Alejandro Alvarez | NASCAR.com11:57 a.m.: Over an hour later, the team is now lending some attention to the rear wheel wells and their corners nearest the doors. They’ve still yet to run through inspection and will have to warm the motor before they roll to tech. Parks estimates about another 20 minutes until then, but tensions have otherwise eased.

12:10 p.m.: Jim Campbell, vice president of GM Performance & Motorsports, makes his way to the No. 8 team’s garage as guests of Chevrolet tour the facilities. The timing is perfect as the car is rolled out of the garage and beneath an awning — the rain has steadied — as the engine roars, then purrs, then comes up to temperature. Campbell knows well the effort RCR puts into this race and cherishes the relationship with Childress. There aren’t many 50-year businesses or partnerships, he notes, but this one has lasted.

12:21 p.m.: Inspection time. The vibe is much lighter now than it was an hour ago as the team arrives to the first station. The Camaro is jacked up and placed on stands, wheels then removed and set aside. This station involves an overview of the chassis, so officials will look over the car inside and out — cockpit, wheel wells, trunk, hood, everywhere — to make sure all is compliant.

Here, Parks sparks more conversation. This year marks his 29th in the sport and 17th with RCR after stops at Bill Davis Racing and Petty Enterprises among others. He’s seen plenty of highs and lows at RCR in his tenure — and praised Tyler Reddick for getting them going in the right direction. Reddick still stops by to chat with the group as well, emphasizing the strength of those relationships. Parks also praises Alexander, the car chief, for his role in keeping this team sharp. “He’s made me a better mechanic,” Parks says.

12:41 p.m.: After 20 minutes, it’s onto the next inspection station. Former driver and now longtime official David Green inspects the cockpit, measuring the headrests and their clearances. Then it’s ahead to templates: spoilers, roof, side panels, windshields — all have a designated template that the car must fit. One official points to the left-rear deck lid and its aerodynamic shark fin before speaking with a crewman about it. There’s no significant hubbub here, but it does appear to be an area of concern.

1:04 p.m.: The car is back to the garage stall and scaled but will need to go through inspection once more. The underwing scanner showed the car was failing by thousandths of an inch. A first failure is harmless; a second could result in a crew member being ejected for the rest of the weekend.

1:50 p.m.: Back to the underwing scanner and holding their breath. “It’s just so tense because there’s so much that can go wrong,” Burnett explains. He reiterates Parks’ earlier praise of Alexander as the “unsung hero” of this team. Meanwhile, it’s time for the car to roll up the ramp and be scanned again. A minute later, it’s all smiles from mechanic Scott “Burt” Widener and Burnett.

2:05 p.m.: Back in the garage and all clear. The No. 8 car passed on its second run through tech. Now the car is jacked with only three team members allowed inside the stall at a time, overseen by one official. The crew removes the struts used for tech and installs the race shocks. This is the final step, then the car is ready for the “Great American Race.”

The relief is palpable as we step from the stall to the hauler. Burnett explains the relief of passing tech is “massive” because he doesn’t want his guys in trouble. It falls back on him as the crew chief, plus sponsors call asking why you can’t get through tech. “Just a mess.” The weight is off everyone’s shoulders now.

2:35 p.m.: The team is officially done for Saturday. No extra team meeting and everyone’s happy — ready for lunch. Today’s spread is tri-tip beef, barbecue chicken, beans and potato salad. One last “Nice job, guys,” from Burnett signals the end the day.