Ryan Blaney mentioned it rained last night so they’re starting with a green track. His third place qualifying time was disallowed, so he’s starting dead last today. Jay Hernandez did a fine job of the command. Good energy.
Peace to the family of Jim Watson, the Furniture Row Racing crew member who died yesterday.
Congratulations to Dale and Amy Earnhardt on their pregnancy.
The stages for this race are 80-80-107. There will be a competition caution at lap 30 due to heavy rain overnight last night at the track.
Clean start with Martin Truex shooting out like a rocket and pulling away quickly.
Truex won the race off pit road for the competition caution.
Restart violation on Martin Truex Jr. He has to serve a penalty of some sort. Odd since he was leading. Truex just got the black flag.
He’s finally coming to pit road for a pass-through penalty.
Truex jumped below the white line on the restart resulting in the penalty.
NASCAR is looking at the situation and it may involve the 4 of Harvick according to MRN.
Caution on lap 46 of 267 for Brett Moffitt in the 83 hitting the wall.
Quick break for Martin Truex Jr allowing him to get back on the lead lap.
Restarting on lap 52 of 267 with ‘It’ leading the field
Blaney takes the lead on the restart.
‘Kutey’ Kyle Larson is on pit road on lap 65 of 267. He believes the engine is going bad.
Kyle Busch is lead the race now.
Martin Truex Jr has led more than 2000 laps this season.
‘Kutey’ Kyle Larson is dropping down to the apron as the field approaches since he’s off the pace.
The 42 team are going to try changing the ecu on the 42 at the end of stage one.
Caution is out for smoke coming out of the 42 of ‘Kutey’ Kyle Larson on lap 76 of 267. He headed to the garage.
This is his first DNF in his full-time career in NASCAR racing according to MRN.
Kyle Busch wins the stage under caution.
‘Kutey’ Kyle Larson is so bummed. His playoff future is dependent on issues with other playoff contenders.
He says it dropped a cylinder about ten laps before it expired.
Restarting on lap 86 of 267.
KyBu and KHarv will lead the field to green.
Truex Jr is on pit road on lap 91 of 267. The cre replaced four tires. A replay shows smoke coming from the car during the prior lap.
Looks like they had a loose wheel.
Green flag pit stops underway on lap 127 of 267
Caution is out on lap 155 of 267 for Brad Moffitt riding the wall again.
Some of the lead lap cars – including the leaders Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick – hit pit road with three laps to go in the stage.
As a result Denny Hamlin and Jimmie Johnson are at the front of the field at the restart with one lap to go in the stage.
Jimmie is falling backward like a rock.
Denny wins stage two and most of the cars that came in for a pit stop finish behind him.
Restarting on lap 167 of 267 with Kevin ‘Happy’ Harvick in the lead.
Caution is out on lap 175 of 267 for Ricky ‘Stinkhouse’ Stenhouse taking two shots into the outside wall. He hit the wall in turn one and two, went another lap, then lost a tire and hit the wall in three and four.
The leaders stay out on this caution.
Restarting on lap 179 of 267. KHarv continues to lead.
Caution is out on lap 187 for a spin by Jimmie Johnson. He tapped the outside wall and spun through the grass.
Restarting on lap 191 of 267 with Happy Harvick in the lead.
Jimmie brings out the caution again with a spin on lap 194 of 267. Since he didn’t get up the speed he’s still on the five minute repair clock which is down to three minutes. The clock starts when he hits pit road and ends when he hits the line at the end of pit road. Postman said he got five rounds of chassis adjustments.
He heads toward the end of pit road with 1:54 on the repair clock and gets out ahead of the field. He has about 1:45 seconds left on the five minute clock.
Restarting in 28th position on lap 196 of 267.
Caution on lap 198 for a big wreck involving Erik Jones, Ryan Blaney, Daniel Suarez, Jamie McMurray, Ryan Newman, Paul Menard, Aric Almirola, Danica Partick, Clint Bowyer, Matt Kenseth.
Erik ‘Da Brat’ Jones was on his driver’s door. He hit the wall head on.
Race is red flagged on lap 198.
MRN saying the following cars were involved:
- Erik Jones
- Matt Kenseth
- Ryan Blaney
- Jamie McMurray
- Aric Almirola
- Daniel Suarez
- Clint Bowyer
- AJ Allmendinger
- Michael McDowell
- Danica Patrick
- Kasey Kahne
- Trevor Bayne
Kenseth had seven crew guys attending to his car. He’s still sitting and steaming on pit road. The car has been disqualified. Kenseth is backing the car down pit road to take it back to the garage.
Jason Ratcliff is yelling an explanation to Joe Gibbs who climbed up on the pit box.
Kenseth said he didn’t see the wreck. He said he’s never heard of anybody getting disqualified for too many men over the wall. He got a pit road penalty (too many men over the wall) while they were on the five minute clock resulting in the disqualification.
Yellow flag is back out now.
Kenseth said he doesn’t really have a lot good to say right now. So he thanked his sponsor. He said he didn’t see the wreck until it was too late. Kenseth is furious.
‘EJ’ Erik ‘Da Brat’ Jones hit the wall in front of Daniel who had nowhere to go.
EJ, Daniel Suarez and Jamie McMurray are out of the care center and okay.
Restarting on lap 203 of 267 with KyBu in the lead. KHarv is beside him.
They waved off the restart for debris on the track.
Restarting on lap 204 of 267 with KyBu in the lead. KHarv is beside him.
Kyle ‘KyBu’ Busch runs off and Truex passes Harvick.
Truex is challenging for the lead on lap 207 of 267.
Truex finally gets KyBu on lap 211 of 267.
Kevin Harvick pits on lap 222.
Green flag pit stop for KyBu on lap 233 of 267.
Caution on lap 235 of 267 for a spin by AJ Allmendinger in the 47.
They’re having to tow him out of the mud – they hooked up a wench and reeled him in instead of sending a tow truck into the muck.
Truex wins the race off pit road with Kurt ‘KuBu’ Busch coming off second.
Brad ‘It’ Keselowski got popped for speeding.
Restarting on lap 242 of 267 with Truex and KuBu in the lead.
Truex takes off like a bullet again.
Truex wins.
Congrats to Kurt Busch on the second place finish.
Cole Pearn, crew chief of the 78, is hugging one of the crewman with ‘Elmer’ on the back of his shirt and crying. The loss of a team member hitting them hard – as expected.
Eliminated from the playoffs:
-
- Kyle Larson
- Matt Kenseth
- Ricky Stenhouse
- Jamie McMurray
NASCAR News:
- Furniture Row Racing crew member dies of heart attack.
- Sunday TODAY with Willie Geist to feature Dale Earnhardt Jr. interview.
- FRR Crew Member Jim Watson Passes Away.
- Blaney to Start at Rear of Field.
- Truex Claims Kansas Pole.
- Pressure Is On Johnson.
- Kenseth Not Worried About 2018.
- Busch Racing for Playoff Life.
- Blaney Remains In Playoff Picture.
- Test Completed On Charlotte Road Course.
- NASCAR Notebook: Truex, Pollex Receive Spirit Award.
- ‘Country 500’ Festival Returns to Daytona.
- Earnhardts Expecting First Child.
- Accidents Shake Up Playoff Standings.
- No ‘Dega Storybook Finish for Earnhardt Jr..
- Talladega High Five for Keselowski.
- McMurray Takes Blame for Early Crash.
- Co-Primary Sponsorship for Truex Jr..
- Earnhardt Jr. Wins Talladega Pole.
- Allison to Lead the Field in No. 2 Chevy.
- Talladega Gives Dale Jr. His Father’s Car.
- Last Talladega Ride for Earnhardt Jr..
- Marks Racing at Talladega for TBR.
- Amy Earnhardt to Drive Pace Car at Martinsville.
- FRR Statement On Future of No. 77 Team.
- JGR No. 19 Team Issued Penalty.
- Opinion: Shrinking Market.
- Martinsville Test All About ‘Rhythm’.
- Cassill, Front Row Motorsports to Part Ways.
- Notebook: NASCAR Explains Non-Call.
- Talladega Announces Pre-Race Dignitaries.
- Alabama Governor Declares ‘Dale Jr. Day’.
- Solid Second for Elliott.
- Truex Jr. Captures Charlotte Win.
- First XFINITY Win for Bell.
- Bell to Compete in XFINITY Series Full Time.
- Two XFINITY Teams Penalized.
- Bowman Breaks Through.
- Briscoe Gets New Crew Chief.
- Kligerman Back in Victory Lane.
- Rhodes Scores First Truck Win.
- Daniel Hemric gets unexpected introduction to Cup car at Charlotte road course test (video).
- Means Motorsports, Joey Gase to split at end of 2017; Gase to focus on Cup for 2018.
- Activist burns Nazi-Confederate flag near NASCAR speedway.
- Talladega wrecks competitive vibe of playoffs with random chaos.
- Truex, Jr., Pollex win NMPA Spirit Award.