NASCAR: Only one Daytona 500 has ever been completely rained out

The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season did not get underway as scheduled at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday afternoon at Daytona International Speedway, as the 66th annual Daytona 500 was postponed to Monday afternoon due to rain.

For as common as rain is in Florida, only one of the first 65 Daytona 500s had ever been completely postponed due to bad weather. It took until 2012, the race's 54th running, for that scenario to unfold.

The 2012 race did not get underway until Monday night, and it did not conclude until early Tuesday morning -- after the infamous jet dryer incident.

Rain not uncommon for Daytona 500

While this year's 200-lap race around the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) high-banked Daytona Beach, Florida oval is only the second to ever be fully postponed, rain has certainly played a role in past instances of the "Great American Race".

In 1965, 1966, 2003, and 2009, the Daytona 500 had to be shortened due to rain. In 2014, the race was started on Sunday night after a lengthy delay, and it was able to finish before midnight. In 2021, the race was also started on Sunday after a lengthy delay, but it was not able to finish until after midnight.

In 2020, the race was started on Sunday, but it had to be halted due to rain. It did not resume until Monday night.

Despite the postponement, this year's Daytona 500 is still set to be broadcast live on Fox as opposed to Fox Sports 1. It is scheduled to take place after the Xfinity Series race, the United Rentals 300. This race was postponed from Saturday at 5:00 p.m. ET to Monday at 11:00 a.m. ET, also due to rain.

Fox is set to provide live coverage of the Daytona 500 beginning at 4:00 p.m. ET this afternoon. Begin a free trial of FuboTV and don't miss either race!