“Rain and Hail”: Darlington’s Xfinity Outing Ruined as Mother Nature Shows Her Wrath

The Crown Royal Purple Bag Mission 200 Xfinity Collection race qualifying and observe session at Darlington Raceway acquired washed out by nasty climate. It was presupposed to kick off at 5:05 p.m. ET, however the officers needed to hit pause. First, there was a prolonged delay due to lightning, and simply as they have been about to let drivers again onto pit street, the skies opened up large time. By 6:00 p.m. ET, an hour after it was supposed to start out, NASCAR needed to name it quits.

Regardless of the climate hiccup, the beginning lineup’s already been set in response to the NASCAR rule ebook. So, for Saturday’s race at Darlington Raceway, the NASCAR Xfinity Collection champion of the Stewart-Haas Racing group. In the meantime, the followers can watch one other race.

The racing neighborhood can tune in to catch one other motion: the 100-lap Open Modified occasion

Whereas the Xfinity observe and qualifying acquired rained out, followers nonetheless managed to get some motion with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Collection hitting the observe for his or her observe and qualifying rounds. It’s nonetheless up within the air whether or not the ninth occasion of the 2024 Craftsman Truck Collection on the “Too Powerful to Tame” observe will push by, however Nick Sanchez and Corey Heim are all set to guide the pack if it does.

And there’s a silver lining, because of some fast pondering from Bubba Wallace‘s spotter, Freddie Kraft. He tweeted, “Rain and hail in Darlington means one factor. Activate the #SpringSizzler from @StaffordSpeedwy on @FloRacing.” So, if you’re itching for some racing, flip over to FloRacing and catch the 100-lap Open Modified occasion, the Spring Sizzler. It’s the massive kickoff at Connecticut’s Stafford Motor Speedway, that includes not simply the headline 100-lap Modified race but in addition a full lineup together with SK Modifieds, SK Gentle Modifieds, Late Fashions, Restricted Late Fashions, and Road Shares. It’s a gearhead’s dream weekend!

For the Xfinity race, Cole Custer from Stewart-Haas Racing is ready to take the lead, with Chandler Smith from Joe Gibbs Racing sizzling on his heels. Sheldon Creed isn’t far behind, snagging P3 place at first, whereas AJ Allmendinger and Austin Hill spherical out the highest 5 on the grid for the 200-mile showdown. Over at JR Motorsports, teammates Sam Mayer and Justin Allgaier will kick issues off from P6 and P7 locations, adopted by Anthony Alfredo, Riley Herbst, and Parker Retzlaff to finish the highest 10.

Aric Almirola, who snagged a win final time he raced within the NASCAR Xfinity Collection, is a bit again within the pack, beginning P18 in his # 20. He’s in good firm although, with different notable drivers like Brandon Jones beginning P14, Sammy Smith in P23, Taylor Grey in P24, John Hunter Nemechek means again in P34, and William Byron even additional behind in P38.

A couple of racers, together with Jesse Love, Carson Kvapil, Shane Van Gisbergen, Leland Honeyman, and Taylor Grey, are heading into the Crown Royal Purple Bag Mission 200 Xfinity race with none prior laps at Darlington in an Xfinity Collection automobile as a result of lack of on-track exercise earlier than the race.

However how precisely did NASCAR arrange the beginning grid with out any qualifying or observe laps as a result of rainout?

NASCAR rulebook to find out the lineup in case qualifying is rained out

First off, they line up the highest 30 automobiles based mostly on the NASCAR Xfinity Collection Team Owner Points standings. For the primary three races of the season, they use final yr’s standings. After the third race, they change to the present yr’s factors to determine the order.

Subsequent up, any group homeowners who’ve clinched a minimum of one championship race within the Xfinity Collection get their slots, so long as they haven’t been positioned but. When it involves finding out who stands the place amongst final yr’s race winners, it goes by the earlier yr’s proprietor factors for the primary race. From the second race onward, any proprietor who snagged a win both final yr or through the present season will get thought-about.

For drivers, if there are spots left, they go to these who’ve gained a championship race within the Xfinity Collection and are registered for that occasion by the deadline. The order is decided by the earlier yr’s proprietor factors for the primary race, and just like the homeowners, for the following two races, winners from both the final or the present yr are thought-about. After the third race, it’s all about this yr’s factors.

If there are nonetheless spots to be stuffed, they go to group homeowners whose drivers aren’t solely listed on the Official Entry Clean/Record however are additionally previous Xfinity Collection champs throughout the final ten years, are eligible for factors this season, and raced within the collection final yr. If there’s a tie, the latest champ will get the nod.

Certain, it appears like a mouthful, however that’s how NASCAR rolls when the climate throws a wrench into their plans.