Streeter Lecka/Getty Images for NASCAR
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.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 05/26 at 04:45 AMI agree Jerry. When it takes an hour to dry the track each time the cars have to be stopped, they couldn’t just keep going. I applaud the efforts of all the track workers to get the track in as good of shape as it was each time.
I’d also like to give kudos to NASCAR for the patriotic display at 3:00PM. Lowering the flags to half staff, stopping the cars on the front stretch, and having all the teams come out on pit road was a class act. Nice Job, Well Done.
A few of my thoughts from the Coca-Cola 600…
After a tough week for NASCAR with pressure from the media and fans alike, the rain delay, and rain shorten race was a good call. Thanks for trying.
A special thanks to all the fans that stuck out the weather and returned to the track on Monday. I know it’s not and easy call to make, to stick out the weather, but my hat is off to all those that stayed knowing that the forecast wasn’t much better for Monday. It’s fans like you that make this sport as great as it is.
NASCAR once again shows it is one of the classiest sports around acknowledging the president’s request for a moment of silence and remembrance at 3:00 PM EST. The track lowered the flags to half staff. The cars were stopped on the front stretch, and all the teams came out on pit road. Tony Stewart came over his radio and said that was one of the coolest things he has ever been a part of. I agree. Nice touch.
Another special thanks to the track workers that work their butts off to try to get this race in. A special note of thanks to the track worker that was actually running down the track picking up pices of tire from Kevin Harvick’s car, the track workers are the life blood that make a weekend event possible.
Thank you!
How much of a gamble did Rodney Childers really take? After his feel-good start, Reutimann was 15th in points and has had finishes of 32nd, 20th, 26th, 28th and 29th. Without that “gutsy call” he probably finishes somewhere in the same neighborhood. I think it was pretty much the ONLY call Childers could make especially since you’re already going into Monday evening and conventional wisdom* tells you that another rain delay probably means the end of the race. Not to take anything away from Reutimann, it was great seeing his dad beaming as his son was declared the winner (my mom nearly cried when she saw it), but I thought of it as more of a “well, we’ve got nothing to lose by staying out and everything to gain” move than anything else.
* I realize there is rarely “conventional wisdom” when it comes to NASCAR, but work with me for a minute here…
227 laps in 6.5 hours was a bit much though -dont you think??
I was sooooo sick of the commentary from the sportscasters that I actually changed the channel and watched other shows and occasionally surfed back to Fox.
Look, I am as die hard as the next person, but the weather channel is rarely wrong, and even though it was a valiant attempt to get the race in, one look at the weather channel told you that it wasnt going to happen.
A LOT of resources were wasted trying to race when it was seriously clear that we werent going to get one in. Once we got to half way, it should have been canned instead of hanging us all out to dry.
NASCAR nneds to get their act together. First they treat us to the COT, then they treat us like children with cartoon characters and Digger (OMG Dont get me started) and now they hang us out to dry.
Hey folks, are you paying attention here?? There are a lot of us on the ‘net staying we dont like what you are doing. Are you listening?
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