NASCAR postpones race because of rain

NASCAR drivers never got the chance to finally start their engines Sunday.

On-and-off rain caused a delay of more than six hours before a final burst dashed plans to run the Chase for the Sprint Cup kickoff at Chicagoland Speedway under the lights.

Weather permitting, the race will start Monday at 9 a.m. PDT and be televised on ESPN.

Pole-sitter Matt Kenseth shrugged off the postponement.

“We are pretty well set,” he said. “The car is on the line. A delay is no big deal. We might look at the temperature and readjust our tape or something like that, something little. We will just go on and plan like we had planned.”

Light rain fell from late morning into mid-afternoon, but NASCAR officials gambled that waiting out the precipitation would pay off.

A break came around 3:45 p.m. and Chicagoland Speedway crews jumped into action.

For the second time Sunday, crews in five pickup trucks with hot-air blowers methodically circled the 1.5-mile tri-oval for nearly two hours to ensure a dry track and make it safe for racing.

But rain resumed around 6 p.m., just as crews apparently had the track in driving condition.

Drivers had been introduced about 12:45 p.m. for the scheduled 1 p.m. start, but as rain persisted they went for shelter and the normally busy garage and pit areas became deserted.

A postponement was an all-around disappointment, particularly for fans who waited out delays all afternoon as well as Chicagoland officials who eyed a potential full house for the track’s first Chase for the Sprint Cup outing.

It was also an inconvenience for drivers and crews who will lose a day moving on to the race next Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Monday’s forecast calls for showers into the early afternoon, with clearing skies after that.

sports@latimes.com