NASCAR Qualifying Washed Out
Fort Worth — The wind is howling. The thunder is rolling, and we're being told to stay away from the windows.
Outside the race cars you've seen hurtling around countless tracks across America are being loaded into their trailers for safety. Thousands of people who'd hoped to watch a day of practice and qualifying for Sunday's Cup race are being ushered away from the grandstand.
I'm at Texas Motor Speedway, hunkered down in the media center nestled inside the 1 1/2-mile track. Tornadoes and hailstorms are in the forecast.
A pair of flat-panel TVs to my left spread doom and despair. We can expect 60 MPH wind gusts, says the nice lady from her safe studio.
Despite the impending trouble, people in this flimsy structure seem ever more jovial. Maybe its our collective way of coping with worry, but I don't buy that. I think we all feel pretty safe, and we'll feel a little disappointed if this storm's not a real humdinger.
Edit: So the weather lady is back after a brief loss of signal. She has more good news. We can expect "tennis ball sized" hail and "life-threatening weather."
You know, the weather doesn't suck for us or the fans near as much as it does for drivers like Jeremy Mayfield.
Because of the cancellation of qualifying, Mayfield won't be competing in this year's Samsung 500. The field has been set according to owner points, the 2006 winner, a past champion exemption (but not in a true sense of the phrase) and number of qualifying attempts made this year + owner points.
All that adds up to leave Mayfield on the sidelines.
"Obviously, it stinks," he said. "Especially with the year we've had. ... We have a great car here, and it really stinks that we don't get to show it."
Mayfield says that despite the team's struggles, they've gotten better each time out. Here, at what he called his "favorite race track of all" he may have finally been competitive.
Now we'll never know, and he has no reason left to enjoy the track and the Dallas/Fort Worth area.
"The people are great," he said. There's a great Cabela's and Bass Pro Shops near the track. I Like Texas a lot. Unfortunately, I don't get to stay."
Outside the race cars you've seen hurtling around countless tracks across America are being loaded into their trailers for safety. Thousands of people who'd hoped to watch a day of practice and qualifying for Sunday's Cup race are being ushered away from the grandstand.
I'm at Texas Motor Speedway, hunkered down in the media center nestled inside the 1 1/2-mile track. Tornadoes and hailstorms are in the forecast.
A pair of flat-panel TVs to my left spread doom and despair. We can expect 60 MPH wind gusts, says the nice lady from her safe studio.
Despite the impending trouble, people in this flimsy structure seem ever more jovial. Maybe its our collective way of coping with worry, but I don't buy that. I think we all feel pretty safe, and we'll feel a little disappointed if this storm's not a real humdinger.
Edit: So the weather lady is back after a brief loss of signal. She has more good news. We can expect "tennis ball sized" hail and "life-threatening weather."
You know, the weather doesn't suck for us or the fans near as much as it does for drivers like Jeremy Mayfield.
Because of the cancellation of qualifying, Mayfield won't be competing in this year's Samsung 500. The field has been set according to owner points, the 2006 winner, a past champion exemption (but not in a true sense of the phrase) and number of qualifying attempts made this year + owner points.
All that adds up to leave Mayfield on the sidelines.
"Obviously, it stinks," he said. "Especially with the year we've had. ... We have a great car here, and it really stinks that we don't get to show it."
Mayfield says that despite the team's struggles, they've gotten better each time out. Here, at what he called his "favorite race track of all" he may have finally been competitive.
Now we'll never know, and he has no reason left to enjoy the track and the Dallas/Fort Worth area.
"The people are great," he said. There's a great Cabela's and Bass Pro Shops near the track. I Like Texas a lot. Unfortunately, I don't get to stay."
Labels: dallas, fort worth, NASCAR, racing, texas motor speedway, weather
posted by BurntOrnge at 3:54 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home