The legends were on stage on television. We saw a distant shot of it, the were stuck looking at bunned Kyle Petty and fuzzy Dale Jarrett instead of a nice close look – AND LISTEN – to the festivities with the legends. The hours and hours of pre and post race shows would be great if they were actually focused on the competitors and the competition. The tend to be never-ending hours of them talking to each other and enjoying their inside jokes and massaging their massive egos. While I’m sure they enjoy that greatly, since its all about them, its not remotely interesting or entertaining to me as a viewer. Then there’s the look. Krista – those glasses are not a good look. Kyle, 20 year olds with man buns can sometimes pull off the look. Most 60 year olds can’t – including you. Dale Jarrett, shave. Your face looks in need of a washcloth. Unless there was a bender in your recent past, try to avoid looking like a professional drunk and imitate a professional television broadcaster.
I’m seeing dark clouds in the background of a desk shot. I wonder if storms are forecasted later in Darlington. As they continue talking the clouds are spreading and it appears to be raining in the distance.
Dale Jr is so personable and loves the sport so much. He’s a delight on the desk.
The stages for this race are 100-100-167 laps.
This is one of the longest races of the year since they’ve cut so many race from 500 miles.
Dale Jarrett says he thinks Kevin Harvick overstepped the line in what he said about Ross Chastain yesterday. That’s surprising because he tends to not think any bad behavior is actually bad or wrong.
Kyle Petty felt that Kevin making it personal was possibly taking it too far.
Dale Jr says Chip Ganassi says Ross Chastain is going to get additional chances in the car.
Kyle Petty spends a lot of time talking about ‘the meeting’. It seems to me if the audience isn’t shown the meeting he might want to refrain from constantly referencing something the viewer isn’t privy to.
They showed a lovely rainbow on the television broadcast.
Pre-race ceremonies are on-hold due to lightning in the area. The track is still dry, but with lightning in the area they’ve cleared the grandstands.
Hanson killed the national anthem. Lovely, lovely version! I’d like to hear that again!
The track is on a 30 minute hold due to another lightning strike in an 8-mile range and there were a few sprinkles, but the track is still dry.
There are seven legends pacing the field in various model year Camaros. They are: Rick Hendrick, Richard Childress, Ray Evernham, Ricky Craven, Ward Burton, Ron Hornaday Jr, and Jeff Burton. The Camaros are 1969 – 2017 model years.
The pace cars are rolling and instead of seeing all the cars we’re looking at Jeff Burton driving one and waving. When finally they start to show the field they’re so far away we can barely see the cars, then they quickly switch to the 22 car. What is wrong with these people!!! Do they really have no idea what a race viewer wants to see??? Frustrating!
Denny Hamlin (20) will lead the field to green alongside ‘Kutey’ Kyle Lason (42).
They said Glenn Jarrett did his final MRN broadcast with the Bristol Truck Race. I’m bummed. I’ll miss Glenn Jarrett. he’s a nut. I enjoyed his broadcasts.
Kyle Larson takes the lead on lap 12 of 367.
William Byron (24) has a throwback paint scheme of the 1990’s rainbow warrior Jeff Gordon car and it looks great, brings back memories. Paul Menard’s (21) Wood Brothers throwback looks great and also brings back memories. Darrell Wallace Jr (43) is in a classic Richard Petty throwback scheme reminding me of my childhood.
Jimmie Johnson (48) had to start at the rear of the field for unapproved adjustments after the impound. Jimmie apparently hit the wall in qualifying. On lap 26 Jimmie has made it up to the 19th position. Congrats to Chad Knaus on the birth of his son on Tuesday!
On lap 28 Alex Bowman (88) is headed into the pits for a right rear flat.
Green flag pit stops are underway on lap 47 of 367.
Brad ‘It’ Keselowski (2) has one of Rusty Wallace’s Miller Genuine Draft paint schemes on his car. The one thing ‘It’ and the 2 team can do is imitate someone else’s good idea, so it looks great – brings back memories.
Jimmie Johnson is coming in for a pit stop on lap 63 of 367 from 14th position due to a loose right rear wheel.
Jimmie also got a commitment line violation so he will have to do a pass through penalty.
Darlington has the most beautiful sunset skies. I hope to get to that race next year to view them in person.
The 48 is currently 3 laps down.
The 88 of Alex Bowman is in the pits on lap 72 of 367. Theyr’e off sequence due to the earlier flat, so this is their scheduled stop.
Beautiful sunset shot as the television broadcast returns from commercial break.
Followed by a dumb shot of Daniel Suarez (19) driving his car. I’d truly like to understand what they find interesting about watching someone drive a car – during a race. Watching a driver drive is rarely interesting – except in extreme cases – after – you’ve seen, from the outside of the car, him do something impressive.
As stage one comes to a close MRN finally has action to call because Austin ‘Frankenstein’ Dillon (3) is fighting Kutey Kyle hard to avoid going a lap down. Basically there’s been no other real action at the front of the field since Larson took the lead on lap 12. Larson wins the stage.
These long races need to be held during the day. Night racing is often less competitive and less entertaining than a day race. The longer races really need to be held during the most competitve times and that appears to be daylight hours with the current car and rules package.
Erik ‘Da Brat’ Jones (20) gets an uncontrolled tire penalty.
Kutey Kyle said he was being a nice guy and not passing Austin Dillon and hopes karma will come back around his way. What a sorry race.
Restarting on lap 108 of 367 with Kutey Kyle and Joey Logano (22) up front.
Caution on lap 128 of 367 of a spin by Joey Gase (23) after Kyle ‘KyBu’ Busch got into his left rear.
Unfortunately instead of getting Ken Squire and Ned Jarrett calling the throwback race we’re stuck with Kyle Petty, Dale Jarrett and Dale Earnhardt Jr. A complete 180 from the experience and quality of Squire and Ned to the utter lack of talent of KP and DJ. And a lack of experience with Dale Jr.
KyBu got a bit of damage in the incident with Joey Gase which had to be banged out on pit road.
Restarting on lap 133 of 367 with Martin Truex Jr (78) and Kutey Kyle Larson up front. Truex won the race off pit road. Jimmie restarts one lap down.
Clint ‘Drunk Daddy’ Bowyer (14) is on pit road on lap 147 of 367.
Derricke Cope (99) tried to drop down a lane when the leaders approached just as Martin Truex Jr tried to drop down. Truex dropped lower and got around Cope.
On lap 160 of 367 the leaders lap Jimmie Johnson as Kutey Kyle and Truex battle for the lead. Kutey Kyle gets the lead.
On lap 164 of 367 Joey Logano is on pit road from fourth position.
‘It’ is now on pit road on lap 167 of 367. KyBu is also on pit road.
The 12 of Ryan Blaney is on pit road on lap 168 of 367.
Green flag pit stops are underway.
5 cars have unlapped themselves on the track, according to MRN. There were 7 cars on the lead lap, now on lap 187 of 367 there are 12 cars on the lead lap. Austin Dillon (3) has also unlapped himself.
Ricky ‘Stinkhouse’ Stenhouse (17) on new tires is racing to gain a lap after his pit stop.
Clint ‘Drunk Daddy’ Bowyer has unlapped himself on lap 196.
Larson is running 149 mph just trying to stay out there to get the stage two win. He leads by 17 seconds over Brad ‘It’ Keselowski.
Larson finally finishes the stage first.
Restarting on lap 206 of 367 with Kutey Kyle and Joey Logano up front.
On lap 229 of 367 Jimmie Johnson is headed to pit road saying the engine isn’t running. The crew looked over the engine. They’re pushing the car to the garage.
Green flag pit stops underway on lap 245 of 367.
Jimmie said he had zero oil pressure and the engine went into protection mode and wouldn’t run.
Additional green flag pit stops underway on lap 286 of 367.
Caution on lap 312 of 367 due to an incident between Ryan Newman (31), and Clint Bowyer (14). Newman was really slow on the track and Clint Bowyer slammed into him and Jeffrey Earnhardt (96) got a little piece of it when the Newman stopped in front of him. Then when they came to a stop, Newman backed into Clint Bowyer’s car.
Newman is still coming onto and off pit road getting repairs to his car. Bowyer’s car headed to the garage on the hook.
Clint Bowyer is very frustrated and was complaining about cars many laps down being all over the track. The last time he called someone out as a problem on the track he ended up working for them. He mentioned the 99 car being multiple laps down and all over the track – karma may have him a Derrick Cope employee in the future eating his words like he ended up doing with Michael Waltrip.
Restarting on lap 322 of 367 with Kutey Kyle and ‘It’ up front with seven cars on the lead lap.
Caution on lap 328 of 367 for debris.
MRN says the debris came off William Byron’s (24) car and they’re getting word there may be an oil-pressure issue on the car (looks like Jimmie was right that his teammates needed to be worried about that).
The 24 car has been pushed to the garage area. Winston Kelly said an engineer told him he thought the engine was going south and it was an oil pressure issue though they’re not sure if its the same issue as Jimmie Johnson’s.
Restarting on lap 333 of 367 with Kutey Kyle and Joey Logano on the front row and ten cars on the lead lap.
William says they blew up and they’re not sure why. He said it started to lose oil pressure, but they’re not sure why.
Caution on lap 343 of 367 for a spin by Jeffrey Earnhardt (96). Martin Truex Jr (78) scuffed the fence avoiding Jeffrey and Paul Menard (21) managed to avoid the 96.
Restarting on lap 348 of 367 with ‘It’ and Kyle Larson in front and sixteen cars on the lead lap thanks to the wave-around.
‘It’ wins. Total crap race. Thoroughly makes me re-think my thoughts of going to the race next year. It was really boring – reminds me too much of the last few boring Atlanta races I attended. I think I’m going to give it a try anyway, but that horrible race makes me much less interested.
Motorsport News:
- NASCAR luminaries pace Darlington field
- Hendrick Motorsports drivers show speed at Darlington
- William Byron wins Darlington paint scheme fan vote
- NHRA: Greenwood car salesman Drew Skillman among Pro Stock’s best
- Courtney Force withstands family’s crashes to take NHRA Funny Car lead
- Takuma Sato wins in Portland; Scott Dixon rallies to finish 5th
- NASCAR at Darlington Raceway: starting lineup breakdown
- FIA says Haas knew Grosjean’s floor was illegal but ran it anyway
- Verstappen blames Bottas for Italian Grand Prix penalty clash
- Fernando Alonso: McLaren F1 team’s reliability has gone ‘backwards’
- Sebastian Vettel: Lewis Hamilton squeezed me into Italian GP spin
- McLaren F1 team sets deadline for 2019 IndyCar entry decision
- Haas willing to block Force India Formula 1 money deal alone
- Will Power wins pole in IndyCar return to Portland
- Italian Grand Prix – Who said what
- Renault lodges protest against Haas’ F1 car
- Max Verstappen complains F1 penalties are ‘destroying racing’
- Kevin Harvick rips driver who wrecked him in Xfinity race
- NASCAR luminaries pace throwback Darlington field in six Camaros
- Darlington improves seating, sight lines
- Long: Enjoy a trip back in time tonight, but the future beckons