Nascar and Racing Lowes Motor Speedway

CONCORD, N.C. -- For the past two days, one driver after another took the podium in the press room at Lowe's Motor Speedway and made his case that NASCAR's Chase for the Championship was far from over. Sure, Jimmie Johnson had taken the points lead last week and looked every bit the postseason form that won him the previous three Sprint Cup championships.

But the Chase wasn't even halfway over yet, we were reminded. And no way could anyone maintain a finishing average less than five in the most pressure-packed time of the year.

Turns out, it's all wishful thinking.

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Where: Lowe's Motor Speedway, Concord, N.C.
Time: Saturday 7:30 p.m./EST
TV/Radio: ABC, PRN Radio
Twitter: Updates @ FanHouseRacing
Forecast: Mostly cloudy, 40s, 20% rain
Distance: 334 laps (500.1 miles)
Pole Winner: Jimmie Johnson
2008 Winner: Jeff Burton

Carl Edwards may blame last year's loss to Jimmie Johnson in the Chase for the Sprint Cup on a crash at Talladega, but a finish in last year's fall race at Lowe's Motor Speedway provided all the points Johnson needed to win his third consecutive title.

Or, rather, the necessary point.

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FanHouse readers joined Holly Cain at Lowe's Motor Speedway for a trackside chat before the green flag dropped for the Banking 500. The race marks the halfway point of NASCAR's 10-race Chase for the Championship playoff.

Check out what topics the chat included, as readers asked questions about championship contenders and contributed their own opinion.

The "Lowe's" in Concord, N.C.'s Lowe's Motor Speedway may or may not be around in 2010, depending on who you've listened to this weekend.

Bruton Smith -- he's the owner of the LMS' parent company Speedway Motorsports Inc. -- said Saturday that he doesn't envision seeing the home improvement store chain involved with the flagship track of the nine he currently he owns thanks to contract discussions that aren't even close to agreement.

Meanwhile, Smith's son Marcus heads the Charlotte-area track and disputed the report in the SportsBusiness Journal that the two sides had walked away from the bargaining table -- leaving lots of questions and not many answers.

The rumor that wouldn't stop after the shuffling of Indianapolis Motor Speedway CEO Tony George's job duties finally has some teeth.

Humpy Wheeler -- the longtime and now ex-President and General Manager of Lowe's Motor Speedway -- told the Indianapols Star this week that he and his company are in talks with IndyCar officials about promoting the American open-wheel series.

Humpy's name first entered the IndyCar fold after he attended the Indianapolis 500 instead of the 50th-running of the Coca-Cola 600 in May.

Welcome back to another edition of Sprint Cup Notes & Quotes, where even Noah couldn't keep his boat afloat after the non-stop rain at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Are you one of those lonely souls mad that David Reutimann snookered 'em -- yep, that's the first recorded use of that word on FH -- to win his first career race Monday afternoon?

If so, get over it. First time winners are fun to see, and when the race officially ended he was the car leading everyone else. Kyle Busch, Brian Vickers and the rest of the field didn't have to pit, but they did -- and that's just the way it goes.

I'd still like an explanation as to why NASCAR decided on a start time of 12 p.m./EDT for the Monday make-up of its longest race.

For once, NASCAR as a sanctioning body completely deserves a heaping of praise.

Nope, there won't be rubbing, questioning or accusing in this post because its actions Monday afternoon concerning the true spirit of Memorial Day in the States is something a lot of fans won't soon forget. And should they, on any level -- whether it involve a national anthem singer or the allowance of a foreign-owned manufacturer in the sport -- there's one moment to fall back on.

That moment came at exactly 3PM Monday when NASCAR threw the red flag over the Coca-Cola 600, brought the field to a stop, quieted the cars and stood at silent attention in honor of the service of the men and women of the armed forces.

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) -- It took 75 races and three rain delays for David Reutimann to earn his first Sprint Cup Series victory.

When a fluke finally put him in position for a win in Monday's rain-delayed Coca-Cola 600, the journeyman driver nervously paced around his car on pit road at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Two hours later, he was declared the winner of one of NASCAR's crown jewel events when the race was stopped once and for all.

"It wasn't the prettiest win, but somebody has to win," he said. "When you envision yourself winning your first Sprint Cup race, you envision it different. But it's so hard to win these deals, we'll take it any way we can."

CONCORD, N.C. -- For 49 years, the crown jewel of Lowe's Motor Speedway had never failed to run a lap on the day it was scheduled.

A heavy rain shower, though, thoroughly doused the 1.5-mile speedway seemingly just minutes before NASCAR was to give the Coca-Cola 600 field the command to fire engines, leaving the 50th edition to set a disappointing new benchmark for the nearly sold-out crowd.

Now, the race will fire off on Monday afternoon, with NASCAR saying the green flag will fall at 12:01 pm/ET and television coverage provided by FOX.

Where: Lowe's Motor Speedway
Time: Sunday 5:45 p.m./EDT
TV/Radio: FOX Sports, PRN Radio
Twitter: In-race updates at FanHouseRacing
Forecast: 64 degrees, 80% chance of rain
Distance: 400 laps (600 miles)
Pole Winner: Ryan Newman
2008 Winner: Kasey Kahne
First-time NASCAR winners have been commonplace at Lowe's Motor Speedway for quite a few years now. Jeff Gordon got his first there as did Jamie McMurray, Matt Kenseth and Casey Mears.

Sunday night, though, the favorites look to be of the veteran variety.