Rain forces Cup race to be run Monday morning
Green flag scheduled for 11 a.m.; NASCAR impounds racecars
By Mark Spoor, NASCAR.COM
March 19, 2006
04:28 PM EST (21:28 GMT)



HAMPTON, Ga. -- Persistent rain pelted Atlanta Motor Speedway for most of the day on Sunday, forcing NASCAR to postpone the Golden Corral 500 until Monday at 11 a.m. ET.

The race will be broadcast on FX.

NASCAR impounded the cars until Monday, preventing teams from making any adjustments.

Driver introductions were made on-time Sunday during a short period of dryness, but the command to start engines was not given.

The weather forecast for Monday is not promising, either. Thunderstorms are expected throughout the day with highs in the 50s. If the race gets rained out again Monday, NASCAR likely would attempt to run the race on Tuesday, when the weather is expected to be much better, although there is still a small chance of showers.

When the race does go green, Kasey Kahne will lead the field to the flag, followed by Ryan Newman, Jeff Burton, Bobby Labonte and J.J. Yeley.

Defending race-winner Carl Edwards led Saturday's final practice, followed by his Roush Racing teammate, Mark Martin. Before qualifying 18th on Friday night, Edwards said the prospect of rain on Sunday actually altered his team's strategy for the weekend.

"They said there might be a little bit of rain, so we spent a lot of time in race trim during practice," Edwards said. "We made only two runs in qualifying trim, I guess. That's kind of our strategy -- just spend a little more time working on the racecar trying to make it right."

Elliott Sadler, who will start 28th, said there's very little worse than sitting through a rain delay.

"The weather for tomorrow doesn't look that good either, so it's a tough deal," Sadler said. "It's tough on everybody, not only us but the crews and the guys who are going through trying to get the cars inspected in the rain. It's just a tough day."

Not only tough for them, I didn't get my weekly fill of racing today!

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

If the weather will cooperate today, the Golden Corral 500 is scheduled to take the green flag at about 11 a.m. ET. Follow all the action with TrackPass and on FX.

OK It's looking good!! Looks like we have a race! It's on FX weather looks ok

FX is 248 on Direct TV not sure about your local cable!

Will post race updates here for you as i get them during the race

ap-by-Lap: Atlanta

NASCAR.COM
March 20, 2006
11:18 AM EST (16:18 GMT)
Lap 16: Caution: Ryan Newman swings around in Turn 3 after contact with Denny Hamlin.
Lap 12:Bobby Labonte's lead is now more than a second on second-place Greg Biffle.
Lap 2: Lead change: Bobby Labonte puts the No. 43 car in the lead.
Lap 2: Lead change: Ryan Newman passes Kasey Kahne for the lead.
Lap 1: KaseyKahne barely leads the opening lap.
11:09 a.m. -- Green flag. Kasey Kahne leads.
11:04 a.m. -- The cars have rolled off pit road.
11:01 a.m. -- NASCAR tells teams that a competition caution will be thrown on Lap 30.






Kasey Kahne 1st off pit road for restart

Lap-by-Lap: Atlanta
NASCAR.COM
March 20, 2006
11:46 AM EST (16:46 GMT)


Lap 56: The No. 99 team says it will put a new nose on its car during the next yellow flag.

Lap 48: Green flag -- Kurt Busch leads. Meanwhile, Carl Edwards is back at the tailend of the longest line.

Lap 44: Pit stops -- Carl Edwards and Dave Blaney collide on pit road. Big damage on the right front of the No.99. Edwards goes behind the wall with a broken frame piece. Meanwhile, Kurt Busch leads.

Lap 43: NASCAR has told teams there will be no competition caution.

Lap 42: Caution -- Kyle Busch goes high and stops after a tire goes down. He's to pit road.

Lap 35: Greg Biffle now leads seocnd-place Kurt Busch by more than a second.

Lap 27: NASCAR tells teams the competiton caution will now be on Lap 50.

Lap 22: Greg Biffle's lead is now .865 seconds.

Lap 20: Green flag: Kahne has the lead, but new leader Greg Biffle takes it away quickly.

Lap 17: Pit stops: Kasey Kahne wins the battle off pit road.

Lap 16: Caution: Ryan Newman swings around in Turn 3 after contact with Denny Hamlin. Report is that Newman had a flat rear tire.

Lap 12: Bobby Labonte's lead is now more than a second on second-place Greg Biffle.

Lap 2: Lead change: Bobby Labonte puts the No. 43 car in the lead.

Lap 2: Lead change: Ryan Newman passes Kasey Kahne for the lead.

Lap 1: Kasey Kahne barely leads the opening lap.

Lap-by-Lap: Atlanta
NASCAR.COM
March 20, 2006
01:03 PM EST (18:03 GMT)


Lap 171: Lead change -- Greg Biffle passes Tony Stewart. Meanwhile, Jimmie Johnson is gaining.

Lap 169: Green flag -- Tony Stewart leads.

Lap 167: Pit stops -- Tony Stewart wins the race off of pit road. Jamie McMurray gains two spots to 10th while Dale Earnhardt Jr. loses two into ninth.

Lap 166: Caution -- Debris

Lap 162: Tony Stewart leads second-place Greg Biffle by 1.644 seconds.

Lap 156: Kurt Busch told by NASCAR to speed up or pit.

Lap 140: Jimmie Johnson is in the top five for the first time today.

Lap 125: Tony Stewart leads Denny Hamlin by 1.033 seconds. It's 3.662 seconds back to third-place Greg Biffle.

Lap 124: Green flag -- Tony Stewart leads. David Stremme and Kevin Harvick, fighting for their lap back, make contact. Harvick then made contact with Kurt Busch. No caution.

Lap 119: Pit stops -- Greg Biffle goes past the line in his pit box and had to be pushed back. His tires are down to the cords. Tony Stewart leads the race off of pit road.

Lap 117: Caution -- Jeremy Mayfield into the wall in Turn 2 with a tire problem.That's bad news for Matt Kenseth, as well as Robby Gordon and David Stremme, who were on pit road as the caution came out.

Lap 113: Matt Kenseth to pit road with a right-rear tire problem. He's now a lap down.

Lap 105: Greg Biffle's lead has ballooned to 2.418 seconds on second-place Denny Hamlin

Lap 88: Greg Biffle now leads by 1.84 seconds.

Lap 79: Lead change -- Greg Biffle takes the race lead back from Denny Hamlin.

Lap 74: Green flag -- Denny Hamlin leads while Kevin Harvick fights to get back on the lead lap after complaining of a vibration.

Lap 68: Pit stops -- Denny Hamlin wins the race off of pit road.

Lap 67: Caution -- Carl Edwards has a tire go down and Kevin Harvick also to the pits for an unscheduled stop. Caution is actually for debris. Kyle Busch gets the lucky dog.

Lap 64: Lead change -- Denny Hamlin takes the lead from Kurt Busch.

Lap 63: Second-placeDenny Hamlin is gaining quickly on leader Kurt Busch.

Lap 57: Bobby Labonte to pit road complaining of a broken motor. Hermie Sadler also to the garage.

Lap 56: The No. 99 team says it will put a new nose on its car during the next yellow flag.

Lap 48: Green flag -- Kurt Busch leads. Meanwhile, Carl Edwards is back at the tailend of the longest line.

Lap 44: Pit stops -- Carl Edwards andDave Blaney collide on pit road. Big damage on the right front of the No. 99. Edwards goes behind the wall with a broken frame piece. Meanwhile, Kurt Busch leads.

Lap 43: NASCAR has told teams there will be no competition caution.

Lap 42: Caution -- Kyle Busch goes high and stops after a tire goes down. He's to pit road.

Lap 35: Greg Biffle now leads seocnd-place Kurt Busch by more than a second.

Lap 27: NASCAR tells teams the competiton caution will now be on Lap 50.

Lap 22: Greg Biffle's lead is now .865 seconds.

Lap 20: Green flag: Kahne has the lead, but new leader Greg Biffle takes it away quickly.

Lap 17: Pit stops: Kasey Kahne wins the battle off pit road.

Lap 16: Caution: Ryan Newman swings around in Turn 3 after contact with Denny Hamlin. Report is that Newman had a flat rear tire.

Lap 12: Bobby Labonte's lead is now more than a second on second-place Greg Biffle.

Lap 2: Lead change: Bobby Labonte puts the No. 43 car in the lead.

Lap 2: Lead change: Ryan Newman passes Kasey Kahne for the lead.

Lap 1: KaseyKahne barely leads the opening lap.

And in the end Kasey Kahne brings it home, winning his 2nd nascar race. Mark Martin was 2nd, and Dale Jr. 3rd.

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Yeah baby!! That's my boy!! Woot!