| NASCAR Weekend Report 5/25 | | | | the lucky dog and restarted second, taking the lead |
| Author: Matt Gerwitz | | | | from Bliss, but Bliss battled back and passed Gaughan |
| U. S. Sports Media, Inc | | | | at lap 167. Three laps later the rain came, giving Bliss |
| CONCORD, N.C. - Lowe's Motor Speedway was the | | | | his first victory since 2004. Gaughan was the |
| setting again this week for NASCAR's top two | | | | runner-up with Busch finishing third, Vickers fourth, |
| series, The Nationwide and the Sprint Cup, while the | | | | and Logano fifth. |
| Camping World Truck series took the weekend off. | | | | Sunday's race never got underway as rain pounded |
| The rain-filled Memorial Day weekend interrupted the | | | | the speedway, leaving parts of the infield covered |
| racing schedule, cutting Saturday's race short and | | | | with standing water. The race began at noon on |
| delaying the Coca-Cola 600 until Monday. Qualifying | | | | Monday under cloudy skies that brought a red flag |
| for both races was completed on schedule. | | | | for rain just over seventy laps in. After nearly an |
| Thursday night featured the Sprint drivers with Ryan | | | | hour-long delay the cars returned to the track for |
| Newman leading the way, turning a lap of 188.475 | | | | another 100 laps. Kyle Busch was again the dominant |
| mph. The lap won him his eighth career pole at | | | | car but Brian Vickers, Kasey Kahne, and Jaun Pablo |
| Lowe's, his fifth for the Coca-Cola 600. Kyle Bush | | | | Montoya all put the pressure on at various points |
| started in the number two spot followed by Jeff | | | | during the race. |
| Gordon, Mark Martin, Jimmie Johnson, and Kasey | | | | At 3:00 PM eastern NASCAR put out the yellow flag, |
| Kahne filling out the first three rows. Asked about | | | | brought all the cars in, shut off the engines and |
| the possibility of winning NASCAR's longest race, | | | | observed a moment of silence in honor of Memorial |
| Newman said, ""Yeah, right now, I'm going to call it | | | | Day. Shortly after resuming the race, lap 177 brought |
| even between me, the 18 and 24, and throw Tony | | | | out the second red flag for rain. A third and final rain |
| Stewart in there on Sunday, too." | | | | delay came at lap 221 which cost Kyle Busch his |
| Qualifying for Saturday's Carquest Auto Parts 300 | | | | second race of the weekend. As the rain began to |
| finished with Carl Edwards on the pole, Kyle Bush | | | | fall all the leaders hit the pits in anticipation of going |
| starting second, and Greg Biffle third. Busch was later | | | | green again. David Reutimann, Ryan Newman and |
| forced to start at the back after an engine change | | | | Robby Gordon chose to stay out, with Reutimann |
| but managed to charge his way back to the front. | | | | inheriting the lead. The delay turned into several hours |
| He took the lead from Carl Edwards on lap 41, | | | | and the race was finally called at about 6:25 PM. |
| holding it until Brian Vickers took it from him on lap | | | | David Reutimann was declared the winner, giving |
| 140. At lap 146 Vickers made a scheduled green flag | | | | Michael Waltrip Racing its first Sprint Cup victory. |
| stop, surrendering to the lead back to Busch who | | | | Ryan Newman finished second, followed by Robby |
| came in to the pits on lap 149. Meanwhile Mike Bliss | | | | Gordon in third, Carl Edwards fourth, and Brian |
| stayed on the track making him the only car on the | | | | Vickers third. The six through ten positions went to |
| lead lap when caution came out on lap 153. On the | | | | Kyle Busch, Kasey Kahne, Juan Pablo Montoya, Joey |
| restart Bliss was the leader but started behind eleven | | | | Logano, and Matt Kenseth. |
| lapped cars, including Busch. Brendan Gaughan was | | | | |