NASCAR playoff race at Talladega rescheduled for rain
NASCAR has rescheduled its Cup playoff race at Talladega due to persistent rain. The YellaWood 500 will aim to start at 1 p.m. Monday on NBCSN.
Engines were fired about two hours after originally planned on Sunday, but the green flag never waved as rain restarted. Drivers parked their cars after making pace laps.
Scattered showers were reported in the area throughout the morning and afternoon around the track in Lincoln, Ala. NASCAR sent its track drying team out intermittently to work toward an on-time start. However, light rain hit the track half an hour before the originally scheduled start time at 2 p.m.
Pre-race ceremonies were completed but teams remained on standby until the delayed command and eventual rescheduling.
Saturday’s Xfinity Series race at Talladega ended early due to NASCAR declaring the track too dark for drivers to see. Brandon Brown was deemed the winner with six laps remaining for his first career victory in the series, a trend that continued after Tate Fogleman won the Truck Series race earlier in the day.
The Cup Series race is 500 miles (188 laps). The race will be considered official on Lap 94, the halfway point.
NASCAR will continue to monitor the forecast with rain showers likely through the week. There is a 70% chance of rain on Monday, according to the National Weather Service, and a possible thunderstorm after 2 p.m.
Las Vegas winner Denny Hamlin is on the pole for the race with Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch in the front row.
This story was originally published October 3, 2021 at 1:46 PM.
