All week, every forecast for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway was calling for rain. Now that it is race day, it appears all those weather forecasts were right. With rain likely through out the day over Bristol, the question is, "will there be a window or break in the rain long enough to get a complete or an official race in on Sunday?"
2015 NASCAR at Bristol Motor Speedway: How long does it rain on race day?
Rain will be around for most of the day Sunday but will Mother Nature give NASCAR a window to try and get the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway started and finished?
WILL NASCAR RACE SUNDAY? Saturday, I upped the odds of racing at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sunday to 40 percent. I am sticking with a 40 percent chance that NASCAR can race today. The forecast data I’ve been watching shows a break from the rain starting sometime between 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. ET. Please note, that 5 to 9 p.m. is NOT how long the break or window will be open but the time frame in which a possible window COULD open. Once we get a break in the rain, while it won’t be as steady and we could get a couple rain free hours in, there is still a chance for scattered strong storms later in the evening and overnight Sunday.
SHOULD I GO TO THE RACE SUNDAY? My answer on this hasn’t changed. I can’t, nor will I tell someone what they should do. If I paid money to go to a race, and as a meteorologist if I saw the smallest glimmer of a window, I’d probably take the risk and go, but that’s me. I recommend that if you are trying to decide whether or not to go, don’t just use my weather forecast but look at as many reliable weather sources as you can.
DO YOU THINK NASCAR RACES ON SUNDAY? Unfortunately, I can’t give a definite answer, that’s why I placed the odds at 40 percent. There are so many other things to factor, from track drying, to how long a potential break in the weather to when a NASCAR official decides to make the call on rain.
WHAT DOES MONDAY’S FORECAST LOOK LIKE? The weather forecast for Monday is better than Sunday. There’s still a good chance of showers on Monday but these showers and storms are more broken and scattered than the rain we get on Sunday. If NASCAR were to decide to postpone Sunday’s race to Monday, they should be able to get the race started and at least official if not complete.
It is going to be an ever changing weather day on Sunday at Bristol Motor Speedway please follow me on Twitter @NASCAR_WXMAN and like me on Facebook for the latest weather updates as the weather changes as we go through the day.
Conditions in Bristol, Tenn.
Click here for Current Weather Conditions – Look at Doppler Radar | Mobile Friendly Site | Mobile Radar
Race schedule: All times Eastern
SUNDAY:
11 a.m.
Sprint Cup pre-race – Rain showers, poss. storms – temp: 63
noon p.m.
Sprint Cup pre-race – Rain showers, poss. storms – temp: 65
1 p.m.
Sprint Cup race – Rain showers, poss. storms – temp: 67
2 p.m.
Sprint Cup race – Rain showers, poss. storms – temp: 68
3 p.m.
Sprint Cup race – Rain showers, poss. storms – temp: 68
4 p.m.
Sprint Cup race – Rain showers, poss. storms – temp: 71
6 p.m.
Sprint Cup race – Scattered showers or storm – temp: 71
8 p.m.
Sprint Cup race – Scattered showers or storm – temp: 69
10 p.m.
Sprint Cup race – Scattered showers or storm – temp: 68
MONDAY Weather Forecast:
Mostly cloudy with scattered showers and possible thunderstorms. – High: 71
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