NASCAR Makes Right Call On Coca-Cola 600
Streeter Lecka/Getty Images for NASCAR
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NASCAR found itself in one of those damned if you do, damned if you don’t situations Monday.
And while the sanctioning body doesn’t always make the right or most popular decision, I agree with NASCAR’s decision to end the race prematurely due to bad weather.
Four rain delays was three too many in my mind. But, when Sunday’s race was postponed to Monday due to rain, NASCAR only had so many options at its disposal.
First off, there were thousands of people that had come into town for the annual Memorial Day weekend extravaganza. I’d venture to guess that the majority of them had to get home to go to work on Tuesday.
Second, how many more rain delays were going to be likely if the sanctioning body had tried to stick it out longer? I mean, we saw how the rain kept toying with the race – start, stop, start, stop. It was almost comedic, yet NASCAR remained stoic, wanting to give all the roughly 130,000-plus fans that attended their money’s worth.
But with a stubborn weather front just not willing to let up, NASCAR did the wise thing to call the event when it did, even though it wound up putting somewhat of a downer on the 50th anniversary of the 600: becoming the shortest 600 ever held.
Sure, NASCAR could have brought the teams, drivers, crew chiefs, etc., back on Tuesday to finish things off, but that would have been an exercise in futility, given that Fox analysts were already saying that the first significant window of clear weather might not be until Thursday – when most teams will be heading off to Dover, Del., for next Sunday’s race.
Yes, I’m sure non-fans of adjudged winner David Reutimann or team owner Michael Waltrip were not happy that their own drivers didn’t get a chance to challenge for the victory. But at the same time, give Reutimann and Waltrip their due. Reutimann’s crew chief, Rodney Childers, made one hell of a gutsy call to keep Reutimann out on the track, rather than come into the pits for what would prove to be the last stop of the night.
It was that gamble by Childers that gave Reutimann his first career Cup win, and Waltrip his first victory as a Cup team owner. Let them enjoy it, rather than complain about the event being rain-shortened. For, if it had been YOUR favorite driver and crew chief that made the same call Reutimann and Childers did, you’d be celebrating right now, wouldn’t you? Admit it, yes, you would.
So, congrats to the No. 00 team. You deserve the win.
Catch you here Wednesday.
