The 2024 NASCAR season was scheduled to start on Sunday, but Mother Nature had other plans.
The Daytona 500 has been postponed until Monday due to continued rain in the area. The new campaign follows a rain-filled 2023 campaign, continuing the pattern for the first race of the season. .
This is not the first time rain has affected the first race of the season. Back in 2021, forecast rain did not prevent the race from starting on time, but by lap 16 – two laps after a major accident involving 16 cars – the red flag was raised and the race was suspended for five hours and 40 minutes.
Here's the latest news on the state of the race ahead of Sunday.
More: Tyler Reddick and Christopher Bell take checkered flags in Daytona Duels
Weather updates for the Daytona 500
(All Eastern times)
Monday 19 February
10:55 AM: It looks like the race will start at 4:30. The rain has subsided in Daytona and no more is expected in the afternoon.
We are not expected to see any major change. FOX's coverage currently begins at 4pm with the invocation/anthem at 4:05, the drives at 4:18 and the green flag at 4:30. https://t.co/GwzRSpfLTT
– Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) February 19, 2024
10:05 AM: The rain is expected to stop within the next hour in Daytona. It will take an additional hour and a half to two hours for it to dry and have the track ready to race.
The rain should get out of here in the next 30-60 minutes. Expectations are to be clear. pic.twitter.com/XOrXmO2wDv
– Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) February 19, 2024
8:15 AM: The rain slowly stops in Daytona Beach. NASCAR is in the process of drying the track, however, it is still raining a bit. It's still too early to tell whether the Xfinity race will be delayed, according to Fox Sports' Bob Pockras.
Track drying in progress. There is still some drizzle. pic.twitter.com/RfNFgeaVBb
– Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) February 19, 2024
NASCAR has the Giants on track and is making progress blowing water off the track. They were going to send the jet dryers out but it started to rain heavily. It's still too early to tell if the Xfinity race will be delayed or not. pic.twitter.com/zMycgcr6A0
– Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) February 19, 2024
Sunday 18 February
9:26 AM: It's official – the Daytona 500 has been postponed until Monday due to rain. It has a tentative start time of 4 p.m
News: #Daytona500 It has been postponed to Monday at 4pm ET due to inclement weather.
Watch The Great American Race on FOX or listen @MRNRadio And @SiriusXMNASCAR radio. pic.twitter.com/JZ4du5USi1
-NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 18, 2024
9:15 AM: Due to the rain, it was reported that it would take approximately one to one and a half hours to dry the track. At this point, if the race is going to be held at all, it won't be until later at 8 p.m
– It will likely take 120-180 minutes for the track to dry in these conditions
-The rain will likely stop by 5pm to have a realistic chance of racing (he probably won't want to start much after 8pm)
-When NASCAR makes a call TBD
-If it is a ppd Cup race, it will be after Xfinity on Monday, i.e. late afternoon (or later) https://t.co/BLvPwypuH6– Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) February 18, 2024
9:08 AM: The outlook in Daytona Beach doesn't look promising. The rain is expected to continue throughout the afternoon and into the late evening, according to the Weather Channel.
Saturday 17 February
6:12 pm: Already, rain is affecting at least one portion of NASCAR's opening weekend. Saturday's United Rentals 300 of the Xfinity Series has been postponed to 11 a.m. ET Monday due to rain. Originally scheduled to start at 5pm ET on Saturday, it was moved to 4pm ET in hopes of making it official before the weather took hold, but rain made it clear that the race would not be able to start as scheduled.
The forecast remains bleak for the rest of Saturday night and Sunday. The National Weather Service continues to say 1 to 2 inches of rain will fall Saturday night with more rain expected throughout the day Sunday.
12:30 pm: The rain has not yet started in Daytona Beach, Florida, but it is very likely that it will start this afternoon at any minute. Rainfall is 90 percent in the afternoon, and heavy rain is expected overnight with a 100 percent chance, with up to an inch of rain expected.
It does not look likely to stop anytime before the start of racing on Sunday. New amounts of rain, ranging from 1 to 2 inches of rain, are expected during the day, and forecasts indicate that rain may be heavy at times.
Daytona 500 weather forecast
National Weather Service
- Chance of rain (Saturday): 90 percent
- Chance of rain (Saturday night): 100 percent
- Chance of rain (Sunday): 90 percent
- Chance of rain (Sunday night): 50 percent
Sunday forecast as of February 17: “Showers. Rain could be heavy at times. High near 60. North wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts up to 25 mph. Chance of rain 90%. New rain amounts possible between 1 and 2 inches.”
