The NASCAR Cup Series regular season comes down to one final night at Daytona International Speedway, and as usual in Florida in August, the weather could become part of the story.
NASCAR heads to Daytona this weekend for the regular-season finale, with Cup Series qualifying and the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race scheduled for Friday, Aug. 28, before the Cup Series takes center stage Saturday night, Aug. 29.
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The Coke Zero Sugar 400 is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday, with the remaining spots in the 16-driver Chase field on the line.
There is no Cup Series practice session scheduled, leaving drivers to qualify Friday and then return Saturday night for one of the most unpredictable races of the season.
And anyone heading to Daytona may want to keep an eye on the sky.
Friday, Aug. 28: NASCAR Daytona Schedule and Weather
Friday is a busy opening day at Daytona, beginning with O’Reilly Auto Parts Series qualifying before the Cup Series sets its starting lineup.
Friday’s on-track schedule:
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3 p.m. ET: O’Reilly Auto Parts Series qualifying
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5 p.m. ET: NASCAR Cup Series qualifying
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7:30 p.m. ET: Winn-Dixie 250 Powered by Coca-Cola
The weather could complicate that schedule.
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The Weather Channel forecast calls for partly cloudy conditions during the morning followed by scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon. The high is expected to reach 88 degrees, with southerly winds of 10 to 15 mph and a 50% chance of rain.
That timing is particularly notable considering both qualifying sessions are scheduled during the afternoon.
Conditions are expected to improve somewhat Friday night, with partly cloudy skies and a low around 76 degrees.
Of course, even a relatively brief Florida thunderstorm can create delays at Daytona. With qualifying and a race packed into the same day, Friday’s forecast will be worth monitoring throughout the afternoon.
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Saturday, Aug. 29: Coke Zero Sugar 400 Schedule and Weather
Saturday is all about the Cup Series.
Saturday’s NASCAR schedule:
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7:30 p.m. ET: Coke Zero Sugar 400
The regular-season finale will air on NBC and HBO Max, with radio coverage available through MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Unfortunately, the possibility of storms isn’t disappearing.
Saturday’s forecast calls for partial cloudiness early before scattered showers and thunderstorms develop during the afternoon. The high is expected to reach 87 degrees, with southeasterly winds of 5 to 10 mph and a 60% chance of rain.
For Saturday night, The Weather Channel is currently forecasting scattered thunderstorms during the evening followed by partly cloudy conditions overnight. The chance of rain is listed at 50%, with a low of 77 degrees.
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That makes the evening forecast the biggest weather question of the weekend.
The Coke Zero Sugar 400 isn’t scheduled until 7:30 p.m., so the exact timing and location of any thunderstorms will matter far more than the daily precipitation percentage alone. At this stage, the forecast points to a legitimate possibility of weather affecting the event, not a certainty that Saturday night’s race will be delayed.
Weather Adds Another Variable to NASCAR’s Regular-Season Finale
Daytona rarely needs help producing uncertainty.
Pack racing, drafting partners and the constant threat of a multi-car crash already make the summer race one of the hardest events on the NASCAR schedule to predict. This weekend carries another layer because it represents the final opportunity for drivers to secure their places in the Chase.
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Now weather could join that list.
Friday’s afternoon thunderstorms could threaten qualifying or the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race, while Saturday’s forecast puts scattered storms in the picture leading into the Cup Series finale.
There is still plenty of time for the forecast to shift before cars hit the track, especially with Florida’s notoriously changeable summer weather.
For now, though, anyone planning to watch NASCAR at Daytona this weekend should keep the radar close.
