Live updates: Rain delayed NASCAR race at Texas Motor Speedway

The flag was in the flagman’s hand waiting to signal to Joey Logano that he had just one more circuit to complete before he could make the trip to Victory Lane at Texas Motor Speedway.

Yet instead of the white flag waving, a different color flag fluttered in the Texas breeze: Yellow. Debris from an incident involving Kurt Busch compelled NASCAR at the last minute to display a caution, one that erased Logano’s substantial lead.

Joey Logano’s “Final Four” at Texas Motor Speedway had nothing to do with the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship set for Monday night in nearby Arlington.

Logano and crew chief Todd Gordon’s decision to pit for four Goodyear Dual Zone tires during the final caution period of the rain-delayed Duck Commander 500 propelled the Team Penske star to his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory of 2014.

Jeff Gordon finds himself in a unique position, one he hasn’t experienced in nearly five years. The four-time Sprint Cup champion is now atop the series standings, holding a four-point lead over Matt Kenseth after seven of 26 regular season races.

That Gordon is the points leader comes as a result of a runner-up finish Monday at Texas Motor Speedway. He finished second to Joey Logano, who with fresher tires charged by Gordon as the two raced under the white flag.

A last lap pass of Jeff Gordon gave Joey Logano the victory in the rain-delayed Duck Commander 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.

Logano was handily in the lead coming to the white flag when NASCAR called for a caution for debris left by the limping car of Kurt Busch, necessitating a green-white-checkered finish. Following pit stops Gordon, who had taken two tires, restarted first with Logano lined up third with four fresh tires.

Team Penske drivers Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski have assumed control with 55 laps to go in Monday’s NASCAR race at Texas Motor Speedway.

Following a restart for a spin by Kurt Busch, who won a week ago at Martinsville, Logano passed race leader Jeff Gordon and teammate Keselowski to take the lead. Neither Logano nor Gordon has a victory this season, while Keselowski won last month at Las Vegas. A win during the regular season virtually guarantees a driver qualifies for the 10-race Chase for the Championship.

It is Jeff Gordon leading at the halfway point of the rain-delayed Duck Commander 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.

Gordon is trying to win his first race of the season, which would virtually assure him entry into NASCAR’s Chase for the Sprint Cup. Running second is Kyle Busch, who won the spring Texas race last year, followed by Brad Keselowski, Clint Bowyer and Joey Logano. Rookie Kyle Larson has quietly worked his way into the sixth position.

It’s been an eventful first 100 laps to the rain-delayed Duck Commander 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.

NASCAR’s seventh race of the season began under caution as moisture from Sunday’s heavy downpour seeped through the surface. When the green flag did wave after 10 laps under the yellow, Dale Earnhardt Jr. quickly found trouble, clipping the infield portion of the front stretch and slamming the outside. The rear of the No. 88 car became engulfed in flames, but Earnhardt was able to scamper to safety uninjured.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.‘s race came to a quick and fiery end in Monday’s rain-delayed Duck Commander 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.

Running behind Aric Almirola as they raced through the tri-oval on Lap 13, Earnhardt dipped his left-side tires in the infield, which severely damaged the nose of his car, cut a tire and sent his Chevrolet hard into the outside wall. The crash triggered a fire in rear of the No. 88, which Earnhardt was able to escape uninjured when he stopped on the Turn 2 apron.

Persistent rain forced NASCAR to postpone Sunday’s race at Texas Motor Speedway.

The Duck Commander 500 will begin Monday at noon ET with Fox providing television coverage.