Rain Wrecks the Field at Daytona | Door Bumper Clear

[@stormwarnings7909]

As a former NASCAR certified track safety worker who spent more than 20 years on tracks in a safety truck, I can tell you with complete certainty that the safety truck in turn one would have called out rain the second it hit the windshield. Now what NASCAR does with that information is another thing entirely but, rest assured turn one fire alerted at the tower that they had rain on their windshield!

[@Weezy10580]

Of course. Nascar screws up per usual

[@nothinghere7391]

The problem is that the Truck is deep inside the track. The rain would hit the racing surface before hitting the safety truck. The only way NASCAR could've prevented this mess would be if they had weather spotters/censors outside the track

[@Kenadams240]

@@nothinghere7391 correct, the rain came from the behind the grandstands. On the turn one side. Thousands of fans in the grandstands were getting rained on first and then it moved onto the track. Bottom line, NASCAR screwed up bad

[@ScottXC91]

I think that’s kind of exactly the point that’s being made here. We all know the person on the ground would of course make the right call. Whether that person’s information is ignored, doesn’t reach the tower fast enough, doesn’t reach the tower at all, or if that person even exists in the first place, is exactly all the things that NASCAR could do better.

[@gregbayne6229]

@@nothinghere7391 ?🤷🏻‍♂️

[@OverlandOne]

The TV cameras in that turn had water drops on them that could be easily seen the lap before when they went through there.

[@billebner9185]

At the f1 race in Sochi a couple of years ago, several of the teams put people in boats and sent them miles out into the Black Sea for exactly that. Teams had several minutes of warning before the rain hit. Granted the race in the rain but its the same principle..Nascar fell way short on this one

[@kentuckyblugrass]

Stewart answered this several years ago.... "If we haven't crashed at least 50% of the field by the end of the race....we need to extend the race until we have"

[@andybiz4273]

Completely agree, NASCAR has dropped the ball when it comes to races and rain, the past few years especially.

[@rileyfair5]

Imagine having a 3 hour sport that has to always be delayed hours to rain. When its barely raining. You take the risk. Or call the race and whos eveer in front at the time wins and drivers can't complain

[@markpatterson2507]

Time and time again.......

[@JustinNeil88Outdoorsman]

I love every word and advice they are saying. Nascar corporation executives are truly killing the sport many of us love. Kinda wish they would bring back the old Drivers Union like Richard Petty started way back when.

[@mackelby1]

Have been for years. Jr. needs to start his own series

[@adamwarren1918]

You are coming to this conclusion now? Big nascar stopped listening to fans back in 2000. I haven’t watched a full race since 2006. If any of you are shocked about what happened all I can say is welcome to the party. A lot of fans left years ago.

[@mackelby1]

@@adamwarren1918 I left when they stole a championship from Edwards.

[@JustinNeil88Outdoorsman]

@Adam Warren who said I'm just now coming to this conclusion? Sour much? What, I can't give my opinion years later. Move on troll baby boomer.

[@chadfaulkner3600]

I believe it was at pocono back in 1996. They had a local meteorologist at the track watching 2 different storms headed at them.

[@oneslave3318]

We used to have a driver named Dale something that was a pretty good driver. I used to attend a lot of races at Daytona. NASCAR used to pull this Dale guy that drove a black car out of the pack and have him make a few laps at speed and tell them the track condition before they would drop the green. I don't know what Dale is doing now but NASCAR could sure use his expertise again.

[@Kenadams240]

I was at the race, it was raining in turn one for minutes. It’s obvious that there was NO SPOTTER IN TURN ONE PERIOD. It was raining heavily while the cars were just entering turn 3. There was PLENTY OF TIME

[@gregbayne6229]

Thank you👍🏻

[@johngreen1945]

If rain wrecks the field…is it still Ross Chastain’s fault?

[@marlinmealer6506]

Just another spot in the Ross Chastain don't give a F*CK tour

[@Stevonoles1]

Yes, they call it being Chastrained!

[@chrisiglehart]

Best comment so far.

[@VKED23]

Yes

[@wxracer23]

Chast-rained

[@combatwombat594]

I work at about 3 tracks myself, some of the middle name dirt tracks in the northeast. And I can tell you right now, we CAN NOT make this kind of mistake. We WON'T make this kind of mistake at ANY of the tracks I work at. This is a safety issue, and there is absolutely NO excuse for something like this...

[@bworm7152]

let's not forget they still had all day to hopefully get the race in. they could have red flagged the race and said we will try to get this in if weather allows. Daytona also has lights. it was ridiculous. for me personally I enjoyed watching it, but they allowed the wreck which puts drivers safety in jeopardy, and I'd love to know how much money was lost in that wreck.

[@longjohn526]

Dale Jr was noting on TV during the Xfinity race that as a owner you probably should plan on having all your cars being wrecked at Daytona and planning your budget around it. I think pretty much all the Junior Motorsports Xfinity cars did get wrecked too

[@TerryWilsonModels]

Here is an idea, how about moving the race back to july 4th instead of having it in the middle of Florida's rain season...

[@dennypugh7801]

Totally agree....

[@johnhaas2523]

The city of Daytona doesn't want it that weekend

[@TerryWilsonModels]

@@johnhaas2523 why? They have had it on that weekend for years.

[@AM-tu1rc]

@@TerryWilsonModels They have tourism on that weekend anyway. Moving the race to a different date gets them tourism again on a different date instead of clumping it all in one date.

[@TheForeverRanger]

Even running it on July 4th you run into rain issues. NASCAR needs to have the authority from the networks to move the races earlier in these situations IF there is a possibility that you can get the race in before the rain starts.

[@michaelhamilton3778]

Rain didn’t wreck the field at Daytona. NASCAR DID! The rain just helped it along.

[@thegreattreon0177]

I saw the rain on the upper right corner of the onboard camera when the cars were going thru the tri-oval and then quickly changed camera angles hoping no one saw it on tv and as soon as the cars broke loose I yelled out damn it NASCAR the track is wet!

[@laythap784]

I was at the race and it was raining where I was sitting 2 laps before the big one. We all got scared and new everyone was going to wreck.

[@ae43ro]

If you knew that, why didn't Nascar know?

[@sethfowlkes6297]

Scared??? That’s why I don’t come anymore. This sport collapsed 10-15 years ago.

[@kenhigdon1123]

@@ae43ro They did

[@TheRednecksolder]

@@sethfowlkes6297 like they said, they're doing a buck 80 around most of that track and people die at daytona. That's a reason to worry about rain on the track, plus its been well documented how hard the next gen is on the driver when they wreck.

[@wingracer1614]

Just a note, people die at Martinsville too. Richie Evans and Charlie Jarzombeck being the most notable examples. Granted those were modifieds before safer barriers and HANS devices but it can still happen

[@therealnynetynyne360]

Loved that orange hot rod rip richie

[@kendallsmith7594]

The meteorologist idea in house is a great idea

[@steveperyer4850]

You guys are spot on, in what NASCAR didn’t do, and caused what could have been a real bad wreck where people could have been killed. They are always chest pumping themselves on safety, and nothing in racing is completely safe, but they have problems being safe in a weather situation, the tire/wheel situation, and the safety in the new car. Those things need to be addressed NOW, and not after somebody dies because of them

[@johnhaas2523]

Everything about Daytona and Talladega is entertainment and that's also the reason Marcus Smith did Atlanta the way he did and his potential going to do Texas the same

[@DerrickRG]

@@johnhaas2523 You're clueless.

[@johnhaas2523]

@@DerrickRG no I'm not You're uneducated cuz you don't want to believe it's about entertainment

[@Stevonoles1]

Imagine if they called it before it actually rained, and then when it did rain, and it was a wash out and the race was called? So the "winner" would have been a guy in the lead even though it was not raining at the time the caution was thrown.

[@jamiethornton6101]

It's just common sense. When you can see a sheet of rain right behind the grandstands, it doesn't take a genius to figure out it's probably going to be raining on the track soon. Also the radar. There were red and yellow cells all around the track. It makes me think they wanted the wreck for ratings.

[@WweJth]

Just because you couldn't predict it, doesn't mean you couldn't prepare for it. Because the big, dark, black raincloud where the rain came from was hovering over and around Turn 1 for about 20-25 minutes before it rained. I could have come up with a plan in that timespan, why couldn't NASCAR?

[@odnamsrazor2364]

because Brain France wasn't the only fvcking moron ruining Nascar.

[@ChampaBayBeast]

I will tell you this, I was in Section 137 and it was raining the lap before and a giant cloud over our head for a solid 10 laps before it hit.

[@garywaters2563]

Lighting holds now you want to do a rain hold? How big you want that circle to be😂😂 spot off!!

[@eldinacampbell5082]

I was there and could see the rain coming, could have went to yellow laps before the wreck, I call BS

[@MrSheckstr]

Moral when responding to criticism over actions taken/ not taken, don’t say something that just going to obviously open you up to further criticism.

[@bigorange2082]

You could see the dark purple clouds on the broadcast. I was surprised they hadn’t went under caution.

[@ScottXC91]

I’m SO glad they mentioned the fan video. I’m the first person to jump on the disagree-with-Brett bandwagon. But he’s spot on here. Literally every single thing he said.

[@WRLeGrand]

Except for stop the race if rain is a quarter mile away. That might be the dumbest thing I have ever heard. Literally you might not ever race at Daytona if you do that.

[@TheFOHMan]

Thanks for beeping the "foul mouth spotters" T. J. had some class good for him. Brett talked all over Casey rude and crude!

[@jakeurban8963]

What about using some type of rain sensors around the track. In current vehicles they have the technology to automatically turn windshield wipers in on when senses rain. And automatically turn off is no rain. Could have multiple sensors around the entire track. Maybe?

[@johnvandeventer8668]

They actually gave some great ideas

[@Chiefdixon]

They watched the rain coming in on radar. They could see the clouds coming in. What else could they have done COME ON MAN!

[@chrisrogers3175]

How hard is it to have someone in each corner of the track

[@tamaramaule6928]

there was a fox helicopter flying over the track the entire race. It was raining in lap 10, it was raining 5 laps prior to the big crash. The rain clouds came from the west as well as the east.

[@DewkChronic]

Is it time for a tire with a groove or 3 grooves in the tread? a tire they could use on an oval in light rain.

[@samb198055]

Florida has sunshine rain 🌧 it's very hard to if not impossible to predict

[@TheJTTaylor000]

I sat and watched a live video from a helicopter flying over the track looking back at large section of heavy rain about a half-mile outside turn 1. before they ever went to green.

[@Zalphabetlore1974]

I was sitting in Alabama looking at the radar and I knew it was about to rain really hard on the west side of the track.

[@RedWingsninetyone]

Last year it rained at MIS for about 3 laps before NASCAR threw the caution. Luckily nothing happened to the cars, but still.

[@DerrickRG]

NASCAR loved that wreck. The perfect 'big one' to use in their Daytona 500 commercials for 2023.

[@shawndeck136]

I was out front of the track picking up the campers that were there on display That rain did not sprinkle it just came a downpour all at once With no warning

[@hillbillyreactions]

Keegan Lehey may be available. He's a meteorologist and an iRacing Coca Cola series Champion..lol

[@chrisfoxwell4128]

Obviously during the race it needs to be called when it starts raining. It's not 1950, they've got detailed color 3d maps of storm systems that anyone with a computer can see: no meteorologist needed. But, any entertainment or tourist activity can't be allowed to be skittish about rain. While sometimes there's no chance a storm settles in over an area, most of the time it's going to be moving through so if there's a chance for having mostly decent weather you don't turn people away on a maybe. And, once prince are there you've payed staff so if you don't have to pay staff another day you're going to try to get it done the first time.

[@moparedtn]

This fella may have valid points, but he's hard as hell to listen to and is quite abrasive to boot. Dude needs some 420 action.

[@alacran1986]

They used to have track spotters everywhere in 76 signs. That is not good to hear they only have a few. What about the safety crew? NASCAR has more safety crew and track dryer people than track spotters.

[@bluegrass2368]

If Bubba was leading at that last red flag for rain, Nascar would have thrown the checkers

[@DerrickRG]

Yep.

[@bryonkidder6199]

All the tears from these Spotters could bring out the caution right now...lol

[@DavidJohnson-hg1mz]

I was at the New Hampshire race. Everyone in turn one started covering their heads at least 5-10 seconds before the cars got there. Smaller track so dunno how much of a difference it would’ve made, but if I knew the caution should be on, how didn’t the officials?

[@miketwotwenty]

Yeah that rain wreck was crazy! I agree they could of done something! If that wreck did not happen Austin Dillion would not of won that race!

[@oneslave3318]

If idiots could fly, Daytona would be the worlds biggest airport.

[@GhostCob]

Been a nascar fan for a long time. I have to say NASCAR is making harder to watch year by year and now week to week. What a shame. Blessings from Gettysburg Pa…

[@rainiernqc]

3:03 - Another crash in the studio! MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIP IMPLICATIONS That was a said when they release the footage of that guy talking in the booth: "Really? 2022 And you guys don't have the technology? Technology: Put a spotter every 200m outside of the circuit to tell you if it's raining or not" NASCAR + bad officiating = name a "better" combo

[@lucky-rowe2623]

But we wouldn't have that big crash that could be broadcast on the nightly news... Come on Man!

[@Bak3dGamingYT]

I was sitting at home watching radar omega(professional weather app) and I could see it was going to hit any second and fans could see it the lap before in the stands

[@jamesburroughs3813]

As a recently graduated graduate student in meteorology looking for a job, I offer my services to NASCAR whenever they want lol. I'd be happy to help this situation!

[@SargentEdgedTools]

What am I missing? Watched nascar for decades and seems like the broadcasts always had weather reports?! Right? I don't understand what's going on here.

[@johnhaas2523]

If you go on Twitter there is a guy or two that do provide the weather

[@mikesowell7969]

Brett likes The Morning Drive Show on SiriusXM NASCAR radio. He said another show sucks. Is he talking about the Tradin’ Paint Show with John Roberts & Chocolate Myers or the SiriusXM Speed Show with Dave Moody? Tell us Brett! 🤣

[@racebowtie1]

The only problem with stopping the race before it’s raining on the track is it will eventually create controversy too. The only way nascar could do that is if they came up with a policy that said they would restart the race even if it was the next day, that or have a time limit like hey rain is 15 min away we are stopping the race in 10 min this is your warning.

[@dakotasheets8939]

Well all the leaders crashed and they still got the track dried and finished the race. So why not throw the caution. And finish the race later like they said

[@caseynicholson9190]

The first HUGE mistake was having a race at Daytona in the middle of hurricane season. Folks, I live in Jax and it rains here EVERYDAY this time of year. Its raining right now with tornado warnings. It rained yesterday...IT RAINS EVERYDAY. This time of year here in Florida you can safely bet you hose that its going to rain. If your going to race at Daytona during hurricane season you start the race at 9pm. Thats the safest time of the day this time of year for no rain and even then it isnt a sure bet.

[@TheForeverRanger]

You would think NASCAR would have learned some things by now after 50 years of running races in Florida but nope.

[@lmthembu9865]

I Like Freddie Kraft's hat

[@bigyodatheman]

It's Florida people. This literally happens every day here. Rain doesn't have to "travel" here, the skies can just flat out open up in a random spot without warning.

[@mattrzewnicki6343]

There was an onboard shot the lap before that showed the rain hitting the car. NASCAR had more than a lap to figure it out.

[@joshandkorinna]

Lol rain sensors are like 10 bucks. Honestly a few of those around the outside of the track is the answer. Soon as they detect rain, go yellow.

[@jabber1990]

I wonder if the show Freddie is talking about...is the show with Chocolate Myers

[@IanTheMotorsportsMan_YT]

I’ll try to “Be Kind” (like Casey’s shirt) about this situation… It’s unfortunate that some drivers, teams, and even fans say it was raining 1 lap before the crash. Very unacceptable to see NASCAR continue to let them race in the rain at Daytona. Unfortunately, they never learn. They still continue to prefer manufactured entertainment over driver’s safety. Oh and NASCAR doesn’t care about race teams as well. It’s going to take a popular driver to get hurt from a crash for them to do something. If an oval race is raining, it takes common sense to red flag the race immediately when it rains right away. At this point, just FIRE the officiation and the current management and hire better ones that know a clue and give a darn on how Motorsports work. NASCAR can’t continue to be an embarrassing circus. Thank you, have a great day

[@johnvandeventer8668]

Do you think they gave some great ideas?

[@joeforestandi478]

If they didn't have a spotter in turn 1 I guess they would never know if there was debris for a caution either. But they will say there was.

[@johnhaas2523]

They would know just scanning the radio for team communications

[@joeforestandi478]

@@johnhaas2523 yup

[@michaellawrence2706]

These guys are THE best Nascar pundits. Everyone else I can think of is a NASCAR brown nosed..

[@erikrenner]

You can hire me to be a “NASCAR Rain Spotter”.

[@viviancoogler6576]

Hello my friend. My grandfather was a great caller at citrus race way.he had everyone of us in every curef and we had a ambulance and fire truck at the race . And we have a duty sheriff that is stationed at the airport every shift. And if there is rain at the airport he radio s the fire truck and ambulance at the race track. And they call the race till they get a clearance . Sincerely yours MR vivian V coogler Brooksville Fla 34601

[@darylb5564]

The moment it started to rain the yellow should have gone out and the field frozen. NASCAR has video evidence of the moment they dropped the ball. There’s no reason for them to be unable to understand who should have been awarded the win.

[@JamesMarusak]

Several years ago I remember hearing somewhere that NASCAR had a weather monitoring contract with a company called WSI ( Weather Services International) that's now been acquired by IBM. And I know that there are more than a few companies that do such types of forecasting, and are currently doing it for most MLB teams, NFL teams, MLS, etc. Heck, as a meteorologist that was about to graduate with my BS in meteorology back in 1996, and as a nascar fan, I also sent my resume and a cover letter to Bill France Jr asking if they needed a met for the sanctioning body, seeing back then how a growing schedule would mean you'd need to monitor things much more closely ( got a rejection letter on NASCAR stationary will Bill France's sig on it, but I had to try). And there are a lot of mets who would take that job willingly ( myself included). There's even a group on Twitter called @raceweather that does this for the fans ( good meteorologists imho). But next time you get a chance to ask a question of NACSAR officials, ask them what company or meteorologist they contract to for weather consulting purposes. There's a lot of NASCAR fans who are mets who would love to know.

[@johna4066]

KyB said it wasn't raining the lap before half way in turn 1 and 2 was completely dry & sunny

[@DerrickRG]

Nobody cares what he says.

[@pearlypearly2545]

This show is good bc it’s real. Gotta remember logistics with tv and fans showing up for a rain delay. Then the whole point of the bracket style playoffs is for entertainment. They like the wrecks. Ik when in person I love wrecks. It’s interesting and makes circles not boring on tv it’s a different story. But nascar cares ab tv fan attendance and entertainment. Which is and can be caused by a big wreck sadly. It’s dumb for them not to. Especially with how much this sport costs

[@jamieday6602]

NASCAR never takes responsibility for their screw ups and bad calls! That will never change! They don't pay for all of the wrecked cars! That's why,wrecks are good for TV ratings! So glad I know longer watch races, I only follow the after race stuff!

[@johnhaas2523]

They don't want a cake responsibility because that goes against sports entertainment

[@longjohn526]

You could probably cut a deal with a local TV station to provide their weather person for free just for the advertising/bragging rights .....

[@stephenstrader9284]

Meteorology Ph.D. here. Hire me Nascar.

[@bobmarsh6915]

They did it at Charlotte to one year the first lap of the race rusty Wallace Jeff Gordon and the whole field wrecked I might be wrong it could have been Daytona I think they let them bring out backup cars but the damage was done

[@darrellschenk1442]

GM had a rain sensor in an 1958 concept car

[@kevinshull7761]

Why dot they just set cameras up outside the track that are tied in to a central station that send a warning of rain.

[@mattj6676]

Every car on the track has a camera mounted to its roof, you don't even need track spotters, just watch the feeds from the cars. You can't trust the team spotters, they always call for rain if it helps their guy, or call for debris when it helps their guy, so it's not surprising that NASCAR wouldn't trust them. But just watch the roof cameras, you can see when water hits them.

[@terrygarvin1980]

If nascar was still run by racers that would be a great start.

[@stevealber9779]

U could see the dark clouds is it that hard to put people around the outside of the track a few hundred feet to say its coming. U can see the rain coming in

[@oldermusiclover]

question are there such things as Rain sensors. if so why not put them around the track and have them plugged into the tower. as soon as one gets wet the yellow flag goes out. or throw out the yellow flag early and park everyone till the rain goes away.

[@mackelby1]

NASCAR hasn't deserved props in years

[@bigrooster6893]

It’s very easy for them to install sensors in the asphalt on these tracks that anytime a raindrop hits the track it alerts the officials.

[@therealnynetynyne360]

Yes install sensors that don't exist that would handle the forces of the cars, not to mention having to tear up the racing surface to install these magical sensors.

[@TerribleTim68]

Maybe they need to give Brian Neudorff a call. Just sayin'. 🤷🤣

[@mattrzewnicki6343]

Oh, one other thing. Put a bunch of rain detectors that can send a signal to race control that it's raining. It would be real time data.

[@petemorris9751]

Here’s my question… How many highlights did that crash make? All I’ve seen is thumbnails on highlight videos that show the mayhem. Was this done on purpose because the “Big One” generates more clicks/online views/ratings than being safety cautious and stoping the race? I think NASCAR wanted the highlight to add additional drama and storylines to the final regular season race.

[@johnhaas2523]

Of course although I don't think NASCAR wanted the big one to be that big or at that point of the race

[@DerrickRG]

Exactly.

[@DerrickRG]

@@johnhaas2523 NASCAR doesn't care about the product.

[@sunshinecoolwater9528]

NASCAR has become complacent. They have placed entertainment over safety. Nothing will change until a popular driver like Chase Elliott gets seriously injured or killed. The new car isn't safe - the drivers know it, the fans know it and NASCAR knows it.

[@Kenadams240]

Yep, head and neck restraints did not become mandatory until Dales fatal accident at Daytona.

[@michaelfleming5999]

And Nascar said they were looking into ways to fix the problem of not throwing the yellow flag when it's raining or there is rain on the track loosing that many cars and putting drivers lives in danger is not an option

[@jimmyjolly4184]

They could get enough people to be rain spotters for the price of a race ticket in every turn at Daytona

[@joeforestandi478]

I am so sick of nascar I can puke!! I'm one of the old diehards but have really lost interest. They can call a mystery yellow with 3 laps to go for that TV ratings finish. Maybe a hotdog wrapper??? But when the driver's safety is at risk they look the other way.

[@dannymoore9358]

Had a nascar spotter at Charlotte speedway ask me to take down a yellow Kyle Bush flag because the drivers were seeing it and getting confused and this was maybe 8 years ago or so they should have them at all turns.

[@ImpulseColt]

If you where going to sit for 3+ hrs for rain why was that lap so important

[@joshuamessenger]

One lightning strike within 8 miles of the track and they have to red flag for 30 minutes. Make a similar ruling with rain in the immediate area.

[@OhItsThat]

They could have looked at their iPhones. This is why I like Sports car racing.

[@libertarianman69]

Radar?

[@daveschoen2594]

Name one race (brainiac) that was preemptively called because it might rain. Wow.

[@MichaelEarnedIt-19]

No. It was ignorance. I think saying we could of not done anything was a stupid and completely ignorant. They just want avoid accepting responsibility. This is just sad.

[@SDCBMS]

No sound??

[@jeffbennett7470]

That was an expensive lap