The chances the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway will be put under a rain delay at some point Saturday night, as a product of the storm systems moving northeast on Saturday and impacting much of the east coast, depend on the source of the forecast. At the very least, rain will be a threat for the NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond.
The NASCAR race weekend at Richmond has already been impacted by weather, as Friday's final Cup Series practice (Xfinity Series qualifying) was canceled due to rain.
MORE: Starting lineup for Richmond race
NASCAR race weather for Richmond
Current conditions:
According to weather.com, there is a 5-15 percent chance of rain at 7:30 p.m. ET, the scheduled start time for the Toyota Owners 400 in Richmond. The strongest storm systems were expected to clear out of the area late Saturday afternoon, with most of the day in Northeast Virginia being cloudy with a less than 25 percent chance of rain. Scattered thunderstorms were forecasted to end around 3:45 p.m. ET in Richmond.
During the race, which is scheduled for 400 laps (300 miles) around the 0.75-mile track, the chance for precipitation spikes at 15 percent, starting at 8 p.m. ET. The chance of rain remains at 15 percent for the next several hours.
MORE: Odds, predictions for Richmond race
Brian Neudorff, a meteorologist who provides weather forecasts for all NASCAR races via social media, has an optimistic view of the outlook for Saturday night's Cup Series race.
Per Neudorff, there is a 90 percent chance the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway will be completed Saturday night in its entirety.
There is good news in this there #NASCAR weather forecast for @RichmondRaceway - Check it out pic.twitter.com/g2Zlr8tGc4
— Brian Neudorff (@NASCAR_WXMAN) April 13, 2019
"Showers and t'storms will be a threat mostly in the morning for Richmond," Neudorff writes, "and while I am not ruling out a few stray showers or storms leading up to the start of the Toyota Owners 400, I think the race is mostly dry."
Saturday night's Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway has a scheduled start time of 7:30 p.m. ET. It will be broadcast live on FOX, with MRN providing radio coverage. The race also can be streamed live via FOX Sports Go or with fuboTV. New fuboTV users can sign up with a seven-day free trial.
Kevin Harvick, who has not yet won a race this season but has three career Cup Series wins at Richmond, earned the pole Friday in qualifying. Erik Jones, Kurt Busch, Joey Logano and Kyle Busch round out the rest of the top five starters. (Jones, howver, failed pre-race inspection and gave up his No. 2 starting spot.)