The Daytona 500 is more than just the season opener for NASCAR—it’s a spectacle that sets the tone for the entire year. But as excitement builds for the 2025 edition, so do concerns about the weather. Rain has already disrupted multiple events, leaving teams scrambling.

After some delayed runs on Thursday and Friday, Saturday’s events were heavily affected. Horrible weather conditions forced NASCAR to cut short the Xfinity Series qualifying session. The day started with rain-soaking Daytona International Speedway. The Xfinity Series qualifying was supposed to take place in the morning, but the delay pushed everything back. While the shower stopped before the scheduled time, but track needed time to dry.

After some initial struggles, NASCAR decided to run only one round of qualifying to keep other events as per schedule. However, it also didn’t work as after a few laps NASCAR decided to cancel the event. The organizing body decided to set the line-up based on last year’s owner points. This left some drivers out of the race, including JJ Yeley, Carson Ware, and CJ McLaughlin. Notably, JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier will start the United Rentals 300 Xfinity race from the pole. He will be joined by Taylor Gray in the front row.

Notably, the issues on Saturday were just the latest in a series of weather-related problems. Heavy rain and thunderstorms hit Daytona earlier in the week, leading to major cancellations. On Thursday, the ARCA Menards Series practice was the first event to be affected. Rain washed out the session, leaving teams with no track time before their race. Shortly after, NASCAR canceled the Truck Series practice, adding to the growing list of setbacks.

Trouble mounts for the Daytona 500!

It’s worth noting that Weather troubles at Daytona are nothing new. Last year, rain forced officials to postpone the Daytona 500 until Monday. The delay frustrated teams and fans, disrupting one of NASCAR’s most important weekends. Now, in 2025, a similar situation is unfolding. The National Weather Service predicts mixed conditions for the weekend.

Saturday saw early showers, but the rest of the day was expected to clear up. There are 20% chance of rain till 2 p.m. However, the weather looks much better for the rest of the day. Notably, night brings partly cloudy skies, with temperatures dropping to 65°F. Winds will remain at 10 mph, but gusts could reach 20 mph. This could affect track drying efforts ahead of Sunday’s race.

Sunday is the biggest concern. There is a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon, creating uncertainty around the Daytona 500. Assessing the situation, NASCAR has decided to start the prestigious race an hour before the scheduled time. However, if delays occur, NASCAR may have to wait until Monday to run the race. The good news is that Monday’s forecast looks much better. But will NASCAR postpone the Great American Race?

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Why NASCAR doesn’t run Daytona in the rain?

NASCAR strictly avoids running its top series on oval tracks in rainy conditions, and Daytona is no exception. Wet surfaces create unsafe racing conditions, increasing the risk of high-speed crashes. While road courses allow for rain tires and windshield wipers, super-speedways like Daytona require dry conditions for optimal grip and visibility. Although NASCAR has brought the wet weather tire to use at Richmond, New Hampshire, and Homestead in 2024, it is hard to see them resort to this Goodyear compound on a track like Daytona.

Another key factor in postponing a race is timing. NASCAR prefers not to race too far past midnight, as it affects both driver performance and fan experience. If rain delays push the event close to 1 a.m., officials often decide to reschedule rather than attempt a late-night finish. This was the case last year when heavy rain forced a pre-emptive postponement to Monday. It’s worth noting that Daytona has a history of rain delays.

In 2012, NASCAR failed to run the Daytona 500 on Sunday. The heavy rainfall postponed the event until late Monday evening. The race eventually completed on Tuesday when Matt Kenseth clinched the checkered flag. Given the weather forecast and cancellation of key events, there is a possibility that NASCAR postponed this year’s event to Monday. However, for now, everyone will be watching the skies closely. Teams are preparing for all scenarios, including potential delays. NASCAR officials are working to ensure the race happens as scheduled, but Mother Nature has the final say.