Daytona 500 to Wait a Day

The last one-day postponement was in 2012
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Feb 18, 2024 9:30 AM CST
Rain Stalls Daytona 500
Race fans exit the Fan Zone venue after a NASCAR Xfinity auto race was postponed because of rain at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday in Daytona Beach, Florida.   (AP Photo/John Raoux)

NASCAR has postponed the season-opening Daytona 500 until Monday because of two days of rain at Daytona International Speedway. The race was scheduled to begin Sunday afternoon but amid heavy doubts that the green flag would wave on time, if at all. The final practice for the event was canceled Saturday, as was the Xfinity Series race. The Xfinity Series race is now scheduled to be held Monday morning, hours ahead of the 4pm start time for the Daytona 500, the AP reports.

Joey Logano is set to start from the pole for Team Penske when the race is run. The last time the Daytona 500 was postponed a full day was in 2012. NASCAR completed 20 laps in 2020 before rain halted activity, and the race resumed the next day. In making the early call Sunday, NASCAR prevented fans from sitting in the rain awaiting a decision on whether the race would proceed. It continued a willingness NASCAR first exhibited earlier this month when it moved the exhibition Clash at the Coliseum up one full day on little notice because of poor weather headed toward Los Angeles.

(More Daytona 500 stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X