NASCAR race at Phoenix begins under lights after rain delay

Nor does it matter if the elimination-centric format is creating an overwhelming amount of controversy that can give the impression NASCAR’s playoffs may be more game show than an actual sporting contest.

Five points from earning a spot in the finale of the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship, Edwards came up just short Sunday night at Phoenix worldwide Raceway when the race was called after 219 laps due to rain.

That meant there was no drama in this one, but there will be at Homestead. Unlike the NASCAR restart rules, where the second-place driver can beat the leader to the line, the leader must reach the marker the first time around.

So which driver has the advantage?

“I think it’s fun, but I do think it’s interesting to watch how everyone responds to the pressure”, Edwards said.

“I’m playing with house money, so I’ve got the advantage”, he said. “There is no normal, but I wouldn’t say it’s out of bounds, either”, he said, shrugging.

In reality, the favorite is certainly Harvick. The trio will join Jeff Gordon in an opportunity to compete for the Sprint Cup Series title.

There are no bonus points based on overall laps led or leading the most laps in the final race. And since Phoenix has lights and is in the Mountain Time Zone, NASCAR had time to delay the race with the intermittent showers that plagued the area. “I’m really proud of what we accomplished”.

Notables: It was the second rain-shortened race of the season to go along with MI back in June…Almirola scored his sixth top-10 finish of the season with five of those coming in the last 10 races.

The Xfinity Series championship race, meanwhile, remaining muddled. His presence alone will bring monster attention to the championship, and he’s certainly the sentimental favorite among NASCAR fans and even most of the garage. “We feel like we could have raced our way back in there and had a shot at it”. “We just need to go out in Phoenix and have a good, solid day”. “It has been a long year and we put a lot of effort into it and we are starting to see a few things turn around and work for us like we want”, Earnhardt said.

Busch, a Gordon fan growing up, would probably be among those rooting for the No. 24 auto if he wasn’t in the championship himself. He’s quietly contended his way to Homestead, much like Ryan Newman did in the inaugural year of this championship format, and now he has the one-in-four chance at a championship he would have only dreamed of in last year’s disastrous debut season at Richard Childress Racing affiliate Furniture Row Racing in which he finished 24th.

The Championship 4 for the Chase is set after the Quicken Loans 500 at Phoenix worldwide Raceway on Sunday night.

“It’s awesome”, he said. By lap 101 there were 24 cars on the lead lap; Harvick’s lead was three seconds.