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NASCAR postponed by torrential rain
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Photo
Sprint Cup Series driver Kasey Kahne walks to the garage before the NASCAR Atlanta Sprint Cup AdvoCare 500 auto race, Sunday, Sept. 4, 2011, at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, in Hampton, Ga. (AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt)
By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
HAMPTON, Ga.
Those looking for a clarity in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup picture will have to wait at least two more days.
Despite the best efforts of NASCAR and Atlanta Motor Speedway to run the race, the AdvoCare 500 Sprint Cup event was rescheduled from Sunday night until Tuesday morning after persistent rain squelched efforts to dry the 1.54-mile track.
Barring further interference from the remnants of tropical storm Lee, the 25th race of the Cup season will start at 11 a.m. Tuesday, with polesitter Kasey Kahne leading the field to the green flag.
With weather forecasts calling for rain all day today, NASCAR opted for the Tuesday start.
Steve Addington, crew chief for Kurt Busch’s No. 22 Dodge, says adjustability will be the key when the race starts, because track conditions will be markedly different for a daytime green flag from a planned start at night.
“We’ve built some adjustment into it, and that’s knocking spring rubbers in, pulling spring rubbers out, doing whatever we have to,” Addington said. “Adjusting wedge and track bar stuff. That’s just something we’ll have to do as track conditions change on us — and we do that every week.
“Atlanta is real sensitive, so it’s a deal where you have to adjust to it. Your car is not going to be as good in the daytime. It’s going to be a freer racetrack.”