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With rainfall looming, NASCAR has announced a major change to the start time of the 2026 Daytona 500.
While the race was originally scheduled to air on FOX at 2:30 p.m. ET, with the green flag set to fly at 3:13, it will now be an hour earlier, with the television broadcast set for 1:30 and green flag at 3:13, according to Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic.
Forecasts in the Daytona area are currently calling for significant rainfall beginning late on Sunday afternoon. The hope from NASCAR is that the earlier start time will allow the race to be completed in its entirely before the rain arrives.
However, once the race passes its halfway point of 100 laps (250 miles), it is considered official in the NASCAR record books and does not need to be resumed.
This marks the third time in six years that inclement weather has affected the sport’s biggest event.
In 2020 and 2024, the race was moved from Sunday to Monday due to rainfall, while the 2021 event did not conclude until late Sunday evening after multiple delays.
2026 Daytona 500 Details
Two-time series champion Kyle Busch put his car on the pole for Sunday’s race during Wednesday night’s single-lap qualifying session. He will start alongside Joe Gibbs Racing driver Chase Briscoe.
Meanwhile, two-time defending race winner William Byron will have to start from 39th position after crashing in his qualifying race on Thursday.
Three-time series champion Joey Logano will start third after winning the first of the qualifying races, while 2020 series champion and eight-time most-popular driver Chase Elliott will start fourth after claiming victory in the second of the two qualifying races.
Meanwhile, reigning series champion Kyle Larson will start in eighth position after finishing third, behind Elliott and Carson Hocevar, in the latter qualifying race.