2019 Nascar - Playoff Race #4 - The Last Monster Cup Race At The Monster Mile.

[GA_Boater]

Cup and X-Men are racing at Dover, The Monster Mile, for the first Xfinity playoff cut race and Cup's first race in the playoff Round of 12.

Interesting Dover fact - None of the 99 Dover Cup races have ever been shortened due to weather. Looking at the forecast, it looks this streak will continue. Along with no rain, temps are forecast to be in mid 60's for the X-Race on Saturday and mid 70's for Sunday's Cup race.

Today is all practice, with qualifying for both series tomorrow. Here is the weekend schedule from MRN;

[h=1]Dover Schedule of Events[/h] All Times Eastern

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Friday, October 4
K&N Pro Series East Final Practice: 9:00 a.m.-10:20 a.m.
K&N Pro Series East Qualifying: 12:00 p.m.
Xfinity Series First Practice: 12:35 p.m.-1:25 p.m. (NBCSN)
Monster Energy Cup Series First Practice: 1:35 p.m.-2:25 p.m. (MRN/NBCSN)
Xfinity Series Final Practice: 2:35 p.m.-3:25 p.m. (NBCSN)
Monster Energy Cup Series Final Practice: 3:35 p.m.-4:25 p.m. (MRN/NBCSN)
K&N Pro Series East General Tire 125: 5:00 p.m.

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Saturday, October 5
Xfinity Series Qualifying: 12:05 p.m. (NBC Sports App, NBCSN-12:30)
Monster Energy Cup Series Qualifying: 1:35 p.m. (MRN/NBCSN)
Radio Pre-Race: 2:30 p.m. (MRN)
TV Pre-Race: 2:30 p.m. (NBCSN)
Xfinity Series Use Your Melon Drive Sober 200: 3:00 p.m. (MRN/NBCSN)

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Sunday, October 6
Radio Pre-Race: 1:30 p.m. (MRN)
TV Pre-Race: 1:30 p.m. (NBCSN)
Monster Energy Cup Series Drydene 400: 2:30 p.m. (MRN/NBCSN)

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News and Notes

• No post-race penalties to report at the Roval
• 2020 Cup rule changes have been released. Some highlights - Crew sizes are reduced meaning less jobs in Nascar, teams get a chassis limit for the first time meaning less cars per team and changes to how many races a motor must race before rebuild. The are all cost containment measures and MRN has the details - https://www.mrn.com/2019/10/01/nascar-releases-2020-rules/
• Everything in Nascar isn't serious. Noah Gragson had a emergency on the way to Roval qualifying last week and asked for help. Here's what happened - https://twitter.com/JRMotorsports/status/1179856145135091712
• Busch Goes All Harvick at Dover. I saw this headline and thought WHAT! Details - https://www.jayski.com/2019/10/02/harvick-to-run-all-harvick-busch-scheme-at-dover/
• TV ratings - The 2nd Charlotte Roval race got a 1.91, down slightly from 1.99 last year - Both better than 2017 when the race was run on the oval.

iBoats Fantasy Live

• Another iFL tie, the 4th this year! justkiddin 5 and FloridaFishingNetwork both scored 172 points. Double trophies again - Congrats, JK5 :first: and Congrats FFN :first:
• The overall iFL standings are tightening up - FlaCowboty only has a 9 point advantage over 2nd place.
• Don't forget Humpty is looking for help to break these excessive ties. 4 extra trophies (so far) is putting a financial crunch on the poor guy. The official suggestion form is 2.61 inches wide x 6.14 inches long with red and blue synthetic fibers of various lengths distributed evenly throughout the paper. All submitted forms become the property of Humpty-Boater and you may make multiple suggestions.
• iFL pole locks tomorrow at 1:30 PM.

Send those suggestions in,

Humpty_Boater

 

[GA_Boater]

First practice results - Joey, Byron, Johnson, Blaney and Bowman.

Next Cup practice at 3:35.

 

[GA_Boater]

Almost forgot to update with the final practice results. Well, I did forget. :blue:

Larson, Truex, Harvick, Keso and Elliott were the top 5.

Pole locks at 1:30 PM.

 

[GA_Boater]

All Cup cars make it through pre-Q inspection. It took Truex 3 times and lost a crewman, but he can keep his qualifying spot.

 

[GA_Boater]

Chase Briscoe won the pole for the X-Race after Cup qualifying. An electrical issue with the car will have him starting at the rear.

 

[GA_Boater]

Hamlin won the Dover pole. The rest of the top 10 qualifiers are Larson, Truex, Harvick, Elliott, Byron, Almirola, BigBro and Blaney. iFL rosters lock at 2:40 PM tomorrow.

X-Race begins at 3PM.

 

[GA_Boater]

Cole Custer wins the x-Race. 7 cars were on the lead lap, hope tomorrow isn't like that.

 

[MTboatguy]

The X Race was weird at the end, with the way the caution fell and put so many a lap down.

 

[MTboatguy]

Oops, Joey has a broken Axle, and they have not even thrown the green flag yet.

 

[GA_Boater]

Elliott in the garage with trouble. I thought I saw smoke from the #9 just after the start.

 

[GA_Boater]

1 yellow so far, debris. It was an axle - Joey's?

 

[GA_Boater]

Hamlin has put all but 18 cars down a lap, some from troubles, but mostly from Hamlin passing slower cars. Less than 27 laps to go in the 1st heat.

 

[GA_Boater]

Green flag stops are underway.

 

[GA_Boater]

Almirola caught speeding entering the pits. Pass through penalty.

 

[GA_Boater]

Wallace and Newman too fast, too.

 

[GA_Boater]

Add Ragan to the the too fast list.

Hamlin back in front after pit stops cycle.

 

[GA_Boater]

I was off 20 laps earlier - 120 laps in the 1st 2 heats. 18 to go with 14 on the lead lap and that number will go down.

 

[GA_Boater]

Hamlin takes the 1st heat.

TWT too fast on pit road. Hamlin 1st off and keeps the lead.

 

[GA_Boater]

Green for 2nd heat.

 

[GA_Boater]

During stops - Menard had an uncontrolled tire and Bowman's car fell off the jack.

Stenhouse had a control problem, but avoids the wall and a yellow.