The NASCAR Cup Series drivers will have to wait to battle for the final two spots in the playoffs. Inclement weather at Daytona International Speedway forced NASCAR to postpone the Coke Zero Sugar 400.
The regular-season finale will now take place on Sunday, August 28, at 10 a.m. ET. Instead of airing on NBC or USA Network, the Cup Series race will air live on CNBC. The Peacock streaming service will also provide coverage for the 160-lap that will likely feature some cautions that send contenders to the garage early.
NEWS: Tonight’s #CokeZeroSugar400 at @DAYTONA has been postponed to Sunday due to rain.
Join us tomorrow at 10 AM ET on CNBC, @MRNRadio and @SiriusXMNASCAR.
This postponement marks the second time in two days that weather has played a significant role in a NASCAR event. Rain and lightning pushed the start of the Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola deep into the night on August 26. The race started late and then numerous cautions sent it to triple overtime. Jeremy Clements ultimately won and punched his ticket to the playoffs well after the clock turned to midnight.
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The Forecast Still Creates Some Concern Among Fans
GettyThe weather could play a role in the Sunday race.
With NASCAR postponing the Cup Series race to August 28, there is a hope that the drivers will be able to complete the entire race while fighting for playoff spots. Though there could still be some concerns about the weather.
According to AccuWeather, there is still a chance for rainfall at the track. Though it will be lower than if NASCAR tried to hold the event in the afternoon or the evening. The forecast calls for a 20% chance of rain from 8 a.m. ET until noon. The percentage increases to 25% at 1 p.m. ET before hitting 50% at 2 p.m. ET and beyond.
There is still a chance that thunderstorms and lightning could further disrupt the race weekend at Daytona. However, moving the race to mid-morning provides the drivers with the best opportunity to complete the entire event before preparing for the start of the playoffs.
The Time Change Will Play a Significant Role
GettyHandling will be different with the time change.
The time change could play a significant role in the outcome of the race. The teams had prepared to battle under the lights at Daytona International Speedway, but they will now suit up in the mid-morning.
The stock cars handle significantly differently based on a number of factors. The temperature, the time of day, and whether there is some cloud cover can all affect the handling. There have been countless examples of cars being really tight at one point of the race and then becoming really loose based on the weather. This trend should only continue on the morning of August 28.
“This place, the handling will be more of a factor for sure during the day than at night,” Kyle Larson explained during a media availability. “I mean just the whole track is slicker, but I feel like Turn 4 gets really tight. So, I don’t know and I don’t remember us being on track earlier this year with the sun out. In Talladega, handling is not a big deal there. The cars drove really good there gripped up. So, yeah, I am sure it will play a factor as it always does. As far as the race, I am not really sure.”
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NASCAR Postpones Cup Series Regular-Season Finale