2019 Nascar - THE END

[GA_Boater]

This is it! The last race of the season where Cup, X-Men and Truck champions will be decided. In all three races there are no heat or playoff points, it's simply which playoff driver crosses the finish before the other 3. In the past playoff finales, the champion was usually the race winner. I'm sure NBC and FOX will talk about that during the races.

This is what is at stake this weekend;



Humpty is a cheapskate, so our iFL champ gets one of these - :first:

Truck has run some practices in prep for qualifying and racing tonight. Cup and X-Men will practice today and qualify tomorrow, with the X-Race Saturday afternoon and Cup Sunday afternoon. The MRN schedule;

Homestead-Miami Schedule

All Times Eastern

---

Friday, November 15
Gander Outdoors Truck Series First Practice: 9:05 a.m.-9:55 a.m.
Gander Outdoors Truck Series Final Practice: 10:35 a.m.-11:25 a.m.
Xfinity Series First Practice Speeds: 2:35 p.m.-3:25 p.m. (NBCSN)
Monster Energy Cup Series First Practice Speeds: 3:35 p.m.-4:25 p.m. (MRN/NBCSN)
Gander Outdoors Truck Series Qualifying: 4:35 p.m. (FS1)
Xfinity Series Final Practice: 5:35 p.m.-6:25 p.m. (NBCSN)
Monster Energy Cup Series Final Practice Speeds: 6:30 p.m.-7:20 p.m. (MRN/NBCSN)
Radio Pre-Race: 7:30 p.m. (MRN)
TV Pre-Race: 7:30 p.m. (FS1)
Gander Outdoors Truck Series Ford EcoBoost 200: 8:00 p.m. (MRN/FS1)

---

Saturday, November 16
Xfinity Series Qualifying: 12:35 p.m. (NBCSN)
Monster Energy Cup Series Qualifying: 2:05 p.m. (MRN/NBCSN)
Radio Pre-Race: 3:00 p.m. (MRN)
TV Pre-Race: 3:00 p.m. (NBCSN)
Xfinity Series Ford EcoBoost 300: 3:30 p.m. (MRN/NBCSN)

---

Sunday, November 17
Radio Pre-Race: 2:00 p.m. (MRN)
TV Pre-Race: 1:30 p.m. (NBC)
Monster Energy Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400: 3:00 p.m. (MRN/NBC)

---

---

News and Notes

• Driver change - Cole Custer is replacing Daniel Suarez in the SHR #41 for the 2020 season. Custer is also in contention for the X-Championship.
• This is Paul Menard's last full-time Cup race since he is retiring.
• Matt Tifft and Front Row have parted ways. Supposition on my part, but I think his health troubled may be more serious than they've let on to.
• Penalties at Phoenix were a cornucopia of loose lugISMs across the three series.
• Jeff Gluck's informal race poll results and I agree;
  • Was Phoenix a good race?
    • 20 percent of you said Yes. — Ranks as the third-worst race in the poll (148 races surveyed).
    • Only two lower were 2017 All-Star (18%) and 2016 Brickyard (17%).
    • Worst race of this season (The Clash got 21%).
    • Worst Phoenix race (previous low of 67%).
• TV ratings - 1.63 household rating and 2.6 million viewers on NBC. That was down from a 2.03/3.3m last year. X-Men and Truck were also down.

iBoats Fantasy Live

• For the second time this year Vega Kid wins - Once in the regular season and once in the playoffs. Congrats, Kid. :first:
• Overall iFL standings - It's still FlaCowboy.
• iFL pole locks at 2PM tomorrow.

For the last time this year - Good luck you iFL'ers,

Humpty_Boater

 

[Old Ironmaker]

NASCAR season is over? Watching Golf can be more exciting to this non fan. Bathroom breaks a few times duing a race? Come on Man! That's were you lost me, there was a time I enjoyed a good race, I even attended The Daytona once and it was fantastic. The driver to cross the finish line 1st wins? How unique for NASCAR. Formula 1 is even worse today if that's at all possible. They should just declare Mercedes the 1st and the 2nd place podium before the green light goes on and Ferrari the 3rd spot and let the rest of the have nots race for 4th.

 

[GA_Boater]

Well, Iron, It won't be over until Sunday. :smile:

The bad news - Everything is on hold. The two Truck practices got in before the rain, X-Men practice was interrupted by the rain after 13 minutes and Cup is delayed. This is one reason Homestead is not really a good place for the final weekend, not the Phoenix is better. Phoenix is dry, but on-track performance is not up to championship caliber as witnessed last weekend.

This just in - Truck qualifying has been deep-sixed, so starting spots will be based on owner points. Terrible, simply terrible!

Tomorrow is supposed to be dry, so X-Men can qualify with 13 minutes of practice and Cup with no practice - I guess, unless the schedule is altered considerably for tomorrow. :noidea: If the rain lets up, Cup may get in a practice before the Truck race.

 

[GA_Boater]

No Cup practice tonight and no Cup qualifying tomorrow. They're doing a Cup practice instead and the field will be set by owner points. This is no way to run a railroad or a big time racing series, especially to determine their champion.

Still drying the track for the Truck race.

 

[GA_Boater]

BTW - iFL pole is locked with all these changes - No 5 point pole bonus. So set your team roster by 3:15 PM Sunday

 

[GA_Boater]

Trucks are racing. 1st heat is 30 laps and on lap 15 playoffer Chastain is the leader.

 

[GA_Boater]

HIll won the first heat and is leading the second heat with 12 to go in the heat. No cautions so far.

 

[GA_Boater]

Oooops - Spoke too soon. Caution for fuid on the track.

 

[GA_Boater]

Hill wins the second heat. In the final heat, Eckes leads and Crafton is the highest playoff driver in 3rd. 54 laps to go,

 

[GA_Boater]

10 to go with Hill leading. Playoffer Crafton in 2nd place.

 

[GA_Boater]

Austin Hill wins the race and Matt Crafton wins the Truck championship. First Truck champion without a season win.

All pending post-race inspection, of course.

 

[GA_Boater]

The revised schedule from MRN is below.

Nascar is showing they have no clue about running a show. Why didn't they have a Cup practice session before the X-Men qualified? Yesterday on track action began at 9 o'clock in the morning and Nascar has wasted 3 hours which could have been used to practice Cup cars. There are other race weekends where Cup practiced and qualified the same day and also cases where Cup qualifying was the morning of the race.

Other than the Daytona 500 to kick off the season, this is their premier event - the Cup championship. Nascar is showing their incompetence!

Saturday, November 16

Xfinity Series Qualifying: 12:35 p.m. (NBCSN)

Monster Energy Cup Series Qualifying: 2:05 p.m. Canceled – Lineup

Monster Energy Cup Series Final Practice: 2:05 p.m.-2:55 p.m. (MRN/NBCSN)

Radio Pre-Race: 3:00 p.m. (MRN)
TV Pre-Race: 3:00 p.m. (NBCSN)
Xfinity Series Ford EcoBoost 300: 3:30 p.m. (MRN/NBCSN)

 

[GA_Boater]

The one and only Cup practice is over. Fastest 5 are TWT (P), Truex (P), Hamlin (P), Keso and Joey. Harvick, the other playoff driver was 9th fastest.

iFL locks at 3:15 PM tomorrow.

X-Championship is coming up at 3:47.

 

[GA_Boater]

3 cautions in the 1st stage. Briscoe won the stage and the playoff drivers - Custer in 2nd, Reddick in 4th, Bell in 12th and Allgaier in 13th.

 

[GA_Boater]

After the heat 1 pit stops, Custer reported a vibration. He re-pitted to change tires and has fallen back to 32nd, a lap down.

Cindric is leading 24 laps into the heat, with Bell in 2nd, Allgaier 3rd and Reddick 6th.

 

[GA_Boater]

Heat 2 ended under caution for debris. Cindric won it, then Bell, Allgaier, Reddick. Custer got the free pass and is in 17th.

 

[GA_Boater]

From Jayski's - Custer actually unlapped himself. Free pass will be McLeod.

The restart order for playoff drivers - Bell 2nd, Allgaier 4th, Reddick 5th and Custer 10th.

 

[GA_Boater]

Final heat goes green and promptly back to yellow for debris. It was a huge hunk og bumper cover and Haley ran it over - He's done.

 

[GA_Boater]

Reddick now leading and going for the Gold. :smile:

 

[GA_Boater]

Redddick, Bell, Custer are 1 - 2 - 3, Alligaier 7th. The Briscoe smacks the wall for yellow.

74 laps to go.