Why Did NASCAR Change Darlington Race Start Time Today? Will it Be Delayed?

Getty

Why did NASCAR change the Darlington race start time today? Here’s why the Southern 500 starts at 5 p.m. ET and whether weather could cause a delay.

Rain was in forecast for Darlington Raceway before a single green flag waved, and NASCAR responded by adjusting its own clock. Officials moved Sunday’s Cook Out Southern 500 start up 10 minutes, setting the field in motion at 5 p.m. ET instead of the previously advertised 5:10 p.m., according to Fox Sports‘ Bob Pockrass. Pre-race coverage on USA Network still begins at 4:30 p.m. ET.

“NASCAR has moved the green flag time for Darlington to 10 minutes earlier to 5p ET with forecast for rain at some point tonight,” reported veteran racing journalist Bob Pockrass.

“Not feeling great about the cup race tonight, if I am being honest,” added meteorologist Brandon Lawson of Queen City News. “I think we get delayed at some point, whether it be for lightning or actual rain. Could be a late night.”

Another meteorologist, Stephen Durham, was also wary of the Darlington weather for the race.

“Starting to see cumulus develop to the NW of Darlington, SC. Convection across Central & Western NC currently. Newest [high resolution] modeling showing showers/storms around the track around 4-5pm. Plenty of CAPE for additional activity to develop.” CAPE, or Convective Available Potential Energy, “is the amount of fuel available to a developing thunderstorm,” according to the National Weather Service.

The 10-minute adjustment buys a sliver of daylight against a forecast that only worsens through the evening. Whether NASCAR finishes all 367 laps before the sky opens up is the question hanging over Darlington.

“The Drivers Meeting will take place at 3:45 p.m. Driver intros will be at 4:10 p.m. Green flag will be at 5 p.m.” reported Motorsports senior editor Matt Weaver.

Saturday’s on-track schedule never got off the ground. Lightning and thunderstorms wiped out both practice and qualifying, forcing NASCAR to set the field by its performance metric, weighted 70 percent to previous finish and 30 percent to owner points, according to Jayski.com. Tyler Reddick starts from the pole as a result, according to Reuters. Daniel Suárez, Ryan Preece and Denny Hamlin round out the front two rows.

Darlington Raceway Weather Outlook and Delay Odds

The National Weather Service pegs Sunday afternoon at a 30 to 50 percent chance of showers and storms after 2 p.m., under partly sunny skies and a high near 91 to 92 degrees. Once the sun goes down, the odds worsen. Storms become likely overnight, mainly before midnight, with rainfall of a half-inch to three-quarters of an inch possible and lows near 70.

Hour-by-hour models put precipitation chances in the mid-to-high 40s around the new green flag, climbing toward 70 percent by 9 p.m., according to MySportsWeather.com. That points to a moderate chance of a delay, but a lower chance of a postponement to Monday. The storms are typical late-day pop-ups rather than an all-day washout, and if rain arrives mid-race, NASCAR’s likelier move is to wait it out or finish under caution rather than red-flag the event.

Wet-weather tires won’t factor in regardless. Goodyear’s treaded rain tires are approved only for road courses and short ovals of roughly a mile or less, tracks like Martinsville and Richmond. Darlington’s 1.366-mile egg shape sits well outside that window, so teams run the same dry slicks used here in March. Standing water or poor visibility means a red flag, not a tire change.

Read More From Heavy

Why is NASCAR Cup Practice and Qualifying at Darlington Delayed Today?

Southern 500 Preview and Denny Hamlin’s Chase Math

Sunday’s 367-lap, 501.32-mile race opens the 10-race Chase, and Hamlin arrives as the favorite after clinching the regular-season title. Betting markets have him and Reddick bunched atop the board, with Chase Briscoe, the two-time defending Southern 500 winner, and Kyle Larson close behind, according to Covers.com. Several Chase qualifiers, including Chris Buescher, Ty Gibbs, Carson Hocevar, William Byron and Larson, start 20th or worse after a chaotic finish at Daytona.

The new Chase format resets points after the 26-race regular season, and Hamlin’s reward for the title is a 2,100-point head start with a 25-point cushion over second-seed Ryan Blaney, according to NASCAR.com. Every seed below drops five points down to 2,000 for 16th, and wins now pay 55 points instead of 40. There are no eliminations. Whoever leads after Homestead-Miami on Nov. 8 wins it all.

Read More From Heavy

Why is NASCAR Dollar Tree 301 Starting in Rain? Will Race Be Delayed?