News

Oct 20, 2023

Lightning delayed the Enjoy Illinois 300 NASCAR race Sunday

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Liam Caselton, 7,

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Liam Caselton, 7, of Batchtown, Illinois, drives on a racing simulator in the Fan Zone prior to the start of the NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison Sunday morning.

Pit crews get ready for the start of the NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison Sunday morning.

Lee Gates, of Vergennes, Illinois, tries his hand at the Lug Nut Legacy, a tire-changing simulator in the Fan Zone prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison Sunday morning.

Air Force Staff Sgt. Kye Grant of the 375th AMC at Scott Air Force Base, Belleville, flips burgers while volunteering at a food stand at World Wide Technology Raceway prior to the start of the NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 Sunday.

Fans walk in front of the garage area on the infield before the NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway Sunday.

Nicole Buchheit, left, Diane Cook, Jean Amelin nd Darby Cook, all of Iowa look around while lounging in the Fan Zone at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison prior to the start of the NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300.

Pit crews get ready for the start of the NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison Sunday morning.

NASCAR Cup Series drivers Austin Cindric, left, and Harrison Burton talk to fans during a presentation in the Fan Zone at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison Sunday prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300.

Fans line up to watch the action at the Gateway Garage Experience that was part of the NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison.

MADISON - Mother Nature sent a message to officials at Sunday's Enjoy Illinois 300 NASCAR Cup Series race.

She's in control.

Shortly after drivers started the 240-lap race lightning strikes were detected in the area of World Wide Technology Raceway.

Out came the red flag after five laps, replacing a yellow flag that was shown moments after the start when Tyler Reddick spun out on the first lap.

That started a delay of an hour and 45 minutes, waiting out delays that restarted with each lightning strike.

After all the waiting, Kyle Busch pulled out the victory.

The delay Sunday was the second consecutive one in NACAR Cup series action. The Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend was delayed by rain from Sunday to Monday.

NASCAR requires a minimum delay of 30 minutes with each lightning strike within an eight-mile radius of the track. If there is additional lightning before the delay ends, the 30-minute clock restarts. The regulation was established in 2017. Until then, lightning procedure was up to rules at each individual racetrack.

Drivers parked and exited their cars and fans were advised of the delay. And while some sought shelter, most of the 60,000 fans remained in the stands.

The lightning was spotted within the eight-mile radius, but wasn't seen in the immediate vicinity of WWTR.

Temperatures were in the 90-degree range prior to the start of the race, but dropped when the weather changed.

Skies became cloudy and darkened, the temperature dropped, but no rain fell during the delay. The temperature on the track at the first green flag was 134 degrees. When the race restarted, the temperature had dropped to 106 degrees.

There were also 11 cautions, including four caused by the failure of brake rotors.

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Sunday's race took place without one of NASCAR's top racers, Chase Elliott.

Elliott was serving a one-week suspension when it was ruled he intentionally wrecked Denny Hamlin in Monday's Coca-Cola 600.

Corey LaJoie moved in to take Elliott's place and finished 21st.

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Brad Keselowski's 500th career NASCAR start was less than memorable for the veteran driver.

Keselowski's No. 6 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford, along with the No. 12 Team Penske Ford of Ryan Blaney, each failed inspection twice at WWTR on Friday. resulting in the ejection of each team's car chiefs from garage area and pit for the remainder of the weekend.

Then shortly after the start of the race and prior to the lightning delay, Kekslowski's car encountered mechanical difficulties that his team said could not be fixed, but he continued on and made his way back to the lead lap late on the eighth yellow flag caution of the race.