The Food City 500, originally scheduled to be held Sunday at Bristol Motor Speedway, had been postponed due to heavy rain. It's the first Monster Energy NASCAR series race impacted by weather this season and was rescheduled for Monday.
While everyone scrambled to schedule a late, long lunch to catch the action, NASCAR spent the extra day of preparation adding an alcohol/glue mixture to the bottom of the track to create a grip strip down low.
Only 20 laps in, the typical traffic of short track racing began to liven things up.
Lap traffic is making this thing interesting!
See it courtesy of @Mobil1. pic.twitter.com/MkXpbeI9tf
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) April 24, 2017
With the close quarters racing, there were plenty of close calls, saves and, of course, crashes.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. retired from the race after an oil leak sent him into the wall.
Here's why the 8??8?? is done for the day.
? https://t.co/Yf7LH1j7uL pic.twitter.com/PTYEkNDSHz
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) April 24, 2017
David Regan and Danica Patrick got together and Patrick wouldn't return.
Just not enough room for that one! #NASCARonFOX pic.twitter.com/UqsKZWeSP1
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) April 24, 2017
Kyle Busch also had his day shortened after a meeting with the barrier.
It was an abrupt end for @KyleBusch's day after driving back into the top 10.#NASCARonFOX pic.twitter.com/FoVPxWsrGX
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) April 24, 2017
When they were able to stay on green, there was some great racing action.
Kyle Larson won stage one after starting from the pole and Martin Truex Jr. took stage two. In the final stage, speeding penalties took out both of the two stage winners, but Larson fought back to place sixth and held on to his number one spot in the championship standings.
Ahead of him, and everyone else, was Jimmie Johnson who came away with his second win in a row. Clint Boyer (Who had a speeding penalty himself) and Kevin Harvick rounded out the top three.
Related: Bad weather washes out the Food City 500