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Rain delays qualifying races ahead of Daytona 500

By Brian Lada, AccuWeather meteorologist and senior content editor

Published Feb 11, 2020 9:20 PM EDT

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It takes a lot more than speed to win in racing. Drivers also use a technique called "drafting" to gain an extra boost of speed in many different races. What is drafting? Let's find out.

The NASCAR season will roar to life this weekend with the 62nd running of the Daytona 500, and fans traveling to Florida can expect nearly ideal weather for the ‘Great American Race.’

Every aspect of the weather can impact a NASCAR race. Even a change from sunny to cloudy conditions can affect the way that the cars handle when motoring around Daytona International Speedway at speeds over 200 mph.

Daytona festivities kicked off this past Sunday, Feb. 9, with the Busch Clash, an exhibition race featuring the top drivers in the sport. Drivers and fans were greeted with clear skies and temperatures in the lower 70s, but the race had many interruptions due to crash-induced cautions.

Thursday was the hottest day of the year so far in Daytona Beach, Florida, with the temperature topping out at 86 F, which tied the record high for the date.

Just as drivers were getting in their cars on Thursday evening for the Bluegreen Vacations Duels, a rain shower moved over Daytona International Speedway, delaying the start of the first race. The duels are a set of qualifying races that will decide the starting order for Sunday’s Daytona 500.

Martin Truex Jr.,center, walks with a crew member down pit road as rain delays the start of the first of two Daytona 500 qualifying auto races at Daytona International Speedway, Thursday, Feb. 13, 2020, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Terry Renna)

A front passing through on Thursday night will bring slightly cooler weather for Friday with high temperatures in the mid- to upper 60s F with the chance for a brief shower or thunderstorm. This could potentially impact practice sessions throughout the day and the Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series race in the evening, but a complete washout is not expected.

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While mainly dry weather will return for the start of the weekend across the Daytona area, just in time for Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race, a stray shower or two cannot be ruled out through the weekend. The green flag is set to fly at 2:30 p.m. EST with temperatures right around the 70-degree mark.

The tranquil weather will continue right through Sunday for the main event with the Great American Race set to start at 2:30 p.m. EST, although there is the aforementioned possibility a brief shower may make an appearance during the race.

“For the big race on Sunday, fans can expect a mix of clouds and sun overhead with temperatures in the middle 70s for the start of the race,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Carl Erickson said.

“Fans will want to make sure they have sunglasses and sunscreen on hand,” Erickson added.

William Byron (24) and Alex Bowman (88) lead the field at the start of a NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race Sunday, Feb. 17, 2019, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Fans should also have rain gear handy for any stray shower that may pop up.

If the Daytona 500 goes into overtime and carries over into the evening hours, the thousands in the grandstands can expect temperatures to settle in the 60s F under mainly clear skies.

While fans may be comfortable in the 70-degree weather, drivers will endure temperatures over 100 F for several hours in their cars as the sun beats down through the windshield.

“It’s usually about 30 to 40 degrees [Fahrenheit] hotter inside the car than the outside ambient temperature,“ David Ragan, a former driver in NASCAR’s premier division, told AccuWeather in 2018. “We don’t have air conditioners inside our race cars.”

Related:

From rain to stifling heat: How different weather can affect NASCAR drivers
Detailed forecast for Daytona International Speedway
How NASCAR drivers cope with temperatures over 130 F during a race

The mainly dry and warm weather will roll right into the start of next week as fans head home and teams begin their cross-country track to Las Vegas, the site of the second race of the 2020 NASCAR season.

Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.

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