New year, new race, but the same old trouble with the weather. NASCAR just can’t seem to catch a good break with the Chicago Street Race. After a race-related caution was flagged on Lap No. 25 in Stage 2, NASCAR directed the drivers to make their way to the pit road. Initially, there was supposed to be a short stoppage in trying to clear the racing surface of the standing water. But it lasted longer than one would have imagined.

However, as the rains picked up pace once again and forced NASCAR to red-flag the race, another issue arose: wet track, visibility, and darkness.

According to a report by Bob Pockrass, if the race reaches darkness, there will be only 2 laps to go, and the leader of the race will pass the start-finish line. After that, the leader will run a full lap, and it will be the white flag lap, followed by the checkered flag, thanks to NASCAR’s new rule.

Currently, the end time is reported to be 8:20 p.m. CT. This would be a damaging blow to all the preparations and efforts that went into preparing for this race. It’s not a fact that NASCAR didn’t know about the threat of rain. Perhaps they could’ve started the race early to avoid the threat or better started on time, as the race was already delayed by 30 minutes from his original start time.

Fans were riled up by the thought of the race being washed out by the race and suggested how NASCAR could’ve avoided this catastrophe.

NASCAR’s laid-back attitude almost jeopardized the race

Had NASCAR started the race on time, they would have completed a major chunk of Stage 1. Instead, they delayed the start and were forced to experiment to see if drivers needed wet-weather tires or slicks. The domino effect has now forced NASCAR to red-flag the event. Had they started the event on time, this unnecessary fuss could’ve been avoided: “Nascar would be late to their own damn funeral.”

Another major concern is the number of caution laps that are being run. There was ample amount of time to go back to green after SVG and Chase Briscoe wrecked. Rather, they chose to run unnecessary caution laps, and finally, the rain picked up and halted the proceedings. Highlighting a major flaw in how officials run the races, a fan wrote, “We just spent an hour f***ing around doing nothing and now it’s raining lmao,”

Not all the Chicago residents were too welcoming of NASCAR returning to their city for the second edition of the street race. And seeing the event getting hampered by tormenting rains, this fan just couldn’t help but vent out his frustration: “my tax dollers are paying for this.”

It’s not like NASCAR does not have a weather scanner. Even the officials must have expected a few rain showers to affect the race. Knowing that rain could come into play, perhaps the start time of the race could’ve been altered, according to this race fan. “Whoever decided on a 4:30 start time needs to be fired like 10 times over.”

From trying to clear the standing water of the racetracks to getting the race red-flagged, the transition was just a few minutes. Now, all the fans can do is hope and pray for the rain clouds to clear out and get the race completed. “Man soooo much hype and momentum just completely went to sh*t in a matter of like three minutes.”

Thanks to this long delay, the driver will now have to race against time and not the entire run of 75 laps to be crowned the winner. So, the race length will be further cut down as NASCAR delivers a period for the race to be called official.

The post-race update; The 165-mile race was shortened from its original distance, it ended up at just under 128 miles at the checkered flag. That’s the shortest Cup Series race since 1992.