Rain delay for the Sprint Cup race. Rain moved through this afternoon or evening resulting in a two hour delay to the start of the race. It’s 60 degrees. I’d hate to be in those grandstands shivering. There will be a competition caution at lap 25.
At 20:30 central time the field is finally on the track doing the parade laps.
The race is starting under what’s called a green-yellow condition. There will be a green flag and the laps will count, but the jet dryers are still out. The safety car is leading them around as the cars take lap 1 of 334. The jet dryers can’t actually get up next to the wall and the cars will be racing up there, so they want to get some heat in the track and some rubber down before going all green. So after the first lap they’re running under caution now.
The competition caution has been moved to lap 28 because of these caution laps.
They’ve been given the one to go on lap 5 of 334.
Carl Edwards leads the field to the green.
The green waves on lap 6 of 334.
On lap 15 of 554 Martin Truex Jr has debris on his car. Cole Pearn told him to drop back and pull up behind the 22 to get it off. With the help of Denny Hamlin Truex was able to get that debris off the grill.
Competition caution is out on lap 28 of 334.
Jimmie tapped the back of KyBu’s car on pit road, when Kyle had to slam on the brakes when Kevin Harvick pulled out in front of him. Both cars have a little damage.
Restarting on lap 34 of 334.
Green flag pit stops occurred around lap 78. Congrats to Martin Truex Jr on his march to the front of the field.
More green flag stops around lap 117.
Caution is out as we come back from commercial break.
Green flag stops on lap 179. Dale Jr’s car left on fire. When his gas man took the can away flames erupted. It went out shortly thereafter.
Caution on lap 211 of 334 for Josh Wise going into the wall. Jimmie and Matt Kenseth were on pit road when the caution came out.
Kenseth passed the start-finish line before Truex so he didn’t lose a lap, but Jimmie did not make the start-finish line so he’s a lap down. They’re having a discussion with the NASCAR officials as to whether the 48 was the first car 1 lap down and therefore gets the free pass.
Did someone give Jeff Gordon 5-hour Energy or something? He just won’t shut-up tonight. He’s babbling like Michael Waltrip. Chad is worried they didn’t get all the lugs tight on that stop, while Jeff Gordon is babbling non-stop about where he liked to pit.
Dale Jr was the first car one lap down. There will be fourteen cars on the lead lap at the restart. Jimmie Johnson took the wave around, so he is on the lead lap.
Carl Edwards dropped from the lead through the field. He’s come into the pits. He says there’s an issue with the wheel.
Green flag pit stops with 77 to go.
Congrats to Trevor Bayne for leading 12 laps on that last round of green-flag pit stops.
Caution with 57 to go for debris. Unfortunately Trevor Bayne had just come in for a pit stop the previous lap. He’ll likely take the wave around to stay on the lead lap.
Caution on lap 47 for Greg Biffle in the wall.
The 78 is staying out during this caution, while just about everybody else came in. Frankenstein in the three also stayed out once he saw Truex stay out.
Caution out with 41 to go as Austin “Frankenstein” Dillon (3) hit the wall and the
3, 6, 7, 14, 15, 17, 20, 23, 27, 31, 44, 46, and 48 all got a piece of it. The 11 got the 3 loose and sent him in front of the 48 who then hit the wall and spun across the field. All three Childress cars were caught up in it.
Looks like Truex stayed out on that set of pit stops again. They will restart with 33 laps to go and Martin Truex and Kyle Busch battling on the front row. Kyle eventually gets the lead from him.
Mike Joy just said its been 21 days since someone besides Kyle Busch has won a race in the three top NASCAR touring series.
And somehow they manage to go 30 laps to the end without a caution resulting in a win by KyBu. I stayed up for this? Sigh. He has now won the last four NASCAR national touring series races.
Hendrick had an okay night – Dale Jr finished 2nd, Jimmie Johnson finished 4th, Chase Elliott finished 5th, and Kasey Kahne finished 8th.
In NASCAR news this week:
- NASCAR race in Texas starts after one-hour, 50-minute delay.
- Stewart Gives Latest Health Update.
- Phil Robertson delivers pre-race prayer about Bibles, guns and the White House.
- Busch Scores 80th XFINITY Series Win.