Written by Jenna Fryer, AP’s Auto Racing Correspondent.

Daytona Beach, Fla.

The Daytona 500, originally scheduled for Sunday, has been rescheduled for Monday due to rain at the Daytona International Speedway.

The event was originally planned for Sunday afternoon, but the weather forecast caused uncertainty throughout the week. The last driver practice and Xfinity Series race were both cancelled on Saturday.

The Xfinity Series race has been rescheduled for Monday morning, several hours before the 4 p.m. start of the Daytona 500.

Team Penske’s Joey Logano will be starting from the pole position.

In 2012, the Daytona 500 was last delayed for a whole day. During the 2020 event, NASCAR was able to complete 20 laps before rain caused a pause in activity. The race then continued the following day.

NASCAR’s decision to make an early call on Sunday prevented fans from waiting in the rain for a decision on whether the race would continue. This shows NASCAR’s readiness to act, as seen earlier this month when they rescheduled the Clash at the Coliseum at short notice due to bad weather in Los Angeles.

Zane Smith, a driver for Spire Motorsports, took to social media to extend an invitation to meet with fans on Sunday.

“I may not be a fan of the rain, but I’ll make the best of it and hopefully get to meet some of you guys,” Smith posted on Twitter. “If you’re camping, let me know your spot and I’ll try to come by! I might even bring along some other drivers.”

Spire teammate Carson Hocevar chimed in, saying, “It’s a tough situation for our sport, but it’s probably the right decision. I feel sorry for the fans who were looking forward to this event and now won’t be able to attend.”

Despite the delay, NASCAR and Daytona still carried out many pre-race events, such as visits from famous guests like singer and co-owner of Trackhouse Racing Pitbull, and actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

The performance by Pitbull before the race was cancelled. However, he has already committed to come back next year for the concert. Johnson, the race’s grand marshal, is responsible for giving the command for drivers to start their engines.

“I believe that there is a purpose behind everything,” expressed Madison Marsh, the current Miss America who had been designated to drive the pace car and lead the race. “While I would have definitely enjoyed driving the pace car, there have been many other aspects of this weekend that have been absolutely wonderful.”

“I am grateful for being a part of this experience and I will never regret my decision to come here. While I would have preferred to drive, I trust that everything will unfold as it is meant to.”

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Source: wralsportsfan.com