Dale Earnhardt Jr. Wins NASCAR Sprint Cup Race Despite Rain Delay

Rain may have affected the Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 yesterday for most drivers, but Dale Earnhardt Jr. came out a winner for the race due to the race being called early at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, A.Z. last night. Earnhardt Jr. won the race during lap 219 of an originally scheduled 312-lap race. “We had an idea that the rain was in the area, but all the circumstances that played out at the end are just kind of luck, I think,” Earnhardt said. “I think the reason why we won this race is because of the way we qualified to give ourselves a position to be up front all night. When something like this quirky happens, we were able to capitalize.”

Other results included Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, and Martin Truex Jr. all qualifying for the last NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup Race with high positions for the final race. Carl Edwards, Brad Keselowski, Kurt Busch, and Joey Logano all did not qualify for the championship race next week despite having chances if last night’s race were to be a full one.

With delays throughout the day because of rain and its concern in cleaning the track up, the day lasted 6 hours, 46 minutes before the green flag was woven for the start of the race at 7:27 p.m. By 9:30 p.m. the red flag was out signaling the end of the race officially and having officials say that the track would take too long to dry and with about 100 laps still to go in the race. This is only the second time since 1988 that a rain-shortened race was raced and a champion was confirmed.

Photo: AVONDALE, AZ – NOVEMBER 15: Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the rain-shortened NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on November 15, 2015 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)