Daytona 500 rain delay updates: Weather in forecast pushes 2020 race to Monday

Tadd Haislop

Daytona 500 rain delay updates: Weather in forecast pushes 2020 race to Monday image

After a rain delay of nearly an hour pushed back the start of the 2020 Daytona 500, the field of 40 NASCAR Cup Series cars ran 20 laps before weather again halted the action for the 62nd annual Great American Race. Then, after two hours of track-drying efforts but persistent rain, the Daytona 500 was pushed back a day.

The race will resume Monday afternoon and will be broadcast live on Fox. The green flag time is set for 4:05 p.m. ET, and the race will restart on Lap 21.

The first delay Sunday came from a pop-up shower. The second came from a series of cells and with heavier rain. At 4:42 p.m. ET, the red flag came out. At 4:57 p.m. ET, the rain stopped and NASCAR sent out Air Titans to begin drying the track. At 6:33 p.m. ET, NASCAR told drivers to return to their cars, but 10 minutes later, rain started pouring again. Teams at 6:43 p.m. ET were told to cover their cars, and soon after came the call to delay the race to Monday.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who started the Daytona 500 on the pole, was still the leader when rain stopped the race.

MORE: Daytona 500 live stream | Race updates

The forecast for Sunday in Daytona called for a 30 percent chance of precipitation, and the radar in the moments leading up to the beginning of the race showed a handful of pop-up showers but no significant weather systems.

Daytona International Speedway, of course, is a 2.5-mile monster of a race track, making the drying process a bit lengthier compared to that of most circuits. It didn't help that the track is located so close to the eastern Florida coast in the flattest area of the state, making it prone to the kind of pop-up showers that delayed the Daytona 500.

The 4:05 p.m. ET start time Monday for the rest of the Daytona 500 is notable considering next week's Cup race will run at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Tadd Haislop

Tadd Haislop is the Associate NFL Editor at SportingNews.com.