NASCAR at Talladega: Rain, severe weather postpone the Geico 500 to Monday

Tadd Haislop

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NASCAR at Talladega: Rain, severe weather postpone the Geico 500 to Monday image

For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down live sports globally, a NASCAR Cup Series race was scheduled to run with generally admitted fans in the stands, albeit in limited numbers. This relative return to normalcy comes at Talladega Superspeedway, NASCAR's biggest and arguably its most exciting track.

Mother nature had other ideas, though. Due to severe weather, Sunday's race at Talladega was postponed to Monday. It will begin at 3 p.m. ET on Fox.

When it does run, the race at Talladega will mark the first Cup Series event at a 2.5-mile superspeedway since the Daytona 500, which ended with Ryan Newman's terrifying crash on the last lap. That accident led to some superspeedway-specific rule changes that are being implemented for the first time this week at Talladega.

Because Ford and specifically Team Penske have been so dominant at Talladega of late, Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano are among the favorites to win Monday's Geico 500. Also a popular pick to win is Chase Elliott, who took the victory in the spring race at Talladega last season.

Of course, picking the winner of a NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega is the motorsports equivalent of throwing pegs at a dart board. The great equalizer that is pack racing should make for an exciting race that, with some speed and a little more luck, can be won by just about anybody.

MORE: Watch all NASCAR races live with fuboTV (7-day free trial)

NASCAR at Talladega live updates, highlights from Geico 500

5:13 p.m. ET: NASCAR makes it official. The Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway had been postponed to Monday due to severe weather.

4:57 p.m. ET: As another storm cell approaches the track, a new lightning hold is put in place. Track drying efforts continue.

4:27 p.m. ET: The lightning hold has been lifted, and track trying efforts continue.

4 p.m. ET: NASCAR deploys its Air Titans and jet dryers to begin drying the track, but rain is still sprinkling with lightning still in the area.

3:10 p.m. ET: More lightning at the track, plus additional reports of rain and heavy wind with a passing storm cell. NASCAR hopes the storm will pass relatively quickly, but the track has already been lost and will need to be dried.

2:35 p.m. ET: Due to a lightning strike near the track, NASCAR puts a 30-minute hold on activity at Talladega. Here are some strong storms to the west of the track.

1:08 p.m. ET: NASCAR executive vice president Steve O'Donnell tweets a message in response to a massive Confederate flag banner with the words "Defund NASCAR" being flown by a plane over the track.

10:37 a.m. ET: Joe Gibbs Racing showcases a special paint scheme for Denny Hamlin's No. 11 Toyota Camry. Courtesy of the team's primary sponsor FedEx, the all-black look features the logo of the National Civil Rights Museum on the hood of the car.

8:44 a.m. ET: Brian Neudorff, a meteorologist who provides weather forecasts for NASCAR races, warns that there are expected to be scattered thunderstorms in the Talladega, Ala., area on Sunday that could impact the race.

What time does the NASCAR race start Monday?

  • Date: Sunday, June 21 Monday, June 22
  •  Start time: 3 p.m. ET
  • TV channel: Fox
  • Live stream: Fox Sports Go | fuboTV (7-day free trial)

The green flag for Monday's postponed NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega will wave shortly after 3 p.m. ET.

Talladega, Ala., is located in the Central Time Zone, so the race's start time locally will be 2 p.m. ET. That's notable considering Talladega Superspeedway does not have lights in the event the race is delayed again.

MORE: Explaining NASCAR's new rules package for Talladega

NASCAR starting lineup at Talladega

Here are the results from the draw for NASCAR's starting lineup at Talladega:

Pos. Driver Car No. Team
1 Martin Truex Jr. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing
2 Denny Hamlin 11 Joe Gibbs Racing
3 Kyle Busch 18 Joe Gibbs Racing
4 Jimmie Johnson 48 Hendrick Motorsports
5 Kevin Harvick 4 Stewart-Haas Racing
6 Brad Keselowski 2 Team Penske
7 Kurt Busch 1 Chip Ganassi Racing
8 Alex Bowman 88 Hendrick Motorsports
9 Joey Logano 22 Team Penske
10 Clint Bowyer 14 Stewart-Haas Racing
11 Chase Elliott 9 Hendrick Motorsports
12 Ryan Blaney 12 Team Penske
13 Matt Kenseth 42 Chip Ganassi Racing
14 Ryan Newman 6 Roush Fenway Racing
15 Aric Almirola 10 Stewart-Haas Racing
16 Tyler Reddick 8 Richard Childress Racing
17 Austin Dillon 3 Richard Childress Racing
18 Erik Jones 20 Joe Gibbs Racing
19 William Byron 24 Hendrick Motorsports
20 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing
21 Chris Buescher 17 Roush Fenway Racing
22 John Hunter Nemechek 38 Front Row Motorsports
23 Matt DiBenedetto 21 Wood Brothers Racing
24 Bubba Wallace 43 Richard Petty Motorsports
25 Corey LaJoie 32 Go Fas Racing
26 Michael McDowell 34 Front Row Motorsports
27 Brennan Poole 15 Premium Motorsports
28 Cole Custer 41 Stewart-Haas Racing
29 Gray Gaulding 27 Rick Ware Racing
30 BJ McLeod 77 Spire Motorsports
31 Ryan Preece 37 JTG Daugherty Racing
32 Quin Houff 00 StarCom Racing
33 Ty Dillon 13 Germain Racing
34 JJ Yeley 53 Rick Ware Racing
35 Christopher Bell 95 Leavine Family Racing
36 Joey Gase 51 Petty Ware Racing
37 Daniel Suarez 96 Gaunt Brothers Racing
38 Timmy Hill 66 Motorsports Business Management
39 Brendan Gaughan 62 Beard Motorsports
40 Garrett Smithley 78 B.J. McLeod Motorsports

Tadd Haislop

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