NASCAR: 5 Predictions For The O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 At Texas

Weather Will Play a Role in The Race

NASCAR has been pretty lucky so far this year with the weather. We’ve yet to have a Monster Energy Cup Series race delayed or rescheduled because of rain and on Sunday that trend will continue as it looks to be another dry race day.

So how exactly will weather impact the race at Texas? It’s going to be 82 degrees, perfect for racing, but the real issue will end up being the wind. Wind gusts could reach up to 25 to 30 mph as drivers race around this track at speeds of over 190 mph.

Drivers and teams will need to pay attention to which way the wind is coming from and how it impacts handling on each turn. Wind can slow down or speed up a car, which wouldn’t be an issue at most tracks, but this Sunday it’s going to be an issue because of the new surface.

Teams and drivers are still getting used to the new turns at Texas and are figuring out how fast a driver can go without losing control. When you factor in the potential wind gusts, they can be a major factor into why a driver was slowed down or went way too fast into a turn.

We could also see drivers go two or three wide into a turn and what could happen if the wind impacts one of them as they try to pass each other?

If the weather forecast for Sunday turns out to be true, wind will play a major role in the race. Look for drivers and teams to try to take advantage of the extra speed while also trying to figure out the new surface at Texas.