Rain delaying resumption of Monday Cup race at Texas

By Dustin LongOct 25, 2020, 11:00 PM EDT

NOTE: The resumption of the Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway has been delayed Monday because of rain. For updates, monitor the NASCAR on NBC Twitter account and Dustin Long’s Twitter account.

Persistent rain Sunday forced NASCAR to postpone the Cup playoff race to Monday morning at Texas Motor Speedway.

The race is scheduled to resume at 10 a.m. ET on NBCSN.

The middle event in the Round of 8 had run 52 of 334 laps when the field was brought down pit road because of rain. After about four hours of attempting to dry the track, NASCAR announced the postponement. Clint Bowyer was leading when the race was stopped.

A spot in next month’s championship race is up for grabs should a playoff driver win Monday’s race. Joey Logano secured a spot in the Phoenix season finale by winning last weekend at Kansas.

Here is all the info for the Monday Cup race at Texas:

(All times are Eastern)

RESUMPTION: The race is scheduled to resume at 10 a.m. Fifty-two laps have been completed.

DISTANCE: The race is 334 laps (501 miles) around the 1.5-mile speedway.

STAGES: Stage 1 ends on Lap 105. Stage 2 ends on Lap 210.

TV/RADIO: NBCSN will televise the race. Coverage begins at 10 a.m. Performance Racing Network’s radio coverage will begin at 10 a.m. and also can be heard at goprn.com. SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will carry the broadcast.

STREAMING: Watch the race on the NBC Sports App

FORECAST: The wunderground.com forecast calls for a high of 48 degrees and an 49 percent chance of rain at the start of the race. The chance of rain is 21% at 11 a.m. … 70% at 12 p.m. … 24% at 1 p.m. … 42% at 2 p.m. … 59% at 3 p.m. … 52% at 4 p.m. … 43% at 5 p.m.

SUNDAY’S RACE: Kevin Harvick is 36th, running a lap down, after he hit the wall while leading. He cited moisture as the cause. … Clint Bowyer led when the race was halted by rain. Jimmie Johnson is second and followed by Erik Jones, Joey Logano and Martin Truex Jr.

LAST RACE AT TEXAS: Austin Dillon used a two-tire pit stop to get to the front and went on to win the July race. Richard Childress Racing teammate Tyler Reddick was second. Joey Logano placed third.

RUNNING ORDER AFTER 52 LAPS:

Alex Bowman confident as he returns to racing from back injury

By Mike HembreeMay 27, 2023, 4:57 PM EDT

CONCORD, N.C. — Alex Bowman watched the rain-filled skies over Charlotte Motor Speedway Saturday with more than a touch of disappointment.

As weather threatened to cancel Saturday night’s scheduled NASCAR Cup Series practice at the speedway, Bowman saw his chances to testing his car — and his body — dissolving in the raindrops. NASCAR ultimately cancelled practice and qualifying because of rain.

MORE: Wet weather cancels Charlotte Cup practice, qualifying

Bowman suffered a fractured vertebra in a sprint car accident last month and has missed three Cup races while he recovers. Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600, the season’s longest race, is scheduled to mark his return to the Hendrick Motorsports No. 48 Chevrolet.

“It would have been really nice to kickstart that with practice today,” Bowman said. “I haven’t raced or competitively driven a race car in a month. I’m trying to understand where my rusty areas are going to be and where I’m still good.”

Bowman ran 200 laps in a test season at North Wilkesboro Speedway this week, but, of course, that doesn’t compare with the faster speeds and tougher G-forces he’ll experience over 400 laps Sunday at CMS.

Bowman admitted that he is still experiencing pain from the back injury — his car flipped several times — and that he expects some pain during the race. But he said he is confident he’ll be OK and that the longer race distance won’t be an issue.

“I broke my back a month ago, and there’s definitely things that come along with that for a long time,” he said. “I have some discomfort here and there and there are things I do that don’t feel good. That’s just part of it. It’s stuff I’ll have to deal with. But, for the most part, I’m back to normal.

“I’m easing back into being in the gym. I’m trying to be smart with things. If I twist the wrong way, sometimes it hurts. In the race car at the end of a six-hour race, I’m probably not going to be the best.”

The sprint car crash interrupted what had been a fine seasonal start for Bowman. Although winless, he had three top fives and six top 10s in the first 10 races.

“I’m excited to be back,” Bowman said. “Hopefully, we can pick up where we left off and be strong right out of the gate.”

He said he hopes to return to short-track racing but not in the near future.

“Someday I want to get back in a sprint car or midget,” he said. “I felt like we were just getting rolling in a sprint car. That night we were pretty fast. Definitely a bummer there. That’s something I really want to conquer and be competitive at in the World of Outlaws or High Limits races. Somebody I’ll get back to that. It’s probably smart if I give my day job a little alone time for a bit.”

Charlotte NASCAR Cup Series starting lineup: Rain cancels qualifying

By Mike HembreeMay 27, 2023, 4:30 PM EDT

CONCORD, N.C. — William Byron and Kevin Harvick will start Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series 600-mile race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on the front row after wet weather cancelled Saturday night qualifying.

Rain pelted the CMS area much of the day Saturday, and NASCAR announced at 3:45 p.m. that Cup practice and qualifying, scheduled for Saturday night, had been cancelled.

MORE: Alex Bowman confident as he returns to cockpit

The starting field was set by the NASCAR rulebook.

Following Byron and Harvick in the starting top 10 will be Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott, Bubba Wallace, Ryan Blaney, Christopher Bell and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

The elimination of the practice session was particularly problematic for Alex Bowman, scheduled to return to racing Sunday after missing three weeks with a back injury, and Jimmie Johnson, who will be starting only his third race this year. Johnson will start 37th — last in the field.

Charlotte Cup starting lineup

Wet weather cancels Charlotte Cup Series practice, qualifying

By Mike HembreeMay 27, 2023, 4:11 PM EDT

CONCORD, N.C. — NASCAR Cup Series drivers will start the longest race of the season with no practice or qualifying.

Wet weather and predictions of more to come led NASCAR to cancel Saturday night’s Cup Series practice and qualifying in mid-afternoon. The field for Sunday’s 600-mile race was set by the NASCAR rulebook, placing William Byron and Kevin Harvick on the front row for the scheduled 6 p.m. start.

MORE: Charlotte Cup starting lineup

MORE: Alex Bowman confident as he returns to cockpit

Weather also could be an issue Sunday as more rain is predicted for the speedway area.

Drivers were scheduled to practice at 7 p.m. Saturday. That session was to be followed by qualifying at 7:45 p.m. The cancellations were announced at 3:45 p.m.

The time-trial cancellation marked the first time in 64 years that qualifying has been canceled for the 600.

Charlotte Xfinity race postponed to Monday by weather

By Mike HembreeMay 27, 2023, 3:59 PM EDT

CONCORD, N.C. — Persistent rain forced the postponement of Saturday’s scheduled 300-mile NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway to Monday.

The race is scheduled to start at noon ET. It will be televised by FS1 and broadcast by the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Driver introductions and other pre-race activities were held at the track Saturday, but rain that had dampened the track in the morning hours returned. After several attempts at drying the track, the race was postponed after heavier rain returned in mid-afternoon.

Justin Allgaier will start the race from the pole position.

Read more about NASCAR

Here is all the info for the Monday Cup race at Texas:

MORE: Wet weather cancels Charlotte Cup practice, qualifying

Read more about NASCAR

MORE: Alex Bowman confident as he returns to cockpit

Charlotte Cup starting lineup

Read more about NASCAR

MORE: Charlotte Cup starting lineup

MORE: Alex Bowman confident as he returns to cockpit

Read more about NASCAR

Read more about NASCAR