NASCAR gets a major post-Daytona 500 win heading to Atlanta

For just the second time in Daytona 500 history, the "Great American Race" was not started until Monday due to rain, and there was never really any doubt that that was the move NASCAR was going to have to make to start the 2024 Cup Series season.

The 200-lap race around the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) high-banked Daytona Beach, Florida oval did take place on Monday afternoon and evening, and it was William Byron who prevailed to deliver Rick Hendrick his team's first Daytona 500 win since 2014.

Now the series is set to head to Atlanta Motor Speedway for a second consecutive superspeedway race to start the 2024 season. Ever since the track's repave and reconfiguration following its two races in 2021, it has raced a lot more like Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway than a typical mile-and-a-half oval.

While some are understandably opposed to the idea of starting the season with back-to-back superspeedway races, absolutely nobody is opposed to this weekend's weather forecast.

No rain delays predicted for NASCAR at Atlanta

According to The Weather Channel, Sunday's Ambetter Health 400 should take place as planned, as there is only a 5% chance of precipitation. The forecast calls for mostly sunny conditions.

Byron is the reigning winner at Atlanta Motor Speedway, ironically winning a rain-shortened event at the track last July. Team Penske's Joey Logano is the reigning winner of this particular 260-lap race around the four-turn, 1.54-mile (2.478-kilometer) Hampton, Georgia oval, but the two-time series champion has not won a Cup Series race since taking the checkered flag last March.

Byron won the first race at the track following the repave and reconfiguration in March 2022. Teammate Chase Elliott won there in July 2022.

Fox is set to provide live coverage of the Ambetter Health 400 from Atlanta Motor Speedway beginning at 3:00 p.m. ET this Sunday, February 25. Begin a free trial of FuboTV now and don't miss it!