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NASCAR Sprint-Cup Series
CUP: Track Surface Problems Plague 500
Daytona officials said any problems will be fixed...
Mike Hembree  |  Posted February 14, 2010   Daytona Beach, FL
One of two times the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Daytona 500 was put on hold for track surface repairs. (Photo: Getty Images)

It was the hole from hell.

The Daytona 500, NASCAR’s most important race in a very important year with a lot of eyes on how the racing would go, was delayed twice Sunday for a total of more than two hours because of a track surface problem in the second turn.

Two red-flag periods – one hour and 40 minutes, followed by 44 minutes – were needed to repair the approximately two-foot by one-foot hole, which was located in the lower racing groove.

Among the results was a checkered flag at 7:30 p.m., voiding NASCAR’s plan of starting and ending races earlier. Thousands of fans in the packed grandstands left during the second delay, trimming the original crowd of more than 150,000 for what eventually was a sensational finish and tight victory by Jamie McMurray.

NASCAR chairman Brian France blamed the surface problem on excessive moisture and colder-than-normal temperatures in recent days.

Track work crews tried three compounds to plug the hole during the first red-flag period, but cars passing over it when racing resumed wiped out the patch and opened the hole again, leading to the second red flag.

The race resumed for the second and final time with 32 laps remaining.

Racing over the closing miles was remarkably close and as exciting as fans could have expected, and the final two laps (on a second green-white-checkered) were sensational, with Dale Earnhardt Jr. staging a tremendous charge in an attempt to chase down McMurray.

Allen Carmichael of Atlanta was among the fans that didn’t see it. He headed for the exits at the start of the second red flag.

“That’s it for me,” he said. “I sat through one. The whole thing is ridiculous. If they restart it, I’ll be listening on the radio on the way home.”


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