NASCAR: Major recurring issue not a factor at Pocono

Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway was the first not to be impacted by wet weather in any way in a month and a half.

For the first time since the race at Sonoma Raceway on Sunday, June 11, NASCAR ran an entire Cup Series race without any interference and/or schedule changes due to rain this past Sunday afternoon at Pocono Raceway.

Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin won the 160-lap HighPoint.com 400 at the three-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) Long Pond, Pennsylvania oval.

The victory gives him a record seven wins at the Tricky Triangle just one year after he initially won for a seventh time, only to be disqualified later on.

Prior to the Pocono race, four straight NASCAR Cup Series races had seen their schedules altered in some way due to rain or the threat of it.

Following the lone off weekend of the season, the Cup Series returned at Nashville Superspeedway on Sunday, June 25. The start time for this race was moved up due to the threat of rain later in the evening.

Then on Sunday, July 2, the new Chicago Street Course hosted the first ever Cup Series street race. The start of the race was delayed due to torrential downpours, and after it finally got underway, NASCAR made the decision that it would have to be shortened due to darkness, as the lights on the city streets were not designed to illuminate the track for racing.

The following weekend on Sunday, July 9, Atlanta Motor Speedway became the first track to host two Cup Series races this season. But the second visit to the track did not last as long as the first, as that race was also shortened after rain began to fall. Fortunately, enough of the event had been completed that it could be ruled official.

Then on Sunday, July 16, there was never much of a chance that New Hampshire Motor Speedway would host its scheduled race. The early decision was made to postpone the race to Monday, July 17 due to rain.

The 22nd race on the 2023 Cup Series schedule is the Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway, and the forecast looks relatively promising for that event. According to The Weather Channel, there is a 24% chance of rain in Richmond, Virginia on Sunday, July 30.

The Cook Out 400 is set to be broadcast live on USA Network from Richmond Raceway beginning at 3:00 p.m. ET this Sunday, July 30. Begin a free trial of FuboTV now and don’t miss it!