2019 Nascar - Texas - Race # 7

[GA_Boater]

It a full boat weekend at Texas - Cup, X-Men and Trucks are hitting the asphalt. Two Truck practices on Thursday kick off the schedule and Cup finish the weekend on Sunday. From MRN, here's the schedule;


Texas Schedule of Events


By
MRN Staff March 25, 2019 at 10:25 am

All Times Eastern (Local Time 1-Hour Behind)

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Thursday, March 28
Gander Outdoors Truck Series First Practice: 4:05 p.m.-4:55 p.m.
Gander Outdoors Truck Series Final Practice: 6:05 p.m.-6:55 p.m.

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Friday, March 29
Monster Energy Cup Series First Practice: 3:05 p.m.-3:55 p.m. (PRN/FS1)
Xfinity Series First Practice: 4:05 p.m.-4:55 p.m. (FS1)
Gander Outdoors Truck Series Qualifying: 5:10 p.m. (FS1)
Xfinity Series Final Practice: 6:35 p.m.-7:25 p.m. (FS1)
Monster Energy Cup Series Qualifying: 7:40 p.m. (PRN/FS1)
Radio Pre-Race: (MRN)
TV Pre-Race: 8:30 p.m. (FS1)
Gander Outdoors Truck Series Vankor 350: 9:00 p.m. (MRN/FS1)

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Saturday, March 30
Monster Energy Cup Series Second Practice: 9:05 a.m.-9:55 p.m. (FS1)
Xfinity Series Qualifying: 10:10 a.m. (FS1)
Monster Energy Cup Series Final Practice: 11:30 a.m.-12:20 p.m. (FS1)
Radio Pre-Race: 12:30 p.m. (PRN)
TV Pre-Race: 12:30 p.m. (FS1)
Xfinity Series My Bariatric Solutions 300: 1:00 p.m. (PRN/FS1)

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Sunday, March 31
Radio Pre-Race: 2:00 p.m. (PRN)
TV Pre-Race: 1:30 p.m. (FS1); 2:30 p.m. (FOX)
Monster Energy Cup Series O’Reilly Auto Parts 500: 3:00 p.m. (PRN/FOX)

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Weather may affect things on Friday if the rain doesn't clear out by afternoon as forecasted. And it's gonna be windy on Saturday. 40 teams are on the entry list, so we have a full field.

We have some news, so here we go with two big things and a rules package change,

News and Notes

• First - After the qualifying debacle at Fontana, Nascar has made changes to qualifying penalties. All times will zero if you don't make run in any round or block pit road to hold up others cars. From Nascar - https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2019/03/25/nascar-qualifying-changes-updates-penalty-texas/
• Second - 2020 will have a new race schedule. Daytona still kicks off the season, but instead of Atlanta as the 2nd race, the 3 race West Coast swing follows. Then Atlanta is the 5th race in mid-March, then race 6 is Homestead. Phoenix takes over as the season ender. Pocono has back to back races on Saturday and Sunday, Bristol moves into the playoffs and the 2nd Daytona race will end the regular season. before the playoffs. For the full 2020 schedule - http://slpage.webfactional.com/jayski/Cup/2020cupschedule.html
• New package rules for Daytona and Talladega - taller spoiler and a1" spacer to raise the back. Why? Because cars are going too fast. :doh: https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2...s-rules-changes-reduce-speeds-superspeedways/
• There are 2 consecutive W/E's off due to NBC's Olympics coverage. The season still ends in November
• To summarize the changes - "fans prior to today...”its time change for a major shakeup to the schedule” Fans after 4pm today...”They moved my favourite race, this is an outrage!!!”" LOL
• Only loose or missing lugnuts in the Martinsville post-race inspection.
• The Geico lizard is a new official insurance partner of Nsacar
• TV ratings - Martinsville got a 1.5, 2018 was 0.8 (rain delayed to Monday) and 2017 was 2.1

iBoats Fantasy Live.

• We had a tie at Martinsville. FloridaFishingNetwork and justkiddin 5 both scored 239 points. Second time this has happened in iFL. Congrats congrats :first::first:
• justkiddin 5 is the new overall leader over Fasteddie370.
• The pole locks at 7:35PM on Friday.

Good luck,

Humpty_Boater

 

[GA_Boater]

This afternoon's up Cup practice 5 fastest - Johnson, Bowman, Joey, Bryon and Keso.

Qualifying for your pole pick locks at 7:35, about 15 minutes.

A note on qualifying - Some drafting was going during practice, but not all drivers did any. But the draftees were faster than the non-drafters. Expect to see drafting in the Q-Runs

 

[GA_Boater]

Alex Bowman smacks the wall in 1st Q-Session. Moving to the backup and to the rear to start on Sunday.

Red flag for clean up.

Hill was speeding on pit road and his time was zeroed. The new qualifying rules bite a driver.

 

[GA_Boater]

Menard and Cassil also speeding.

They are doing the sit and wait so a driver isn't the 1st one out. "This is riveting" from Almirola.

 

[GA_Boater]

A bunch of the 24 round 2 cars got no time cuz they waited too long to go out.

Johnson led round 2.

 

[GA_Boater]

After one big mess for qualifying again, Johnson has the pole. The rest of the 3rd round are Byron, Elliott, Suarez, ADillion,Hamlin, Hemric, Joey, TDillon, Wallace, Jones and Keso.

Nascar is trying to make qualifying entertaining and instead have made it a big bore.

 

[GA_Boater]

The Twerp wins Trucks again. Ho Hum.

 

[GA_Boater]

 

[GA_Boater]

This morning's Cup practice was cancelled when the rain from yesterday finally came in overnight and drying took a while. The final practice went off on time and the 5 fastest are Hamlin, The Twerp, Blaney, Busch1 and Johnson.

X-Men start in about 30 minutes. Cuppers Bell, The Twerp and Keso are in it. The next 4 X-Races are the Dash For Cash races and Buschwhackers are locked out!

3:10 PM tomorrow is the lock time for iFL rosters.

 

[GA_Boater]

That says it all! Gluck even retweeted himself from last night.


Remember the 3:10 roster cut-off tomorrow for iFL.

 

[GA_Boater]

The 85 lap 1st heat has the green flag waving.

Any car but the 18 for the win!

 

[GA_Boater]

Jones brings out the 1st yellow. Spinner!

 

[GA_Boater]

Johnson and Elliott stayed out, the rest pitted.

Johnson keeps the lead on the restart. Lap 20.

 

[GA_Boater]

Joey is putting pressure on Johnson.

 

[GA_Boater]

The Twerp missed his pit stall during the yellow. :thumb:

So only Johnson, Elliott and The Twerp are on older tires and less fuel.

 

[GA_Boater]

Elliott is running the high line and is back in second.

Never mind - Joey to 2nd again.

 

[GA_Boater]

Joey keeps tryin'. About 1/2 a car short a couple of times.

 

[GA_Boater]

Green flag stops. Johnson gives up the lead.

 

[GA_Boater]

Hamlin too fast exiting the pits. The Twerp is making his first stop after missing his pit earlier.

 

[GA_Boater]

Fast Fact - Johnson has led more laps today than he led all last season - 60 laps.