As the rain drops began falling at Watkins Glen on Sunday, fans took shelter under the stands, while others brought out the umbrellas and ponchos to wait it out. Crews covered the cars and the pit boxes, and then passed the time either relaxing, doing interviews, or even going back to the trailer.
It didn't start out as anything major, but soon the small sprinkles turned into droplets, and the delay was on from there.
As each hour passed, media and fans alike were waiting for NASCAR to make the call, and most expected what it would be. Finally, after track drying was already under way, another storm system moved in, and NASCAR had to wave a white flag in surrender.
It means the first Monday race of the season, but is yet another chapter in an ongoing saga in NASCAR, one that is not seen in any other form of motorsports.
To race in the rain, or to not race in the rain...that is a question that is always posed at a road course. But, when it comes to NASCAR's top series, it is just not happening.
No matter how much it's talked about, NASCAR will not do it.
Vice President of competition and racing, Robin Pemberton, said Sunday that because of how close the championships are, and the competition just to get into the Chase, it's a lot of pressure to put just on one race.
"We feel at this level, it really throws a wild card in there," Pemberton said. "Our guys, we're a series that doesn't have experience on rain tires. It's a lot to put on them."
One man in the garage disagreed with Pemberton...five-time defending NASCAR champion crew chief, Chad Knaus.
"I'm fine with it. Let's go get 'em right now and bolt 'em on, give us an hour and we could race (Sunday), get it done," Knaus said shortly before the Watkins Glen race was postponed to Sunday. But, when told NASCAR didn't want to create a wild-card scenario by racing in the rain, Knaus made his point very clear.
"(Shoot), I'd quit running Talladega then."
Unfortunately, NASCAR is standing firm on their belief in not racing in the rain when it comes to the Sprint Cup Series. Two years ago, NASCAR put on the rain tires, added brake lights and windshield wipers, and got a majority of the race in at Montreal before the rain became too heavy to race on.
It's different when it comes to the Nationwide Series because the schedule or those teams is much tighter. They don't have the luxury to stay extra days to get a race in, especially when some drivers pull double duty at different locations.
Knaus believes when NASCAR mandated the use of the rain tires two years ago in Montreal, they screwed up.
"I'll get in trouble for this probably, but it's just done wrong," Knaus said. "Make it to where you can show up, you can buy so many rain tires and you go out there and race. Don't tell us when to put 'em on, don't tell us when the caution is going to come out. If we start the race and start on wets, we start on wets. If you want to put dries on, put dries on.
"They don't need to be telling us when to put the rain tires on and when not to put 'em on, things like that."
Unfortunately, NASCAR doesn't follow that kind of ideology like Formula One does, where at any race teams are provided with dry tires, rain tires, and intermediate tires. Teams in that series can choose what kind of tires to use when they start the race, and change based on the given conditions.
It's different in NASCAR because it's something the drivers have not done. In 2000, NASCAR did a rain tire test at Watkins Glen, with only a few drivers participating. All mostly agreed that if it was just a sprinkle, it could be done.
But, with puddles of rain on the track and a very persistent rain, it would be unsafe, and not likely to work.
In the late 1990s, NASCAR ran an exhibition event in Suzuka, Japan, and the day drivers had to qualify, it was foggy and rain was falling. Unfortunately, there was no way to fall back on points or practice to set the line-up, so NASCAR had no other choice but to qualify in the rain.
Luckily, the day of the race it was sunny and comfortable, and the idea was not even considered for many years.
For Knaus, his view on the rain tire debate for the Cup Series is as clear as glass; he wants to do it, and has no qualms about making his voice heard on the issue.
of rain tires at least on the two road courses they run each year.
"It doesn't matter. I'd love it. I think it's a good idea. I don't really see big reasons why we don't," he said.
Pemberton wishes that Knaus could see the reasons, or at least ask what they were.
"It's not just a blanket rule. It's not just, 'Let's go run rain tires and yee-haw!' It doesn't work that way. It's about putting on the best event," Pemberton said.
No matter what, NASCAR is going to remain put on racing in the rain for the Cup Series, as in it has no intention to put on the Goodyear grooved racing tires anytime soon.
Maybe that's a good thing in the long run, because with the new points system, and a tight points battle both in the top-10 and for the wild card spots, the risks greatly outweigh the rewards.
"We do experiment with it. We've done it in the Nationwide Series and we've got a good history with that. But you know, at this point in time we don't feel like it's something that needs to get done in the Cup Series," Pemberton said.
For now, drivers, teams and fans will have to live with that decision.
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