Rain Postpones Daytona 500

For the first time in its 54-year history, the Daytona 500 was postponed by rain today at Daytona International Speedway. The race has been rescheduled for Monday at noon, ET. All tickets for Sunday’s race will be honored Monday, with additional seats on sale at the gate or the Daytona International Speedway ticket office.

The race will air on FOX Sports, Motor Racing Network radio affiliates and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio, beginning at noon.

It was a damp day at Daytona.

Roush Fenway Racing driver Greg Biffle, who will start on the outside pole tomorrow alongside teammate Carl Edwards, took the postponement in stride, saying, “I guess I’m going to have to win the first Monday Daytona 500. I was optimistic that this weather was going to get out of here and we would get this thing going, but I’ll just have to save my energy for tomorrow.

“I’m just excited,” said the 3M Ford driver. “I’m still on the front row.  Hopefully, the weather is better tomorrow.  I know a lot of race fans are disappointed, but we just hope they tune in tomorrow.  It’ll be a great race.”

Shell/Pennzoil Dodge driver AJ Allmendinger said the delay was frustrating, adding, “Obviously, you want to go race.” He said he does not expect any major changes in the race track due to rain, saying, “Obviously it’ll be a little bit cooler, so that’s going to (create) a little bit more grip on the racetrack. When it was hot out, it actually slickened up a little bit (and) handling became an issue.  I don’t think the track is going to be very different.  All it did was wash off all the oil dry from all the wrecks from the last two days.”

Biffle said the excitement of starting on the outside pole will make for another sleepless night tonight. “It’s more frustrating knowing that we have a good car. We’re starting on the front row of the Daytona 500 and I feel like we can win this race. To put it on hold makes it tough for a driver because there’s all kinds of adrenaline, and then you have to try to sleep tonight. This is a tough situation and something that we don’t ever wish (for), but it can always happen.  It can snow.  It can rain.  It can freeze.  Anything can happen, but we’ll just have to hurry up and wait.

“I have a good feeling we’ll have enough window tomorrow to get it in.”