Why doesn’t NASCAR race in the rain?

With many NASCAR races this season having been delayed or postponed due to rain, many fans are wondering why the sport can’t just race in the rain.

Between the NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Truck Series, there have been 29 races run in the 2020 season. Nearly half of those 29 races have involved a rain delay, including seven of the 13 Cup Series events.

With the implementation of midweek races to the 2020 schedule, it is making it harder and harder for NASCAR to reschedule postponed races. So would it be possible to race in the rain? Not so much.

NASCAR uses a slick tire with a smooth tread. The smooth tread gives cars more grip on the race track and helps with handling. The average car driving on the highway has tread that prevents too much water from getting on the tire. When there’s little to no tread, the car hydroplanes because it isn’t contacting the road.

NASCAR experimented with rain tires back in 1995. Terry Labonte ran six laps during a practice session at Martinsville Speedway in the rain. In the practice session, his car reached a top speed of 70 miles per hour. Earlier that season, the pole speed was over 20 miles per hour quicker.

Even with rain tires, the drivers would have to take it cautiously and slow down to a point where it wouldn’t even be real racing anymore. The race would almost be a battle of who won’t spin out.

Another issue for the drivers is the safety of racing in the rain. We already touched on how little handling the cars would have on ovals, especially those with steep banking. But what about visibility?

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The cars would be equipped with windshield wipers, but even a rain shower can make it tough to see. The faster the car goes, the harder it is to see. Drivers with limited visibility are very dangerous no matter how fast they’re driving.

Also, what about the fans? I’m sure the average fan wouldn’t mind sitting through a little rain or even a shower, but who wants to sit outside during a downpour for three-plus hours? With potential wind and lightning, it may not even be safe for them.

We’ve seen rain tires used during Xfinity Series races, but only on road courses. The cars go much slower on these tracks, and the tire wear can be more balanced as cars make both left and right turns. With that being said, there have still been more wrecks in races with these tough conditions.

With strictly left turns at the majority of tracks, it’s extremely unlikely that NASCAR will be able to successfully race in the rain any time soon.