NASCAR may have to contend with the weather from the moment cars hit the track at Kansas Speedway this weekend.
Rain is in the forecast for all three days of on-track activity, with the outlook particularly concerning Friday and Saturday. Saturday carries a 90% chance of rain during the day, while Friday’s forecast calls for steady rain in the morning and continued showers during the afternoon.
Even Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race isn’t completely in the clear.
The Hollywood Casino 400 is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET Sunday, and the current forecast calls for morning showers before conditions potentially begin improving during the afternoon.
With practice, qualifying and racing scheduled across three series, there isn’t much room for weather disruption before NASCAR’s Kansas weekend gets complicated.
Friday’s Kansas Forecast Could Cause Immediate Problems
The weekend begins Friday with the ARCA Menards Series, and weather could become a factor before the first car ever reaches the track.
Friday’s forecast calls for steady rain during the morning followed by showers in the afternoon, with a high near 70 degrees and a 70% chance of rain. Winds are expected out of the east-southeast at 5 to 10 mph.
Conditions aren’t expected to improve Friday night. The forecast calls for a 90% chance of rain, with showers early before steadier rain develops later and the potential for heavy rainfall.
That’s a problem considering just how much ARCA activity NASCAR has packed into the afternoon and evening.
Practice is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET, followed by qualifying at 4 p.m. ET. The Menards 150 is scheduled to go green at 8 p.m. ET.
Any persistent rain could quickly put that schedule under pressure. Kansas Speedway does not have wet-weather tires available for oval competition, meaning the racing surface must be sufficiently dry before cars can run.
Saturday Carries the Weekend’s Highest Rain Threat
If Friday looks troublesome, Saturday isn’t much better.
The forecast calls for steady rain in the morning and showers continuing into the afternoon, with a 90% chance of rain and approximately a quarter-inch of rainfall possible. The high is expected to reach 74 degrees, with southeast winds of 10 to 15 mph.
That forecast collides with the busiest stretch of NASCAR’s weekend.
Cup Series practice is scheduled for 10 a.m. ET, followed by qualifying at 11:10 a.m. ET. The Craftsman Truck Series’ Race to Stop Suicide 200 is then scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.
The timing makes Saturday particularly vulnerable. There isn’t a large gap between Cup practice, Cup qualifying and the Truck Series race, so even a relatively short weather delay could have a ripple effect across the day’s schedule.
Saturday night offers little relief, with thunderstorms considered likely during the evening and an 80% chance of rain.
For Cup teams, Saturday’s forecast is especially important. Any disruption to qualifying could affect how NASCAR sets the starting lineup for Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400.
Will Rain Affect Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Race at Kansas?
Sunday provides the most encouraging forecast of the weekend, but NASCAR isn’t completely out of danger.
The forecast calls for showers during the morning with some clearing during the afternoon. The chance of rain sits at 40%, with a high near 76 degrees and east-southeast winds of 5 to 10 mph.
The Hollywood Casino 400 is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET on USA Network, giving NASCAR some time for the morning weather to move through before the green flag.
That makes the timing of Sunday’s improvement critical.
If the forecast holds and the showers move out during the morning, NASCAR could have an opportunity to dry Kansas Speedway and begin the Cup race on schedule. If the rain lingers deeper into the afternoon, however, another delay could be on the table.
The Cup race is one of the most important remaining events in the 2026 Chase, making Sunday’s weather more than a logistical concern. Kansas Speedway describes the weekend as a crucial stop in the championship fight, with every lap capable of changing the Chase picture.
Forecasts can shift quickly, particularly several days out. But as NASCAR prepares to arrive in Kansas, the early outlook is impossible to ignore.
Friday: rain. Saturday: even more rain. Sunday: another chance of showers.
For now, NASCAR’s Kansas weekend has a weather problem worth watching.
Kansas NASCAR Weather Forecast
| Day | Key On-Track Activity | Forecast |
| Friday, Sept. 25 | ARCA practice, qualifying, Menards 150 | 70% rain during day; 90% at night |
| Saturday, Sept. 26 | Cup practice, Cup qualifying, Truck race | 90% rain during day; 80% at night |
| Sunday, Sept. 27 | Cup Hollywood Casino 400 | 40% rain; possible afternoon clearing |
Rain Threatens NASCAR’s Entire Kansas Weekend With 90% Forecast