Rain and thundershowers will create problems for the Coke Zero 400, the Sprint Cup race scheduled to begin at 7:45 p.m. ET. Forecasts offer little hope of getting the race started on time.
MORE: Daytona starting lineup | 10 drivers to watch | Austin Dillon’s crash
But, there will be racing and fans can expect to see a full 400 miles. Unless Mother Nature gets peevish, rain will vanish about 9 p.m. ET.
UPDATE: Rain brought a halt to activities at Daytona about 3 p.m., and track officials told spectators to clear stadium seating areas because of lightning. But by 5 p.m., track-drying machines were at work.
Trouble is, afternoon and evening rain will create work for the ever-present fleet of track-drying machines. Showers will be scattered, so Daytona International Speedway might dodge a lot of the drops.
It’s summer; it’s south Florida. It rains.
One thing the weather couldn’t stop: Richard Petty’s birthday celebration.
Last year’s race ended about 2:40 a.m. ET, with Austin Dillon’s horrifying crash seen by sleepy spectators (what a wake-up call that was). Thursday’s Sprint Cup practices were washed out, but Friday’s schedule got done will a minimum of disruption.
So, NBC can figure on a long night for its first Cup telecast of the season.
You want forecasts? Try these.
Brian Neudorff, @NASCAR_WXMAN | Weather Underground | Accuweather | Orlando TV station WFTV
Dale Earhardt Jr. won last year’s rain-delayed race. Greg Biffle starts from pole position.
