DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- After a rain delay of more than two hours, NASCAR was making progress drying Daytona International Speedway and hoped to start around 11 p.m.
Sprint Cup spotters were summoned to their perch above the grandstands at 10:30 p.m., and NASCAR began conducting radio checks, which is standard procedure before starting and event.
The green flag was scheduled to wave at 8:08 p.m. ET, but persistent rain showers began around 6 p.m. and lasted until after 9.
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There is precedent for an after-midnight finish to the July 4 holiday race at Daytona for several hours. In 2005, Tony Stewart took the checkered flag at 1:45 a.m. in a rain-delayed event.
