Jeff Gordon gets spun around by Jamie McMurray. Credit: AP

Glaring problem: Start times frustrating drivers

HAMPTON, Ga. -- Racecar drivers generally loathe giving up any kind of control, so imagine their frustration at having to enter Turn 1 at Atlanta Motor Speedway with impaired vision.

Before the start of Sunday's Bass Pro Shops 500 -- a race that started at 3:10 p.m. ET -- driver Jamie McMurray was worried that the glare entering Turn 1 was going to affect the outcome of the race.

He was right.

The sun glistens off the windshield of Jeff Gordon's car during a pit stop. Credit: Autostock

Bass Pro Shops 500 Results Pos. Driver Make 1. Tony Stewart Chevy 2. Jimmie Johnson Chevy 3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevy 4. Matt Kenseth Ford 5. Greg Biffle Ford 6. Jeff Gordon Chevy 7. Carl Edwards Ford 8. Denny Hamlin Chevy 9. Joe Nemechek Chevy 10. Robby Gordon Chevy • Complete results, click here • Driver standings, click here Tough dayJeff Gordon loses the lead and troubles seem to follow Top finishersJohnson, Kenseth and Dale Jr. all enjoyed Atlanta racing Final lapsDale Earnhardt Jr. battles Matt Kenseth on the final laps Sign up for TrackPass now BUY THE NEXTEL i836

Chase contender Jeff Gordon cut a tire on Lap 169 and McMurray's Ford plowed directly into the back of the Chase contender, sending Gordon's Chevrolet into a spin.

McMurray said he saw Gordon's car only a few feet before impact.

"I drove up on the corner, and you kind of take an educated guess as to where the wall will be when your car will grab," McMurray said. "I drove on in there and when it was still kind of blind, my spotter said, 'Watch out, there is a slow one up high.'

"As soon as I could see, I was there."

NASCAR said the problem is unavoidable due to the length of the 500-mile race.

"It is one of those situations where races are three-and-a-half, four hours long and the sun gets bad there for about an hour or 45 minutes," NASCAR VP of Competition Robin Pemberton said. "That is the time slot that was picked to show the race. All you can do about it."

Gordon said that he has approached NASCAR about the problem, saying: "I have said something several times and it doesn't seem to matter."

The crash didn't badly damage Gordon's car -- he remained on the lead lap while his crew pitted him five times for repairs -- but the crash ended his hopes of winning. Gordon had led 44 laps and was hoping a win would keep his slim Chase hopes alive.

He didn't get the win, but Gordon rallied to finish sixth as he picked up six spots in the last 100 laps. Gordon moved from ninth to seventh in points, but he is 146 points back with only three races to go.

McMurray initially thought Gordon was angry at him, but Gordon told him after the race that he knew the sun played a factor.

"McMurray got into the back of us, but I don't blame him," Gordon said. "You couldn't see anything going into Turn 1."

McMurray said that the glare was accentuated by the fact that Atlanta's sweeping corners often require driving against the wall, where the glare is the worst.

"They shouldn't start races at 3 o'clock in the afternoon and race in the dark," McMurray said. "It doesn't make any sense. If they start these at noon, you don't have that. It is a challenge to see where you are going."

Chase for the Nextel Cup After Atlanta (7th of 10 races) Rank +/- Driver Behind 1. -- M. Kenseth Leader 2. +1 J. Johnson -26 3. +1 D. Hamlin -65 4. +2 D. Earnhardt Jr. -84 5. -- J. Burton -84 6. -4 K. Harvick -121 7. +2 J. Gordon -146 8. -1 M. Martin -201 9. -1 K. Kahne -210 10. -- Ky. Busch -249 • Complete standings, click here CHASE STORE •   Jeff Gordon merchandise!

In recent years, NASCAR has started scheduling more races to begin in the mid-afternoon, creating a small window where glare becomes a problem.

Jimmie Johnson, who finished second Sunday, didn't think the glare was that bad. He said that California Speedway, which started its fall race at 4 p.m. PT, was worse.

"This is not as bad as California," Johnson said. "As [Dale Earnhardt Jr.] pointed out, I think his words were, 'It's a mother.' In California, you're steering right at it, which is tough."

Earnhardt said he nearly ran into Gordon during the Lap 169 accident.

"I saw it happen, I was on old tires and I couldn't go on down the racetrack," Earnhardt said. "I barely missed him, and [McMurray] didn't see [him]. He ran right into the back of Jeff.

"It looked like a hell of a wreck."