NASCAR Cup Series: Has the Daytona 500 ever been rained out?

The weather forecast for Daytona Beach, Florida is not all that promising for this coming Sunday afternoon, when the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season is scheduled to get underway with the 66th annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.

According to The Weather Channel, there is a 98% chance of rain at the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) high-banked oval, which could result in this year's running of the "Great American Race" being postponed.

While rain-affected Daytona 500s have happened in the past, they are not as common as you might think when you consider the location of the race -- and the fact that it seems like the track's summer race is affected by rain in some way, shape, or form almost every year.

Daytona 500 and rain: A brief history

Four Daytona 500s have been shortened due to rain, with those races taking place in 1965, 1966, 2003, and 2009. However, it took until the race's 54th running in 2012 for a race to be postponed due to bad weather.

The race was postponed from Sunday afternoon to Monday night, and it concluded early Tuesday morning -- not before, of course, the infamous jet dryer incident occurred.

In 2014, the race was delayed by rain, but it was still contested fully on Sunday. In 2020, the race began on Sunday afternoon but was suspended due to rain and resumed on Monday night. Then in 2021, the race was delayed and started on Sunday night, but it did not finish until early Monday morning.

What will this year's race have in store? Will it be contested as scheduled on Sunday, February 18? There is just a 40% chance of morning showers on Monday, February 19. Perhaps another Monday race is in store.

Fox is set to provide live coverage of the Daytona 500 from Daytona International Speedway beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET. If you have yet to begin a free trial of FuboTV, do so today!