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The schedule for the NASCAR weekend at Dover Motor Speedway will have a slight change. The Cup Series race will start at a different time due to lingering concerns about the weather.
NASCAR announced the news on Friday, April 28, with a press release. The Wurth 400 moved up by one hour, so it now has a scheduled start time of 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 30. FS1, PRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will still provide coverage for the event as the drivers take on the Monster Mile for the only time in 2023.
The weekend forecast at Dover Motor Speedway does not particularly favor the prospects of racing. Weather Underground calls for a 100 percent chance of rain and temperatures in the mid-50s on April 28. The percentage drops to 49 on April 29, but it goes back up to 89 on April 30. The projected start time of 1 p.m. ET has a 77 percent chance of rain.
The forecast forced NASCAR to change the start time of the Wurth 400 Cup Series race. Meanwhile, the rainfall forced the cancellation of practice and qualifying sessions for both ARCA and the Xfinity Series.
Dover Does Not Fit Into the Wet-Weather Package Category
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GettyCup Series cars sit covered at Dover Motor Speedway.
The reason why the rain is such a major concern is that the drivers can not compete in the rain at the Monster Mile. This one-mile track uses the intermediate package, which does not feature rain tires, flashing lights, and windshield wipers.
There are multiple one-mile tracks in NASCAR; some can use the wet-weather package. New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Phoenix Raceway both have the rain tires available while Dover Motor Speedway does not.
The lack of a wet-weather package means that the rain will dictate the schedule for the weekend. Though there is another factor at play. Dover Motor Speedway is one of the few tracks on the Cup Series schedule that does not have lights. The drivers can not compete after the sun sets, so there is a scenario where the race gets pushed to Monday, May 1, if NASCAR officials believe that it is not possible to get all of the laps in.
The 2022 Cup Series Race Had Weather-Related Issues
GettyTrack crews attempt to dry the racing surface at Dover Motor Speedway.
Inclement weather has been a factor during recent trips to Dover Motor Speedway. The 2023 race weekend is only the latest example.
The 2022 Duramax Drydene 400 began on Sunday, May 1, but it ended much later than anticipated. The rain brought out the red flag during the first stage and forced NASCAR to postpone the rest of the race until Monday, May 2.
The drivers and teams returned to the track, and they were able to complete the rest of the scheduled laps. Chase Elliott ultimately prevailed after a caution-filled event, and he celebrated his first win of the 2022 Cup Series season while Ricky Stenhouse Jr. finished second.
The trip to Dover in May 2019 also included rain-related issues. The drivers took part in qualifying as Elliott won the pole while setting a track record at 165.960 mph. Teammate William Byron secured a spot on the front row.
The race did not begin as planned. Heavy rainfall forced NASCAR to postpone the event until Monday, May 6, 2019. Martin Truex Jr. went out at the rescheduled time, and he led 132 laps before winning his second of seven races for Joe Gibbs Racing.
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