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Weather Could Hamper NASCAR, F1 Races This Weekend

By Alex Herbst

Jul 2, 2016; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers cars sit on the grid in the rain prior to the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 2, 2016; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers cars sit on the grid in the rain prior to the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /
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An otherwise beautiful weekend for racing could be slowed by weather. Rain and thunderstorms are possibly on tap for NASCAR at Kentucky and the British Grand Prix.

With a full slate of racing scheduled this weekend for the biggest series in the United States, many are hoping that Mother Nature will cooperate with good weather to bring as much racing as possible to the fans.

And while most races this weekend will run under beautiful conditions, NASCAR and Formula One may be forced to dodge a few raindrops in the lead-up to their events.

NASCAR racing from Kentucky Speedway kicks off with the Camping World Truck Series on Thursday night, and continues with the Xfinity Series on Friday night and the Cup Series on Saturday night.

The forecast for Sparta, Kentucky does call for a slight possibility of showers and thunderstorms on both Thursday and Friday, though the best chance for inclement weather would come late Thursday night following the Trucks race.

Here is the full forecast:

  • Thursday: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 3 pm, otherwise partly sunny. High 90. Chance of precipitation is twenty percent.
  • Thursday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mostly after 3 am. Mostly cloudy throughout the rest of the night. Low 72. Chance of precipitation is forty percent.
  • Friday: Partly sunny, with a chance of thunderstorms after 4 pm. High 92. Chance of precipitation is thirty percent.
  • Friday Night: Chance of thunderstorms continues to around 7 pm. Then, mostly cloudy. Low 68. Chance of precipitation is thirty percent.
  • Saturday: Mostly sunny. High 84.
  • Saturday Night: Mostly clear. Low 62.

While the heat will be on in Kentucky, temperatures will be more manageable and comfortable for racing in Newton, Iowa with the Verizon IndyCar Series and ARCA Racing Series.

With partly to mostly sunny skies during the day and temperatures in the mid 80s, it looks to be a great weekend weather-wise for both groups.

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Weather will be mostly cooperative for the two-wheelers racing too, as MotoAmerica and the Superbike World Championship invade Laguna Seca. Outside of a chance of showers early in the morning on Saturday, conditions will be favorable for racing around the classic road course.

However, across the country in Massachusetts, the AMA Pro Motocross circuit is likely to get a bit wet while racing at Southwick. The forecast for Saturday calls for a sixty percent chance of rain and thunderstorms, so fans should be prepared for a wet day and track.

Finally, Formula One heads to Silverstone for the British Grand Prix with a chance of a wet track during each day of action. The rain will mostly be concentrated in the morning hours on Friday and Saturday, giving way to mostly cloudy skies in the afternoon for practice and qualifying. On Sunday, the rain is likely to continue to just after 1 pm local time, which could mean a wet track at the start.

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Which races will you be tuning in for this weekend? Send us your viewing picks on social media, or comment below with what you’ll be watching. Beyond The Flag will have you covered for them all, with plenty of updates to come.

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