After an incredibly thrilling race in New Hampshire, NASCAR will shift its attention to Nashville Superspeedway for the Ally 400. The 1.33-mile tri-oval speedway is hosting its fourth Cup Series race on June 30th, provided rain doesn’t play spoilsport once again. Unlike New Hampshire, there won’t be wet weather tires available this weekend, but the presence of floodlights means the race can be delayed for longer in the event of rain, irrespective of how dark it gets.

NASCAR has already had to deal with weather-related issues all season. The Daytona 500 had to be moved a day ahead, the All-Star race had significant rescheduling, and the Coca-Cola 600 was cut short, while the race in New Hampshire was delayed by over two hours. With the NASCAR Cup, Xfinity, and Truck Series heading toward Nashville, will the weekend’s action be affected by weather again?

Alternatives NASCAR will consider if it rains in Nashville

In 2023, NASCAR moved the start time of the Ally 400 up by 20 minutes as the threat of rain loomed large on the Nashville Superspeedway. The decision to start the race ahead of schedule was to avoid the possibility of racing on Monday, with the hope that 20-30 laps would be completed ahead of the original start time. As things stand, the 2024 Cup Series race at the track will begin at 3:53 pm ET on Sunday, which means rain delays could force drivers to race under floodlights.

The latest forecast predicts ‘hot’ weather, but the threat of rain continues to loom. Enquiring about the possibility of rain, a fan asked RaceWeather on X, “So are you saying chances of showers and storms clear in the afternoon?” to which RaceWeather replied, “No, the biggest chance every day for showers will be in the afternoon during peak heating. The issue is they will be isolated throughout the area so it will be hard to predict where they go even a few hours in advance.”

According to raceweather.net, the prediction for Saturday is mostly cloudy weather with isolated showers, while Sunday is partly cloudy and hot weather with the possibility of rain as well. If it does end up racing, one thing is for sure. Unlike New Hampshire, Nashville Speedway will be forced to stop the race, even in damp conditions, because of the absence of wet weather tires. However, with the weather predicted to be hot, isolated showers on the track will dry off pretty quickly, causing minimal disruption to the race.

Everything you need to know about Ally 400

After a blockbuster weekend in New Hampshire, expectations are at an all-time high for the triple header – NASCAR Cup Series Ally 400, NASCAR Xfinity Series Tennessee Lottery 250, and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Rackley Roofing 200. The Cup Series race will be split into three stages, 90 laps, 95 laps, and 115 laps, for a total of 300 laps with the total distance being 400 miles.

Last year’s winner Ross Chastain of Trackhouse Racing is still looking for his first win of the season, and will hope to get it on a track he knows all too well! Having led 99 out of 300 laps at Ally 400 last year, Chastain said, “Last year at Nashville was a career highlight for me for sure. It was one of those weekends that you dream about. We went out and performed really well. I’m really proud of that and I’ve been trying to put something together like that in a lot of weeks since.”

As things stand, Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott are tied at the top of the drivers standings with 620 points. Both have also won the race at Nashville Superspeedway- with Larson winning in 2021 and Elliott winning in 2022. All three winners at the track so far have driven Chevrolet cars, and it will be interesting to see if another manufacturer breaks that dominance this time around.

For fans going to this weekend’s NASCAR action, staying hydrated will be essential. Fans may bring unopened or empty water bottles, as well as insulated cups, but not coolers. Outside beverages, including alcohol or loose ice, won’t be permitted. As of now, limited tickets are available for Sunday’s Ally 400 ranging from $90-$175 for adults while kids under the age of 12 will be permitted for free.