Chris O’Meara / AP
NASCAR has postponed the year-opening Daytona 500 until finally Monday mainly because of two days of rain at Daytona Intercontinental Speedway.
The race experienced been scheduled for Sunday afternoon, despite the fact that the weather forecast set that in question all week. The last practice for motorists was canceled Saturday, as was the Xfinity Collection race.
The Xfinity Series race is now scheduled to be held Monday early morning, hrs forward of the 4 p.m. start off for the Daytona 500.
Joey Logano is set to commence from the pole for Crew Penske.
The final time the Daytona 500 was postponed a complete working day was in 2012. NASCAR completed 20 laps in 2020 before rain halted activity, and the race resumed the upcoming day.
In producing the early contact Sunday, NASCAR prevented enthusiasts from sitting in the rain awaiting a choice on no matter whether the race would proceed. It continued a willingness NASCAR exhibited previously this thirty day period when it moved the exhibition Clash at the Coliseum up a whole day on very little discover due to the fact of poor climate headed toward Los Angeles.
Spire Motorsports driver Zane Smith available on social media to mingle with admirers Sunday.
“Detest the rain gained these days but likely to consider to make the most of it and fulfill some of you guys,” Smith tweeted. “Let me know your camp spot and I will consider to appear uncover you! Might be ready to drag a few other drivers alongside too.”
John Raoux / AP
Included Spire teammate Carson Hocevar: “Unlucky cards we have been dealt as a activity, but in all probability the suitable simply call. Experience bad for the lovers that saved up for this trip and now are not able to keep.”
Irrespective of the postponement, NASCAR and Daytona continued lots of of the prerace pursuits, which include celebrity visits from singer and Trackhouse Racing co-owner Pitbull and actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
Pitbull’s prerace live performance was scrapped. He previously agreed to return next yr and perform then. Johnson is the race’s grand marshal, tasked with delivering the command for motorists to start out their engines.
“Anything happens for a motive,” said Madison Marsh, the reigning Miss The usa who was scheduled to travel the tempo car and direct the subject to the eco-friendly flag. “Whilst I would have liked, of course, to get to drive the speed auto, there have been so a lot of other components of this weekend that have been excellent.
“Just obtaining to be a aspect of that, I’m never likely to regret coming in this article. … Definitely would have appreciated to generate, but almost everything is heading to function out the way it is really supposed to.”
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