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Texas NASCAR Cup race postponed yet again

NASCAR’s repeated attempts to resume Sunday’s Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway have been delayed again.

Watch: Inside NASCAR’s postponement decision at Texas

The race, of which just 52 of 334 laps was completed on Sunday afternoon before it was halted due to rain, was scheduled to resume at noon ET Tuesday but rain continued to envelope the area. 

At around 7:50 p.m. ET Tuesday, NASCAR once again postponed the race, this time until 3 p.m. ET Wednesday. The forecast for Wednesday afternoon looks far more promising. The race will air live on NBC Sports Network. 

The race must see 167 laps (halfway) completed before it is considered official.
 
Late Monday, NASCAR asked all its Cup drivers to be prepared to stay in the Dallas-Fort Worth area until Thursday if necessary if that’s what it took to race. NASCAR does not plan to leave the track until the race is considered official. 
 
The Texas race is the second race of the three-race semifinal round of the playoffs. This Sunday’s race at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway will determine the field of four drivers who will compete for the series championship in two weeks at Phoenix.
 

When the race was halted Sunday, Clint Bowyer was the leader followed by Jimmie Johnson, Erik Jones, Joey Logano and Martin Truex Jr.

Rounding out the top-10 were Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, Austin Dillon, Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch.

Several lead-lap cars had pit during the caution prior to the race being red-flagged.

Kevin Harvick, who started on the pole, led the way until Chris Buescher got in the wall off Turn 2 on Lap 5 to bring out the first caution of the race.

Most of the lead-lap cars remained on the track and the race returned to green with Harvick in the lead on Lap 9.

On Lap 21, J.J. Yeley spun and wrecked hard in Turn 2. Because of the timing, NASCAR designated this the competition caution.

All the lead-lap cars elected to pit with Harvick the first off pit road with a two-tire pit stop. On the restart on Lap 28, Harvick was followed by Alex Bowman and Denny Hamlin.

On Lap 30, Harvick tagged the wall and appeared to damage the right-side of his No. 4 Ford, which allowed Alex Bowman to inherit the lead.

NASCAR displayed the caution flag on Lap 44 for rain and Harvick’s team took the opportunity under the caution to pit for repairs.

On Lap 52, NASCAR displayed the red flag because the moisture had picked up and the track was wet.

“It just went straight,” Harvick said of his incident. “Unfortunately, we were the first one to the damp PJ1. That’s the downside to it. Once it’s wet, it’s like ice.

“I couldn’t get out of the gas and couldn’t do anything but go straight. It had OK speed still, so work on it and figure it out.”

When the race was halted, Harvick was listed in 36th-place and one lap down.

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