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The NASCAR Cup Series drivers headed to Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday, October 3, with the goal of winning and reaching the Round of Eight. However, they did not get the opportunity. Heavy rainfall at the track forced NASCAR to postpone the playoff race to Monday, October 4 at 1 p.m. ET (NBC Sports Network).
The race had an original start time of 2 p.m. ET on Sunday, but the cars remained in the garages. Rain fell heavily in the morning and continued intermittently throughout the early afternoon as the track crews tried to dry the track. The battle against the weather continued for nearly two hours before NASCAR officials made the decision to postpone the race and send the drivers back to their respective haulers.
The drivers appeared to be close to taking the green flag before the postponement. They followed the pace car around the track while preparing to take on the 2.66-mile superspeedway. However, rain began falling in the trioval portion of the track, prompting officials to send the drivers down pit road once again and wave the red flag. NASCAR determined that there would not be enough time to dry the track and complete the entire race before sunset.
Weather Will Remain a Concern During the Rescheduled Race
Postponing the race does not guarantee that the Cup Series drivers will be able to complete all 188 laps as planned. There are still several concerns about the rain and potential delays at the 2.66-mile superspeedway.
According to FOX Sports reporter Bob Pockrass, the forecast calls for rain on Monday, October 4. There is a 50% chance of rain in the morning, but that number increases to 70% in the afternoon. Aaron Studwell, Ph.D., the man who runs RaceWeather on Twitter, added that there are chances of showers and thunderstorms through Wednesday.
There is a likely scenario where the drivers will head to Talladega only to continue waiting for the green flag. The goal will be to complete the entire race, but it may not start on time based on whether there is rain in the area.
Rain Has Impacted Multiple Races at Talladega in 2021
The Cup Series playoff race is not the first time that rain has impacted an event at Talladega Superspeedway. Weather also played a role in an Xfinity Series race at the track on April 24, 2021, resulting in a driver securing his first career win in the series.
The drivers completed the first two stages of the Xfinity Series race, but rainfall brought out the red flag with 23 laps remaining. Kaulig Racing’s Jeb Burton had the lead at the time, so he became the winner after NASCAR decided to officially call the race early.
The Xfinity Series race at Talladega Superspeedway on Saturday, October 2, also came to an early end, albeit for a different reason. The approaching darkness and number of cautions forced NASCAR to call the playoff race after only 107 laps. Brandon Brown secured his first-ever win and celebrated in Victory Lane while the respective playoff drivers looked ahead to the Charlotte Roval and their final opportunity to move to the Round of Eight.
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