It’s a lovely sunny day, as Kevin Harvick leads the field to the green flag in Dover. The high temperature is expected to be 58 degrees. It was quite breezy before the start of the race. You’d have to pay me to sit in those grandstands. Now, that bubble above the track, I might sit up there – protected from the elements, but not in the wind and chill. It rained overnight so there will be a competition caution at lap 40. The qualifying order was set from first round practice speeds so some great drivers are buried in the field.
Erik Jones won the Xfinity race yesterday and the dash for cash. I was a bit confused watching the dash for cash heat races seeing Joey Logano and Paul Menard in the mix. I thought they weren’t eligible to win the cash so I don’t understand why they were on the track. I don’t know this year’s rules for that competition though. Seems like they’re ‘simplifying’ everything else, seems like that should be simple to figure out from watching also. Eh, maybe that’s just me.
Caution is out on lap 114 of 400 for Matti Di hitting the wall. Looks like he lost a front right tire. Luckily he caught the SAFER barrier unlike Tony Stewart and Jamie McMurray in practice on Friday. Danica Patrick had an issue and hit the wall. The car laid down oil and flamed up. Smoke and Jamie Mc hit the oil and hit the concrete wall without SAFER barrier. Both are in the race today. Jamie Little said Jamie Mc is very sore.
Aric Almirola had to come in under green to get a new left rear tire because of contact with Tony Stewart who took exception to the way Afterburner was racing.
Caution is out on lap 143 of 400 for Regan Smith going around and hitting the wall. Regan Smith said something broke. All we saw was the car seeming to lose the back end and going around.
Caution on lap 172 of 400 for debris.
Caution on lap 182 of 400 for Austin ‘Frankenstein’ Dillon visiting the wall after something possibly breaking on the car.
Caution number six is out on lap 212 of 400 for a spin by Reed Sorenson. He seemed to lay down some oil on track in the process of his issue which Jimmie Johnson got into going for a spin and Kevin Harvick had to come to a full stop to avoid hitting Jimmie as he slid down the track.
Caution is out on lap 225 of 400 for Michael Annett hitting the wall after a little contact from Jamie McMurray.
Caution is out on lap 289 for debris. ‘It’ Brad Keselowski clipped Frankenstein and tore up the front right of ‘It’s’ car. Unsurprisingly with all that damage on his car and damage on Frankenstein’s car the caution comes out for debris. Gotta love the Penske cheat – got a damaged car, won’t bring it in for repairs – likely causing the caution he benefits from.
Caution out for debris with 102 laps to go.
Caution is out with 58 laps to go. Tony Stewart believes he broke a track bar. Chris Buescher in the 34 went around behind him. Smoke was laying down rear-end grease according to DW. Leader Martin Truex Jr slid through the oil on the track and managed to keep it straightened out. Smoke’s car leaked fluid down pit road so the pit crews are on their hands and knees trying to clean up the grease in their pit boxes.
Smoke said the track bar mount broke on the rear end side of it, nor the chassis side of it and it punctured the rear end oil tank.
Caution on the restart with 48 to go. Jimmie and Matt Kenseth both didn’t take tires and were at the front of the field. Jimmie said the car was locked in gear and would not go and the field behind him backed up and then crashed into him. When he shifted the car stopped and everybody piled into the wreck. Big wreck. Red flag is out. The 4, 78, 2, 11, 22, 17, 47, 88, 31, 18, 16, 43, 13, 10, 15, 1, 23, 42, all got a piece of it. 18 cars involved in that one. Dale Jr seemed to injure his hand. He was hit hard during that incident.
Jimmie said when he tried to go to third and it wouldn’t go in gear and it was locked out and just wouldn’t go into gear – any gear. He said he’s never had that happen to him in his career where it wouldn’t go into any gear. Jimmie said
Aric Almirola got caught by the steering wheel and believes he broke his pinkie finger.
Restart with 41 to go and Carl Edwards hit the wall hard. Carl is angry! He seems to be thinking ‘Kutey’ Kyle Larson is as fault in that one. Looks like Carl got a little loose and the 42 went into the back of him a little and Carl went around.
Logano is back out with a dune buggy.
Kurt Busch just scraped the wall with 31 to go, but he’s still coming up on second place Kyle Larson.
As we hit 20 laps or so to go Chase Elliott chased down Kutey Kyle who had chased down Kenseth and a battle ensued.
Kenseth holds off Kutey Kyle to win! Chase Elliott finishes third. Great job rookie! Kasey Kahne finishes fourth and Kurt Bush finishes fifth.
Truex Jr ended up finishing ninth. He had a really good car and likely would’ve contended for a win.
In NASCAR news this week:
- Bad Luck Continues for Truex.
- Huge Crash Red Flags Dover.
- Crafton Captures Dover Win.
- Kyle Busch to Sport No. 75 for All-Star Race.
- Dover Qualifying Washed Out.
- Opinion: Regular Season Needs Meaning.
- JGR Crew Chief Draws One-Race Suspension.
- Mears To Honor Yunick at Darlington.
- SAFER Barriers Extended at Dover.
- Relieved Blaney Scores Top Five.
- Jones Masters the Monster.
- Bowyer to Race for JR Motorsports at Chicagoland.
- Talladega Birthday Celebration for Sadler.
- TriStar Announces Driver Change.
- Earnhardt Jr. Prevails at Richmond.
- Ty Dillon’s Crew Chief Suspended.
- Jones Dashes to Bristol Win.
- Byron Breaks Through.
- NASCAR Announces 2017 Schedules.