The race is rain delayed. NASCAR intended to start an hour early to try to get the race in before the rain. Since we’ve tuned in, following the British Open golf tournament, they’ve been in rain delay coverage. Unfortunately they’re doing something goofy with the booth switching Rick to pit reporting and much to my chagrin they had Dale Jarrett in the booth – which resulted in the muting of the chatter – and I think Stevie Letarte will be in instead of Rick. Two people who talk entirely too much and Jr, who can go when he wants to. I’m going to give it a try with the volume up, but I’m virtually certain the volume will be muted in favor of the radio broadcast. It’s telling that often the guys on television – describing action we can see – talk a lot more than the guys on radio – describing action only they can see. It seems no one is sure what the weather will do, though it seems they’re anticipating racing to the end of stage two. Rick says in 16 years of covering NASCAR its the first time he’s been in the pits as a reporter. I’m bummed for him for getting sent down like that. That said I hope he gets rid of those awful glasses soon and asks the camera folks to raise the camera about 1-2 inches when he’s in the booth. Both will help his on-air appearance and possibly avoid his getting down-graded to pit reporter permanently.
The stages for today’s race are 75-75-151. It stopped raining and they’re motoring through driver introductions. According to Letarte NASCAR is anticipating a 16:15 green flag – 20 minutes from now.
Kurt Busch (41) won the pole for the race.
I’m already muting the tv volume. Stevie & Burton are babbling incessantly. It’s maddening.
Apparently they want the drivers to call the VHT – sticky compound – something other than VHT, but none of them can seem to remember what they’re supposed to call it.
A competition caution is scheduled for lap 35 of 301.
The sticky stuff compound is alternately called VHT, track-bite, PJ1, traction compound, sticky stuff.
I just want to say I am so thoroughly sick of people who get paid to be at the track and to watch NASCAR races telling me who I should feel about/view the races. So often a driver or media person will say ‘if you didn’t like that race…’ or ‘the racing is ‘good/so much better….’ and indicate that if you don’t/didn’t agree you aren’t a fan/don’t know good/should move to another sport/are an idiot. It has been my experience that things look very different when you’re physically invested in it, or making money from it or an insider. I find it insulting. I know you’re trying to sell your product so you’ll keep your job, but insulting the people whom work hard to earn enough to pay the high ticket prices, or whom sit through the cavalcade of commercials for hours to watch the race isn’t a great method for keeping and making fans. Just saying.
NASCAR waved off the start of the race due to jet dryers still on pit road working on a wet spot.
There’s also a safety vehicle on the front stretch as the cars come around. NASCAR apparently saw the debris.
Ty Dillon (13) is on pit road due to something rolling around under his feet in the race car.
The rain delay was 3.5 hours according to PRN.
Martin Truex Jr. (78) also started on the front row.
Caution on lap 14 of 301 for a spin by Landon Cassill (00). Landon’s rear right wheel is wobbling as he rolls toward the garage.
There are only 37 cars in the field.
Landon apparently crashed a car during practice yesterday and this is a backup he crashed today.
The crowd looks really sparse.
AJ ‘Ding Dong’ Allmendinger (47) brings out the caution on lap 19 of 301 with a spin like Landon’s. In both cases the driver side hits the wall after the car spins. Ding Dong says he lost a left rear tire just before he spun.
Jimmie Johnson is coming into the pits during this caution.
The 47 is on the hook being dragged back to the garage.
Restarting on lap 25 of 301 with Kurt Busch and Denny Hamlin (11) on the front row.
New dumb camera angle from the front bumper of the car looking a the track. Oh even better a split screen to the track shot side-by-side with watching a driver drive from the side. Has the person who was stuck on those shots ever watched television? Don’t they realize boring shots make an already boring race seem even more boring?
Competition caution.
Restarting on lap 40 of 301 with Ricky ‘Stinkhouse’ Stenhouse (17) and Jimmie Johnson (48) leading the field to green.
Truex takes the lead on lap 48 of 301.
Caution on lap 52 of 301 for debris.
Restarting on lap 55 of 301 with Martin Truex Jr and Ryan Blaney (12) on the front row.
We’re stuck on a track camera shot again. Boring, boring, boring!
The PRN guys mentioned they’re seeing reflected sunlight for the first time today during lap 70 of 301.
Truex wins stage one.
Restarting on lap of 301 with Martin Truex Jr and Chase Elliott at the front of the field.
Bunny and I were discussing whether greater alcohol consumption would make the race broadcast more entertaining. The guys are discussing the stupid track shot – Jr loves it and wants the camera to stay on it. The track action is so boring it almost wouldn’t make a difference – there’s nothing to see here folks.
Chase Elliott (9) takes over the lead from Martin Truex Jr on lap 131 of 301.
Chase Elliott wins stage two.
Chase Elliott wins the race off pit road. Kurt Busch will join him on the front row for the restart. They reviewed and determined Kurt Busch beat Chase Elliott off pit road.
Restarting on lap 158 of 301.
The crowd appeared to have thinned during that shot.
Green flag pit stops underway on lap 223 of 301.
Caution on lap 256 of 301 for Clint ‘Drunk Daddy’ Bowyer slamming the wall.
Kyle ‘KyBu’ Busch (18) wins the race off pit road.
Kevin ‘Happy’ Harvick (4) came out second.
Restarting on lap 262 of 301.
PRN says there’s rain nearby. The skies are ‘heavy to the west. The wind has picked up and the temperature has definitely dropped.’
One of the PRN guys says light sprinkles are hitting his arm with 17 laps to go in the race.
Lap traffic has enabled KHarv to catch up with KyBu.
Another turn reporter says he’s starting to feel raindrops with 15 laps to go.
KyBu bounced off the wall a little with 10 laps to go as Happy got him a bit loose with a rear tap.
Everytime Harvick gets to his bumper he gives him a tap and KyBu gets loose.
KHarv gave him a little shove as they went into the corner, getting KyBu out of the groove, and taking the lead from KyBu. with 7 laps to go.
Harvick is leaving KyBu in the dust.
Raindrops are showing up on the camera lenses.
Kevin Harvick wins a totally boring race until the final 20 laps.
With the lead that KHarv opened up it looked like he was goldbricking most of the race. It’s difficult to believe he had any competition with the way he completely drove away from the field after taking the lead. Felt like a WWE match.