NASCAR race at Charlotte live updates: Rain postpones race until Thursday.

NASCAR is preparing for a shorter Cup Series race Wednesday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway following the Coca-Cola 600, but rain continues to the threaten the sport’s schedule. After a rain delay that lasted over an hour on Sunday and a race that was called early due to rain last Wednesday, NASCAR is again at the mercy of weather for tonight’s event.

If it is postponed, tonight’s Alsco Uniforms 500 will move to 7 p.m. Thursday, and the next Xfinity race at Bristol Motor Speedway will move from Saturday to Monday at 7 p.m.

Current track conditions for the 208-lap event (310.6 miles, or 500 kilometers) indicate a 8:25 p.m. green flag (8 p.m. on FS1) will not be possible, as NASCAR will need at least two and a half hours to dry the track after the rain stops. At 8 p.m., rain was still falling over the speedway.

William Byron will start on the pole with Hendrick Motorsports teammate Alex Bowman in the front row for the Alsco Uniforms 500.

The Observer has the latest on weather, pre-race and Charlotte track conditions. Stay tuned here for live updates.

Pre-race

8:02 p.m.: RACE POSTPONED

As cars exit the infield at Charlotte Motor Speedway. FOX Sports announces that the race has been postponed and will run tomorrow at 7 p.m.

7:38 p.m.: Rain picks up

Rain has picked up and a puddle forming in the infield as rain continues at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Spotters are sitting in their cars waiting for word on the race start time.

Track drying efforts would need to come before racing begins, and would take roughly two and half hours with current conditions (no sunlight and standing water), meaning the race would pushed to a start time to after 10 p.m. if NASCAR is able to dry the track efficiently.

6:45 p.m.: The ‘Liquid Menace’ returns

NASCAR’s return races at Charlotte continue Tropical Storm Bertha is on track to hit the Charlotte-area, including Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Concord, N.C.-based track. It is currently 69 degrees and raining at the speedway with an 80 percent chance of rain through 9 p.m. After 9 o’clock, the chance of rain drops to 50 percent, so NASCAR could have a window to run the 500 kilometer race, which would be called official at the halfway point (Lap 104).

As drivers and fans monitor the weather, NASCAR continues to forge ahead with pre-race routines. The sanctioning body said pre-race inspection was complete in the NASCAR Cup Series garage.

NASCAR Alsco Uniforms 500 at Charlotte starting order

*Will drop to the rear at the start for driver change.

This story was originally published May 27, 2020 at 6:52 PM.

Alexandra Andrejev

The Charlotte Observer

NASCAR and Charlotte FC beat reporter Alex Andrejev joined The Observer in January 2020 following an internship at The Washington Post. She is a two-time APSE award winner for her NASCAR beat coverage and National Motorsports Press Association award winner. She is the host of McClatchy’s podcast “Payback” about women’s soccer. Support my work with a digital subscription