The Coca-Cola 600 run at the Lowe’s Motor Speedway is the longest NASCAR Sprint Cup event of the year. This year, for its 50th anniversary, it was even longer as it took more than 24 hours to declare a winner.
Actually, the race should have gone under way late Sunday afternoon. But as the cars were to hit the track, it started to rain. The event was postponed until Monday at noon under cloudy skies.
Twice it was red-flagged because of the rain. Kyle Busch (Camry No 18) seemed poised once again to win the race when it was yellow flagged for a third time. Most drivers went to their pits for fresh tires thinking there would be a restart. Some stayed on the track, taking a chance.
On lap 222 of the 400-lap race, the red flag meaning the race was stopped was thrown for the third time. David Reutimann (Camry No 00) had stayed on the track followed by pole-sitter Ryan Newman (Chevy No 39) and Robby Gordon (Camry No 7).
After a few hours of wait, NASCAR decided that the race was over. Reutimann was declared winner, Newman second and Gordon third. Carl Edwards (Ford No 99) had been the first one to come out of pit lane so he was credited with fourth place followed by Brian Vickers (Camry No 93) …and Kyle Busch.
It was the first win ever in the Sprint Cup series for Reutimann. Championship positions have not changed for the first five as Jeff Gordon (Chevy No 24) still leads the standings. Next Sunday, the Sprint Cup series will run the Monster Mile of Dover.
photo:Streeter Lecka/Getty Images
Actually, the race should have gone under way late Sunday afternoon. But as the cars were to hit the track, it started to rain. The event was postponed until Monday at noon under cloudy skies.
Twice it was red-flagged because of the rain. Kyle Busch (Camry No 18) seemed poised once again to win the race when it was yellow flagged for a third time. Most drivers went to their pits for fresh tires thinking there would be a restart. Some stayed on the track, taking a chance.
On lap 222 of the 400-lap race, the red flag meaning the race was stopped was thrown for the third time. David Reutimann (Camry No 00) had stayed on the track followed by pole-sitter Ryan Newman (Chevy No 39) and Robby Gordon (Camry No 7).
After a few hours of wait, NASCAR decided that the race was over. Reutimann was declared winner, Newman second and Gordon third. Carl Edwards (Ford No 99) had been the first one to come out of pit lane so he was credited with fourth place followed by Brian Vickers (Camry No 93) …and Kyle Busch.
It was the first win ever in the Sprint Cup series for Reutimann. Championship positions have not changed for the first five as Jeff Gordon (Chevy No 24) still leads the standings. Next Sunday, the Sprint Cup series will run the Monster Mile of Dover.
photo:Streeter Lecka/Getty Images