 68 pounds and a gas can more than 90, strength is crucial.

in the average 400-mile race, there are five to eight pit stops, and at the premier level, it all happens in about 12 seconds. >> all you want to do is come out far enough to drive -- one, two, three. four, five. pull the trigger. >> reporter: it is very cool. >> beautiful. >> reporter: so what's it like for you coming in as the new person to try to find your place on the team? >> it's absolutely humbling. >> reporter: christmas knows she's in the spotlight. as much as she loves the opportunity, the extra eyes watching can be tough to deal with. >> you come in with your head down, do your work, and try to be patient with your learning curve. >> reporter: in nascar, a 10th of a second is worth millions, and for christmas, that 10th of a second is the different

between making the cut and not. do you think she'll make it? do you think she'll eventually be a front-tire changer? >> that's a very good question. only time will tell. >> reporter: it could take years for christmas to earn her spot over the wall alongside these guys, a schedule she's willing to live with to achieve her dreams. right now, christmas abbott has about two, three seconds behind what she needs to be competitive, but she is determined. it's clear here the crew is rooting for her. what a great group. they quickly embraced her. they support one another. you can tell how much they love hanging out with each other. special thanks to mike putin and brandon. >> and if the team doesn't work out, you have another thing you can do. >> maybe. >> not do well, but do. >> hey, hey. she didn't do bad for a first try. >> she makes it look so easy and light. how heavy were -- >> the tire, if you're just pulling it like this, it's not that bad. you don't have the stress of the competition being in an actual

race, that was their practice spot. but, you know, they can weigh up to 68 pounds when you throw it. >> the gun is intense, too. >> the gun is awesome. >> the joy of power tools. just ahead, have you been to a yoga class lately? that is a toddler yoga class? jenna checks out the latest activities for the pint-sized set, and she's taking lots of notes. first, these messages. as your life changes, fidelity is there for your personal economy, helping you readjust along the way, refocus as careers change and kids head off to college, and revisit your investments as retirement gets closer. wherever you are today, fidelity's guidance can help you fine-tune your personal economy. start today with a free one-on-one review of your retirement plan. satisfies even the boldest tastes. share an appetizer, then choose two chili's entrees,

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♪ from zumba to cooking to mandarin, toddlers have all kinds of classes, to learn to chop, twist, and communicate their way to the top. as you're preparing for mommihood, of course, you had to see what was out there for you and your little one.

>> i do. i did, and i do. have you been to one of the classes lately? if i didn't know any better, i would swear they're part of a college curriculum. mandarin? are you kidding me? advanced gymnastics? sign language? they're intense! and from what i saw, well, it opened my eyes to an entire new world. ♪ a, b, c >> reporter: the a, b, cs no longer cut it. this is a dog-eat-dog world. and they're not messing around. sure, my baby has 112 days, 2,688 hours left in the womb. but, hey -- there's no time like the present to scope out your competition. so since she hasn't been born yet, i'm out here doing what any mother would do, not wasting any time at all. ♪ >> you know, my friend, she

speaks spanish. >> reporter: the language of learning is transforming. ♪ for your friend >> reporter: giving parents and their children new ways to get ahead. there are classes that feed the mind. the body. >> here we go. >> reporter: and the soul. from that cultivate creativity. and others that just plain make you hungry. >> a pancake. >> zucchini. >> reporter: you want to cook some spaghetti? who looks spaghetti? raise your hand high. where toddlers test by the teaspoon. >> i bet it's easier to cut it the other way. >> reporter: and the taste. yeah! and sometimes, you just have to let it all hang out. >> do i have food on my face?

do i have spaghetti -- oh! >> reporter: and at the perry school, you get to rock 'n' roll. ♪ say hi to jenna >> reporter: hi! dancing and singing. >> there a wolf, here a wolf, everywhere, a wolf, wolf. you hear this? are you listening? come on, get in the groove. >> reporter: movin' and goovin'. ♪ sort of like the "today" show on a big story. finding a place where happy doesn't meet fears. >> please don't cry. please don't cry. >> reporter: and the innocence and fun of being a child overshadows the race to the top. oh! so much! so cute. there's a class for every child. they do not come cheap. the ones i checked out on average, about $35 to $50 a session. >> wow. >> reporter: my baby isn't due until august 27th.

she's already signed up for 37 different classes. monday through sunday. so we're good on that front. >> okay. >> the french and mandarin to her right now, so it's -- >> reporter: only six to eight hours a day. i'm telling you. they really start early. >> yeah. a cute piece. >> yeah, great. cute kids. >> reporter: thank you. we'll be right back after these messages. unbeatable taste soars with an invincible force. man of steel and twizzlers. the twist you can't resist.

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♪ >> we were talking about this last week. >> oh. hold up. >> who senkz that song? >> yesterday hopefully you were with us, and we talked about this company here in new york that was offering its employees a little incentive. you can make a larger commission if you tattoo our logo on your body. >> not our logo. their logo. >> right. >> our logo well, got into the act. >> yes. >> we have our peacock tattoos. >> nice. >> i think they looked okay on us, and -- >> are you ready? >> some of us washed them off after the show. others -- >> rob. >> you put one on your neck, and you forgot to wash it off, and -- >> it was a small incident that happened last night. i went to a restaurant for dinner, and i was sitting at the

bar because there were no tables, and this really friendly couple comes township me and said, you know, my husband and i weren't sure if we were jenna wolf, but then we saw that beautiful tattoo that you have on your neck, and it's so loyal of you to dedicate yourself to the network. i said did you see the show this morning? i said that's not a real tattoo. i'm trying to feverishly take it off. >> i think you should work this to your advantage. raise for jenna? hello. >> it's real. >> we also asked you to go on-line to our website and weigh in on or very informal, unscientific survey, and here's what you found. an overwhelming majoritiy of yo would not get a tattoo of your company's logo to get a raise. some people say if it's 20%. i would need more than that. >> some experts said that's a good chunk. >> all right. >> i love giving presents, so i did do a lot of shopping. so not much shopping for you. yours was handmade.

>> handmade? >> i got the opportunity -- you know the roses they drape on the winning horse. they work on that for a straight week, and leading up to the kentucky derby, 24 hours straight they work on sewing in the roses into this garland. i got to put in four roses. i was so happy to see those didn't fall off, and they managed to find time to make you a corsage with the roses. >> that's very sweet. >> that's part of the garland. >> derby roses. >> derby roses. >> jenna. >> oh, that's so cute. >> i saw it on-line first, and then seeing it in person. >> let's see if it fits. it fits. so cute. >> finally -- >> adorable. >> i know you are trying to rearrange your whole spring wardrobe with bright colored pants. these are the kentucky determine where i. >> that's what i'm talking

about. >> those are your size. i expect you to wear them. >> on nightly news from this point up. i will be wearing these. maybe. >> let me process that for a moment. let's get with david gregory, and see what's coming up on "meet the press." >> come at me like i'm not supposed to comment. we have serious business on "meet the press." the breaking news out of steera. we have the latest on what it all means from our chief foreign affairs correspondent, andrea mitchell. then the dewait over personal freedom and national security. former new york city mayor rudy giuliani, senator patrick lay hay hi talking about the aftermath of the boston bombings and are we safe at home? >> that's it for us, on a sunday morning. >> i'll see you tonight on "nbc nightly news". until then, thanks for watching. everybody, so long, and dylan, thanks for the gifts. >> thank you. >> see you.

in the bay," trapped inside a limousine. a limo suddenly catches fire on the san mateo bridge trapping five women who were trapped inside. what the driver says he saw moments before the flames erupted. plus, they heard explosions and then they saw flames. the fire that left one family homeless and another sifting through debris. and the wind pick up across the bay area. the drastic drop in temperatures you will feel as you head outside this morning and when you can see rain back in the bay area. and looking live at day break in san jose. a beautiful start to the day.