2020 Nascar - Indy Without Jimmie Johnson

[GA_Boater]

Jimmie Johnson missing his first Cup race, ending his streak at 663 consecutive races. Why? He tested positive for COVID after his wife was found to be positive. He will need two clean tests before Nascar will allow him back, so Kentucky and the All-Star race is also in jeopardy. Justin Allgaier will drive the #48 in his place. Johnson will also miss a chance to drive an Indy car next week.

Jeff Gordon has the most consecutive Cup starts at 797, JJ leads active drivers at 663 and Harvick is next on the list, sitting at 656 including Sunday's start.

This weekend we'll have Cup on Sunday on the left-turn only and for the first time ever, X-Men will be turning right and left on the Indy F1 road course. I call it the F1 course because it was built for F1 races from 2000-2007. X-Men had two practice sessions today.

Tomorrow has a chance of afternoon showers and Sunday looks good. Famous last words. X-Men should have wipers and rain tires for a road race. MRN's schedule for Saturday and Sunday for both races on NBC;

Indianapolis Schedule of Events

All Times Eastern

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Saturday, July 4
Radio Pre-Race: 2:30 p.m. (IMS)
TV Pre-Race: 2:00 p.m. (NBC)
Xfinity Series Pennzoil 150: 3:00 p.m. (IMS/NBC)
Xfinity Stages: 20 / 40 / 62

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Sunday, July 5
Radio Pre-Race: 3:00 p.m. (IMS)
TV Pre-Race: 3:00 p.m. (NBCSN)
Cup Series Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400: 4:00 p.m. (IMS/NBC)
Cup Stages: 50 / 100 / 160

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News and Notes

• With the draw for starting positions, Joey is on the pole
• Indy will have limited fan attendance - Approximately 50% making this the largest numbers of fans since Nascar returned in the age of COVID.
• This is the first time for Nascar to race at Indy on a 4th of July weekend. Normally we would be watching the Firecracker 400 at Daytona, but nothing is normal this year.
• This is the 27th running of Cup racing at Indy, first was won by Gordon in 1997. Where did the time go?
• Penalties for Pocono 1 & 2 - Only lugnuts for both races.
• TV ratings - Saturday's Cup race got a 1.63 rating with 2.57M viewers and Sunday's rating was 1.622 with 2.66M viewers. Last year Pocono 1 in June had 1.45 rating and Pocono 2 in July had 1.7 rating. .

iBoats Fantasy Live

• 2 races - 2 winners.
  • Pocono 1 on Saturday was won by Humpty's bud for an acorn.
  • Pocono 2 on Sunday was won by Tiz for his 3rd win this year. Congrats, Tiz. :first:
• Tiz is still sitting in the Top Dawg leaderboard position.
• Sunday's race locks at 4:10 ET.

Good luck, stay safe and have a happy 4th,

Humpty

 

[GA_Boater]

Another possible COVID victim is Watkins Glen in New York next month. With the NYS travel and quarantine restrictions and the state not granting an exemption, The Glen would be cancelled. A substitute is a Roval in the Southeast. Nascar has not named the Roval location, but we should soon find out where in the Southeast a Roval is available. Any ideas?

 

[GA_Boater]

3 laps are done at X-Indy, Allgaier is leading.

 

[aspeck]

Good thing Pocono is out of the way ... PA Governor just asked anyone who enters PA from any of 15 primarily southern states to quarantine for 14 days ...

 

[GA_Boater]

Cindric won heat #1 under caution.

Briscoe leads heat #2 and Jones has flames licking the underside of the car. Caution with 4 laps to go in 2nd heat.

 

[GA_Boater]

Good thing Pocono is out of the way ... PA Governor just asked anyone who enters PA from any of 15 primarily southern states to quarantine for 14 days ...

Same issue with NY. With cases going up we may may see more of that. Wish this was over.

Rats, lost my satellite.

 

[GA_Boater]

Briscoe won Heat #2 and my Dish is still dead!

 

[GA_Boater]

Martins chucked the right axle on the track and left a lot 90W on the track. 9 laps to go with Briscoe leading.

 

[GA_Boater]

Restart with 7 to go and they must be 6 wide into turn 1. Briscoe leads, but The Dinger is hot on his tail.

 

[GA_Boater]

The top cars, Briscoe, The Dinger and Cindric are fighting for the lead. Briscoe misses a corner and The Dinger leads, but Cindric is not giving up.

 

[GA_Boater]

These last 5 laps were good racin'! Briscoe wins for the 5th time this year.

iFL rosters lock at 4:10 ET tomorrow.

 

[GA_Boater]

Green flag time has changed slightly so you haven extra 9 minutes to work on your roster. New lock time is 4:19 ET.

Allgaier will move to the rear with the driver switch in the #48. Pre-race tech results aren't in yet.

 

[GA_Boater]

Timmy Hill's car failed 2 times, so he joins Allgaier in back.

Still a chance of a stray shower.

 

[GA_Boater]

Indy has empty stands. Humpty must have misread some fan info for Indy.

Looks very hazy and overcast at the track. Radar shows rain isn't far away.

 

[GA_Boater]

We're under a lightning hold.

 

[GA_Boater]

Lightning hod lifted, sun is out, Anthem sung and engines are started.

1st heat is 50 laps.

 

[GA_Boater]

Green flag at Indy. Still sunny.

 

[GA_Boater]

Joey leads 1st lap.

 

[GA_Boater]

Yellow out for competition caution. Harvick pits before the yellow and can't take fuel, takes 4 tires. Truex has some ECU code and fell way back in the first 12 laps.

 

[GA_Boater]

Bunch of cars pile up on pit road at the first stall. Buescher Allgaier LaJoie Poole Stenhouse

Red flag.