NASCAR defends decision to postpone race until Monday
Quote selected text Published February 25th, 2008 in NASCAR News
NASCAR officials felt they were always on the brink of getting the Auto Club 500 resumed late Sunday night at Auto Club Speedway but finally had to give up battling the weepers and dew at about 1:55 a.m. EST.
NASCAR Vice President Robin Pemberton: “We had thought when it had quit raining that we could get it dry in time. … All we can do is put our best foot forward. At the time, we thought we were going to get it. At anytime, we thought we were going to get it in 20 minutes. And when you’re working in that, sometimes it’s in vain.”
Another issue was that NASCAR already had postponed the Nationwide Series event to Monday.
“Trying to put on two shows tomorrow isn’t going to be easy either, but we’re going to do it,” Pemberton said Sunday night.
“To try toget one show in today is what our goal is going to be.”
Pemberton knows NASCAR will receive criticism for waiting so long before postponing the event.
“You can be upset at us for trying if you want to be, and that’s fair, but we’re always going to put our best foot forward,” Pemberton said. “With the lights here and everything, we thought we could get it pulled off, and it didn’t work.”
Bookmark to:
- NASCAR defends decision that Biffle won Kansas
- Kyle Petty said decision to get out of car for Texas was not his
- Montreal Champ Car Race Postponed Until Monday
- Wurz defends Williams choice to switch to Toyota engines
- Michigan race postponed again, will try again Tuesday
IMO they didn’t wait to long to cancel the race, because it was only 11Pm where the race was being held.
Good call Fisha…They were trying to put on a show! I’d have been pissed if I was there and they called it without trying!
however, those of us in texas and florida didnt take so kindly to that idea.
Is Texas in Central or Mountain time (I always get confused as to which states are in which)
And think about the fans in Hawaii… they were planning on eating a dinner and watching the end of the race, only to have it get postponed as they were finishing their dinner…. l0l
I thank Nascar for trying but after 3 hours of updates you think after the 2nd they would know for sure but oh well thanks for trying. Conrgats to Carl for winning good to see a Ford in victory lane!!!!!!!!!
Yea I’d been upset if I was in the stands but those of us on Eastern/Central time were asleep so think of how upset we would have been and I’m sure there are more of us than in HI.
Besides it wasnt just NASCAR the drivers didnt think the track was ready either!
Ok did NASCAR wait too long to call the race Sunday? Yes! Yes! What was the Official start time 1300 CST Sunday? If I am wrong adjust my times. Ok now they are going to string along these racers from 1700 CST till 2200 CST? And then try to race at 0100 CST the next day? WTF?
To recap these guys have been up for at least 12 hours more like 22 hours Press Fam all that good stuff, and you are going to put them behind the wheel?
OK so now after the crew chief/owner/wife/friend says who knows what these shitbricks are going to do get some sort of rest; they wake everyone up at 0100 cst and say we will be on the track and racing by 1200 CST Monday! Let’s just say the latest riser got up at 1000 hours. This guy now has 9 hours of sleep with in the last 24.
I would say BAD CALL! Just my 2 cents
Beer + Lack of Sleep = Bad Math You get my point though I Hope. Nascar made me do it.
okeegirl wrote:
Trust me, I was in the stands. I was a trooper. After the second red flag and the downpour about 75% of the fans left, but I stayed until 10:30. By 8pm I knew they weren’t going to get the track dry. There was just too much water and it was too cold. I would have been overjoyed if they had called it. Then my train would have left earlier and I would have been home before 1am!
StreetGlide73 wrote:
I agree. I don’t know how they expected the drivers to finish the race that late. From what I’ve heard, the drivers and crew get up at 4am on race day. I got up at 5 and was exahusted by then. Granted some of them had naps during the day, but still. That’s way too late.
Texas is central time fisha
I see everyone’s point here, I was there and stayed til they pushed the cars back in…..yes very late after 11….and while I understand about the viewers on the east coast..I also will tell you that after you have been there since 8am you just want to see the race, I was one of the lucky one’s that was able to go back on Mon. morning and I was surprised at how many people were there…but alot of the ones I spoke to got there tickets from a friend you couldn’t go back to the track on Mon.
It is really a now win situation for Nascar…tv fans unhappy/ticket holders happy or tv fans happy and ticket holders really unhappy….I am just hoping there are no more of these the rest of the season!!
Texas has 2 time zones mountain also.