NASCAR is attempting to get the race in between the showers. Hurry-up-and-race. Rarely a good race when that happens. They set the start time ahead an hour – at 1300 eastern – but when that time arrived track drying was in progress. The drivers are now in the cars and the command has been given at 15:25 eastern. An article I read yesterday indicated the crews would be targeting a shortened race. I’m not sure if they’re still leaning that way. The PRN guys were saying its raining in the city of Atlanta, but not at the track. The cars are rolling for the parade laps. The temperatures are in the low 60s today and it appears to be breezy. Keenan Thompson did a good job with the command to fire the engines.
Kyle Busch with his first pole will lead the field to the green flag.
Competition caution scheduled for lap 30.
One of the PRN announcers sounds like he has a cold or the flu. It sounds like he’s hurting his throat as he shouts his call. I”m left wanting him to clear his throat or rest his voice. I think its Rob Albright that’s leaving me feeling sorry for him and his poor vocal cords.
Competition caution is out on lap 31 of 325. Jeffrey Earnhardt came in on lap 29 with shredded tires.
Restarting on lap 35 of 325 with KHarv in the lead.
The PRN guys said the 36 cars in the race – only 36? I wonder if that was really a reference to the limited number of garage stalls in Atlanta, or a smaller entry field.
Newman is coming in for an unscheduled pit stop on lap 31 of 35 with right side damage.
Stage ends with KHarv putting lots of cars down a lap and stinking up the show.
Alex Bowman, Erik ‘That Jones Kid’ Jones, Ryan ‘Son’ Blaney all got penalties sending them to the back of the field for the restart.
KHarv just came back in for another pit stop. They had to tighten the lug nuts.
Restarting on lap 95 of 325.
Green flag pit stops on lap 126 of 325.
Wendy just said the storm is 40-45 miles away from the track, so she’s estimating they have a couple of hours of racing available.
Caution on lap 158 of 325 for a spin by Jimmie Johnson. Quite a bit of right front damage as though the tire exploded and tore up the fender. The radio team are saying that’s what happened.
Restarting on lap 162 of 325.
Stage 2 ends with Brad ‘It’ Keselowski crossing the line first.
The PRN guys keep talking – over and over again – about how they thought they’d have to come back to Atlanta for this race – some say tomorrow, one just said Easter weekend. It’s becoming a bit aggravating. I keep thinking they’re getting paid to be there – whenever – and whining about the rain delay while people have paid their hard-earned money to be there and aren’t complaining about getting cheated out of a full race experience as the teams seem to simply be trying to get-it-over-with as soon as possible (racing-the-rain).
It’s starting to seem like the only way to have a visually engaging/appealing race in Atlanta is with sunshine, no rain in the forecast, warm temperatures, and the stars aligned correctly.
NASCAR has mandated that the teams have to submit a roster of crew members to NASCAR who then provides them to the teams. So in addition to losing a member of the over-the-wall crew the paperwork has increased. “Cost savings” indeed.
So the return on Easter weekend was due to rumors around the track because NASCAR has to go to Las Vegas. I think I would’ve loved to go to the race Easter weekend.
According to Doug Turnbull someone said it appears the weather is breaking up over the track and worse-case-scenario the weather is 45 minutes away from the track.
Restarting on lap 178 of 325.
Now they’re saying the rain is either 10 minutes, 10 miles, or 30 minutes away – according to various teams. Wendy said she’s hearing people mention raindrops over the radio.
The lights are on at the track.
A light rain is falling on lap 208 of 325.
Green flag pit stops are underway on lap 213 of 325.
Wendy Venturini reported that John Force was in a wreck in the NHRA funny car racing today, but that he was alert afterward. This will make two events in a row in which he’s wrecked and gone to the hospital. Brittany Force also wrecked at the last event in Pomona and was taken to the hospital and diagnosed with a concussion and bruised lungs.
Green flag pit stops underway on lap 251 of 325.
The PRN crew keeps talking about the pit stops and the differences. It’s their first broadcast since the rules change. Of course, for the audience, it’s not our first race, so we’ve heard folks examine the differences with the five member over-the-wall crew. I guess, better late than never?
On lap 282 of 325 there are five cars on the lead lap.
Green flag pit stops are back underway on lap 285 of 325.
Trevor Bayne in the 6 is smoking up the show on lap 297 of 325. He’s having to come out of the car as the safety crew gets there because there’s so much smoke in his car.
Darrell ‘Bubba’ Wallace has a lot of left front damage and the hood is bowed up.
Ricky ‘Stinkhouse’ Stenhouse has a lot of rear-end damage.
They were casualties of the smoke machine of Trevor Bayne.
Restarting on lap 302 of 325.
Harvick takes the white flag. The boredom is almost over. Kevin Harvick wins.
Congrats to Clint Bowyer on his third place finish.
That was very boring to watch – like yesterday’s Xfinity race.
They need to do something to improve the racing for the people who pay to see the race. It is boring – and has been boring – to watch for the past few years. I know the drivers like the track. They talk about being able to race all over the track – about ‘putting on a show’ – but there’s very little racing for the lead. When I think of the Cup race at Atlanta, that’s what I remember about the race – the leader jumps out front and allows someone to come near occasionally then typically drives away until something happens to gather the field together. I am still proposing an additional stage in the race to at least allow an additional restart. Typically a race with a lot of green flag stops is usually a boring race because there’s often a lack of racing out front.
Oddly enough this is Kevin’s second Atlanta win. He has led the most laps at this track often, but hasn’t won, often. His first win in Atlanta, was his first win in Cup, 17 years ago, when he took over the car that Dale Earnhardt drove, which was renumbered from the 3 to the 29 – after Dale’s death.
They just showed John Force’s car blowing up. Wow. That’s awful. As soon as possible Bunny and I are going to watch NHRA coverage. I’ve been a fan for a few years, but Bunny has just got onboard with drag racing.