NASCAR at Texas live updates: Track too wet, race restart pushed to Wednesday

Follow along here for lap-by-lap updates for the Autotrader Echopark Automotive 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. Refresh this page for the latest updates and follow NASCAR reporter Alex Andrejev on Twitter at @AndrejevAlex. All times listed are Eastern.

7:50 p.m.: NASCAR race moves to Wednesday

NASCAR calls off its track drying team as new mist clouds roll in, then officially moves the race to tomorrow at 3 p.m. EST on NBCSN, when there is supposed to be a break in the wet weather. NASCAR sends the following annoucenement:

“After the mist from the low ceiling rolled back in over the track, it combined with low temperatures to bring an end to drying efforts on Tuesday at Texas Motor Speedway. The resumption of the NASCAR Cup Series Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 has been pushed to Wednesday at 2 p.m. CT / 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.”

NASCAR says that if it is able to get the race in on Wednesday, the Martinsville weekend schedule will remain unchanged, but “any additional postponements will require an adjustment to the Martinsville schedule, and we will notify you of those changes as they happen.”

7:30 p.m.: Still mist in the area, restart is questionable

NASCAR will try, keyword try, to race tonight but don’t hold your breath. There is more mist reportedly moving in over the track. “I am starting to see things I don’t like,” the tower reports about the incoming cloud. NASCAR continues its drying efforts but there might not be a Tuesday restart as hoped for. According to a PRN reporter at the track, “ceiling just dropped to the ground again and progressive in drying track may now be a 50-50 proposition.”

6:36 p.m.: Potential for racing tonight

NASCAR says its track-drying efforts are going well and it is anticipating pushing cars out to the grid at 8 p.m. EST and will aim to fire engines at 8:30 p.m. The broadcast whenever the race resumes will be on NBCSN.

6:05 p.m.: Light spots on track

Skies are still overcast as track drying continues, but more light spots appear and NASCAR deploys more of its Air Titan armada to help with the efforts.

5:30 p.m.: Drivers report maximum boredom levels

Drivers and crew members are waiting out the wet weather, and growing increasingly desperate. During an afternoon media call, Joey Logano says he’s feeling more comfortable than other drivers based on his already-clinched Championship 4 bid and that his team is using the time to plan ahead for Phoenix. There’s only so much preparation one can get done, however, and Logano adds that he’s put in a request with Texas Motor Speedway track president Eddie Gossage to help with the drying efforts.

“I’ll do anything. I’ll drive a jet dryer,” Logano says.

Alex Bowman follows that he is also running low on supplies in his motorhome and that he’s already worked out, spent a bunch of money on car parts and is ready to race the driers if that’s what it takes. The waiting game continues.

4:20 p.m.: Progress lost

The NASCAR radar reports that the drying progress it has made on the backstretch and frontstretch has been lost to heavier mist moving in. The track is still well and it’s increasingly looking like there won’t be any racing today, as the weather radar indicates moisture in the air through the afternoon.

3:30 p.m.: Round 567...

NASCAR radios to redeploy the jet dryers with supposedly lighter mist.

3 p.m.: Mist picks up

According to reports from the speedway, a heavier mist/light drizzle has picked up. There is no word from NASCAR on another postponement, but the forecast for the remainder of the day doesn’t look promising, especially the fact that even when rain subsides, the mist is still heavy enough to make the track wet. We are nearing 48 hours since last racing.

2:20 p.m.: Air Titans returning

NASCAR calls the Air Titans back out to resume drying efforts with less mist in the air.

2 p.m.: Track still wet, heavier misting

Reports from the track indicate the mist has picked up, and NASCAR calls its jet driers to a stop for fuel. The live camera shows more water on the lens and the latest forecast projects rain starting at 4 p.m. CT, so this could be another very long and uneventful day. According to a report by Motorsport.com, NASCAR has told drivers to be prepared to race as late as Thursday at Texas if needed, when the forecast drops to a very low chance of rain and partially sunny skies. For now, the track remains wet.

1:08 p.m.: Jet driers out

NASCAR calls its jet driers to the track, indicating more progress could be made. But, according to a Kickin’ the Tires reporter at the track, the Elgin dryer is staying parked on the side.

12:45 p.m.: Still misting (what’s new)

Air Titans continue to work on the track, but the mist is too heavy to send out the jet driers, according to the NASCAR scanner. One of the vacuums is out of service. Drivers and teams are getting creative on social media during their downtime.

12 p.m.: Track drying underway, but not ready to race

Mist has reportedly lightened and NASCAR deploys its fleet of Air Titan dryers to begin working on the track 10 minutes before the rescheduled race time. According to a media member at the speedway, it will take around three hours to dry the track due to the cold temperatures and severe wetness if no more moisture falls. Front Row Motorsports details its preparation logistics with the rescheduled race, saying that hauler travel from Texas to the shop in North Carolina before leaving to race in Martinsville, will be the biggest issue. This week will be a push for smaller teams, especially, since their road crews also work on the cars for the next race, as FRM mentions.

11:30 a.m.: Uncertain forecasts

Certain weather forecasts and radars are showing lower chances of rain in Fort Worth from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. CT. Others indicate light mist will be an ongoing problem throughout the afternoon. The track is very cold, with the local temperature hovering around 40 degrees, so it will take some time to get the track dry (typically 1.5 to two hours). The cold will also likely make the traction compound slicker and teams are expecting a track with less grip when they return to racing. There is no official update yet from NASCAR, but the industry continues monitoring local weather conditions for an opening.

10:40 a.m.: Race start likely delayed

Light rain throughout the morning has created a wet track at Texas Motor Speedway. A live view of the speedway can be found here. The race is scheduled to start at noon EST, but NASCAR has not begun efforts to dry the track, so today’s start will likely be delayed again. The weather forecast shows a possible no-rain clearing around noon. NASCAR will attempt to finish this race before heading to Martinsville this weekend, even if that means waiting out the rain to squeeze in 114 laps between rain cells to make the race official.

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