NASCAR Cup Series at risk of a late Daytona schedule change?

As is always the case in Daytona Beach, Florida, there is indeed a threat of rain and thunderstorms on Saturday night, when the NASCAR Cup Series is scheduled to contest the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway.

According to The Weather Channel's forecast, which has changed multiple times in the week leading up to the race, there is a 50% of rain at the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) high-banked Daytona Beach, Florida oval, which is pretty standard for this time of year.

The 160-lap race is scheduled to go green shortly after 7:00 p.m. ET. A full starting lineup can be found here.

A weather-related schedule change would certainly not be a first for Daytona. Back in February, the Daytona 500 was postponed from Sunday to Monday, and the 2022 summer race at the track was postponed from Saturday night to Sunday afternoon, when weather was infamously still a factor and rain caused a massive turn one pileup.

More rain at Daytona?

Even before the Coke Zero Sugar 400 was shifted to the August regular season finale slot in 2020, there were issues with weather. The July 2019 race was moved from Saturday night to Sunday afternoon and still ended up being shortened due to rain.

Though this year's Coke Zero Sugar 400 is scheduled to take place on the same weekend as it took place from 2020 to 2023, it is not this year's regular season finale, thanks to the three-week summer break which was implemented due to NBC's coverage of the Summer Olympics in Paris, France back in July and August.

This year's race is the penultimate race on the 26-race regular season schedule, and both the regular season and the playoffs are scheduled to conclude one week later than they did a year ago.

Darlington Raceway, which hosted the playoff opener with its crown jewel Southern 500 race from 2020 to 2023, is scheduled to host the regular season finale next Sunday night.

Tune in to NBC at 7:00 p.m. ET this Saturday, August 24 for the live broadcast of the Coke Zero Sugar 400 from Daytona International Speedway. RFK Racing's Chris Buescher is the reigning race winner. Begin a free trial of FuboTV now and don't miss any of the action!