Jesse Love led the Timberland PRO 200 O’Reilly Series NASCAR race when the cars went under a rain caution at Phoenix Raceway Saturday, with about 178 laps still to run.
The yellow flag flew at roughly 5:07 p.m. MST, about 22 laps into the 200-lap race, and the forecast leaves open how soon the field returns to green. Love retook the lead with five laps to go in the first stage.
Love went on tow sweep the stages, weather notwithstanding.
Driving the No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, Love started from the pole and stretched his advantage to several seconds before the rain arrived, according to The Tennessean. Sheldon Creed had moved into second by passing Brandon Jones just before the caution, with Justin Allgaier and Taylor Gray also in the front group.
Phoenix Raceway Rain Caution and Track Conditions
Brandon Jones in the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota was the only driver among the leaders who switched to wet-weather tires. It was a clear gamble on the rain continuing or the track staying wet. Phoenix typically dries very quickly, and the surface began drying almost immediately after the caution.
Once back underway on the drying track, Jones was extremely slow on the wet tires and quickly fell to last in the field. He ended up a lap down and became the free pass.
Light sprinkles fell about 20 minutes before the green flag, but the race started anyway, according to NASCAR reporter Jeff Gluck. Rain drops around the track then brought out the yellow, and NASCAR has the field under caution. The green flag had been scheduled for 4:30 p.m. local time.
Rain touched the weekend earlier, too. Practice for the series was cut short by a few minutes Saturday, and qualifying paused while crews ran track dryers. Love ranked 12th in final practice, 0.437 seconds behind Brent Crews, who topped the session at 27.969 seconds. Creed, 17th in that practice, has since climbed to second, while Taylor Gray, who ranked second in the session, remains in the front group.
Phoenix typically dries quickly, according to NASCAR insider Bob Pockrass. No driver or crew chief comments had surfaced as of 5:10 p.m. MST.
Tire supply adds pressure to every call from the pit box. O’Reilly teams receive five sets for the weekend, and the set used in qualifying carries over to the race, according to NASCAR.com. Any switch to rain tires would reshuffle those plans, and crews weigh that against how fast the track dries.
Forecasts shifted all week. A Thursday outlook put Saturday’s chance of precipitation at 55%, according to MotorBiscuit reporter Maggie MacKenzie. By Saturday morning, the odds for the O’Reilly sessions had dropped to between 15% and 20%, according to Pockrass’s morning forecast post. Rain arrived anyway.
The latest forecast shows a 30% chance of showers this afternoon, with temperatures near 77 degrees and an east wind around 5 mph, according to the National Weather Service. Tonight brings a 40% chance of showers, with the peak window between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. Sunday and a low near 68. Sunday carries a 30% chance of showers, mainly before 10 a.m. The Cup Series race goes green at noon, after that window closes.
Jesse Love and the Remaining Laps at Phoenix Raceway
The race runs 200 laps in stages of 45, 45 and 110. Stage 1 ends at Lap 45 and Stage 2 at Lap 90, so roughly 23 laps remain before the first stage break.
Teams have Goodyear rain tires on site, and NASCAR can use them if the showers persist. Otherwise the field waits for the surface to dry and returns on slicks. Love holds the lead for now as the first stage comes to a close, and he ended up winning the stage.
NASCAR Phoenix Rain Update: Latest on O’Reilly Series Race