BREAKING UPDATE: The Daytona 500 is now rescheduled for Monday. This story is updating with details.
The Daytona 500 will not be run Sunday because of rains expected throughout the day.
The Sunday morning forecast for Daytona Beach confirmed fears that rain would spoil Sunday for the 2024 Daytona 500 and the start of the NASCAR Cup season. The Great American Race is now scheduled for a 4 p.m. Monday start.
Now that we know the Daytona 500 is postponed, we also know Monday is a NASCAR doubleheader that officials are calling the first of its kind at Daytona International Speedway. Saturday, just before the green flag was scheduled to wave for the Xfinity Series race, the United Rentals 300, NASCAR sent word that the race would move to 11 a.m. Monday.
Here’s what we know.
Can I go to both the Xfinity race and the Daytona 500 on Monday?
According to NASCAR, “Fans with Saturday grandstand tickets and admission to the Hard Rock Bet Fanzone may attend both the NASCAR Xfinity Series race and the Daytona 500.”
Will the Daytona 500 be cancelled?
The answer is almost certainly a no, but it was rescheduled to 4 p.m. Monday.
Here is how rain has affected Daytona 500s historically.
- 1965–66, 2003, 2009: Races shortened due to rain.
- 2012: Race was postponed from Sunday afternoon to Monday night due to rain and finished after midnight on Tuesday.
- 2020: Race began on Sunday but finished on Monday evening due to rain.
- 2021: Race ran on Sunday, but finished after midnight on Monday.
The entire Daytona 500 was moved to Monday in 2012. In 2020, it started on Sunday but rain started shortly after the start, and rest of the race was moved to Monday.
What is the Daytona 500 weather today, rain update?
Forecasts are at 100% for chances of rain on Sunday and those rain chances don’t change much throughout the day in Daytona Beach, according to meteorologists at the National Weather Service in Melbourne. Thus, about 9:30 a.m. came word from NASCAR that Sunday would be a rainout.
Daytona Beach weather radar
There will be a racing doubleheader on Monday, with the Xfinity Series race starting at 11 p.m. and the Daytona 500 set for 4 p.m. if the weather holds out. The forecast is much better than Sunday:
Chance of rain Monday: 20 percent
Monday temperatures: High of 62 degrees with an overnight low of 45
National Weather Service forecast summary: A 20 percent chance of showers before 1 p.m. Cloudy through mid-morning, then gradual clearing, with a high near 62. North wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
What are some things to do in Daytona Beach? Movie theaters, shopping, bowling nearby
While the Daytona 500 was rained out, there are still plenty of indoor activities around Daytona Beach for NASCAR fans to enjoy while they wait for the race Monday.
From the Daytona Flea & Farmers Market to the Daytona Beach Racing & Card Club – plus Volusia Top Gun, Daytona Beach’s indoor shooting range – there are plenty of things to do to wait out the rain.
When is the Daytona 500?
The race broadcast will remain the same and will air on Fox. Mike Joy will be the main announcer, with Clint Bowyer and Kevin Harvick serving as analysts from the booth, Larry McReynolds and Michael Waltrip contributing, and Jamie Little, Regan Smith and Josh Sims reporting from pit road.
Streaming options include fuboTV, which offers a free trial to potential subscribers.
Was the NASCAR Xfinity race at Daytona postponed?
Yes. The United Rentals 300 is now scheduled for 11 a.m. Monday.
Sort of. If the race is postponed, NASCAR’s Weather Protection Program allows fans to exchange any unused grandstand ticket for a future race in the NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series at another venue. Ticketholders have 60 days after the rescheduled event to contact the ticket office and exchange their tickets.
Fans looking to exchange their tickets after a delay can contact Daytona International Speedway at 1-877-306-7223 or via their website.
There are no cash refunds. If the race is delayed to later Sunday instead of being postponed for another day, ticket exchanges are not eligible.
Why does NASCAR stop for rain?
The tires that stock cars use don’t have treads, so there’s nothing to grip the track if conditions are even a little slippery. It’s the same reason some high-speed roller coasters won’t run even if it’s just drizzling: The slightest slip could spell disaster.
How does Daytona 500 dry the track in rain?
In 2013, NASCAR introduced the Air Titans, air-compression systems that are embedded in pickup trucks that get the job done in half the time the old jet dryers used to take. The Air Titans blow water off the track at Daytona International Speedway, and a vacuum/sweeper truck follows behind to suck up what’s left.
How long does it take to dry the track at the Daytona 500?
How long it takes to dry a track depends on a number of factors, from the makeup of the track to the climate conditions: humidity, cloud cover, wind, etc. The Air Titans can dry the 2.5-mile track at Daytona International Speedway in 90-150 minutes, but in decent conditions it could be done in about an hour.
First appeared on www.news-journalonline.com