It wasn’t a fuel crisis that shortened NASCAR’s running of the 50th Coca-Cola 600, but Mother Nature.  After holding out until 9:00 pm Sunday to get the event in, NASCAR officials decided to drop the green flag for the 600 at noon on Monday.  

After the invocation by Reverend Franklin Graham and the National Anthem, Bobby Allison gave the command to start the engines.  Rain loomed in the horizon.  Everyone had their fingers crossed it would hold off. 

Rocketman Ryan Newman had the pole and led the pack for two laps, until Kyle (Rowdy) Busch took the lead on Lap 3.  Three laps later, rain started to fall, bringing out the first caution flag of the day.

Kevin Harvick made contact with Sam Hornish Jr. coming off Turn 2, damaging the right front fender on his No. 29 Pennzoil machine.  Lap 15, Harvick hit the wall in Turn 1 due to a cut tire.  The yellow flag flew again.

Mother Nature appeared to be cooperating.  But NASCAR threw a competition yellow on Lap 41.  Which was fortunate for Kevin Harvick, Michael Waltrip and Max Papis, who were about to lapped by Kyle and the his M&M’s machine.  Teams were allowed to make adjustments at this time.  Rebooting the electrical system in his machine fixed Kyle’s previous problem with his gauges. Harvick pitted too soon, costing him a stop and go penalty on lap 43. 

With the restart on Lap 45, Jimmie Johnson led the pack.  Kyle took back the lead on Lap 49.  The hometown favorite, Dale Earnhardt, Jr’s National Guard No. 88 just wasn’t handling well, and he fell to the back of the field.

While the sky was threatening, there were 21 laps of green flag racing.  Rain in Turn 2 brought the caution, and the cars continued on the track, with teams pitting.  The crew of the No. 5 Kellogg’s machine of Mark Martin lost control of one of the tires after changing them out.

On Lap 73, the skies opened up, and the rains came.  Robby Gordon had the lead, and Mike Bliss, Saturday’s Nationwide event winner was off the track, 31 laps down.  Officials parked the field on pit road. 

After nearly an hour rain delay, the green flag flew again.  Lap 74 saw Scott Riggs with the lead and Kyle Busch second.  Mark Martin’s tire penalty put him at the back of the field on Lap 78.

More green flag racing saw the field spreading out.  Kyle Busch led the way, lapping Dale Earnhardt, Jr on Lap 110.  Challenging for the lead, Brian Vickers and his No. 83 Red Bull machine took the lead from Rowdy Busch on Lap 120. 

Green flag pit stops started on Lap 127.  The No. 88 team changed four tires, making a wedge adjustment, and adding fuel…desperately trying not to lose any more laps.  Dave Blaney, No. 66, led Lap 132 during the green flag pit stops, earning his team 5 points.  David Gilliland, No. 71, was penalized for entering pit road too fast.

Rowdy Busch reclaimed the lead on Lap 137, after a successful green flag pit stop.

Brain Vickers took the lead form Kyle Busch on the Lap 145, but Rowdy stayed within striking distance. 

With more rain moving in, caution was flown on Lap 162, and David Ragan, No. 6, was the Aaron’s Lucky Dog, getting back on the lead lap.

On Lap 165 at 3:00 pm, everyone observed 30 seconds of silence for a National Day of Remembrance.  What a sight.  All the teams were lined up shoulder to shoulder along pit road, with their cars red flagged on the frontstretch.  Flags were lowered to half staff.  And all were asked to observe the 30 seconds of silence for those who have sacrificed for our liberties and freedoms for our country and those countries who are like minded.

Green flag racing resumed, but only briefly.  On Lap 176, the red flag flew again…you guessed it….rain. A 30 minute delay, Kyle Busch was leading the pack, with Kasey Kahne, Jimmy Johnson, Carl Edwards, Juan Pablo Montoya, Joey Logano, Mat Kenseth, Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin, and Brian Vickers filling out the top-10.

On Lap, 183, Tony Stewart, No. 14, looked like he was working his way through the field, passing Brian Vickers for the 10th spot.  The “other” Busch-Kurt pitted his No. 2 machine on Lap 192 for two right tires.

Lap 200 had Kyle as the leader.  By Lap 220, the caution flag flew again for rain.  Teams pitted under this caution, hoping to gain an edge, when the green flag flew again.  David Reutimann took the lead under caution, and held it until lap 227 when official threw the last and final red flag of the race for rain.

The rain continued.  The safety crews and the jet dryers attempted to dry the track, but Mother Nature wasn’t in the mood.  So at 6:30 pm, Monday, 25 ½ hours after the posted start of the Coca-Cola 600, a winner was declared:  David Reutimann, driver of the No. 00 Aaron’s Toyota Camry.  The first NASCAR Sprint Cup win for David Reutimann and the first win for Michael Waltrip, team owner.

"…wasn’t the prettiest win, but someone had to win it,” David said in a post race interview.  David’s dad was in his pit for the win. 

Behind David were these drivers, finishing in the top-20:  Ryan Newman (pole sitter), Robby Gordon, Carl Edwards, Brian Vickers, Kyle Busch, Kasey Kahne, Juan Pablo Montoya, Joey Logano, Matt Kenseth, Denny Hamlin, Bobby Labonte, Jimmy Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Bill Elliott, David Gilliland, Mark Martin, Scott Speed, Tony Stewart, Greg Biffle, Jamie McMurray, David Stremme, Marin Truex, Jr., David Ragan, Jeff Burton, and Paul Menard.

All in all, a soggy weekend of racing. The shortest Coca-Coal 600, run over two days.  A memorable 50th anniversary if you ask me.

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