Wind advisory is in effect for Las Vegas Motor Speedway from noon Sunday until 8 p.m. for winds out of the southwest between 20 to 30 mph and gusts reaching near 40 mph. Winds are expected to diminish some as we go into the afternoon and early evening but the strongest winds will take place about the time the race is scheduled to start.
Windy race day at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the Kobalt Tools 400
Strong gusty winds could cause major issues for NASCAR at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the Sprint Cup Kobalt Tools 400.. How will the cars handle wind gusts up to 40 mph
Wind direction across Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday, March 6th
Southwest winds will blow from turn two at Las Vegas Motor Speedway to turn four. Cars could experience some extreme difficulty as the go through turns 3 and 4 coming to the front stretch. It is going to be very interesting to see how these cars handle the conditions.
The best description I could give someone is imagine driving down the road on a windy day. Initially it is difficult but if the winds are constant and sustained you can counter and drive fairly well, then a strong unexpected gust occurs and can shake or disrupt the vehicle. That is what the Sprint Cup drivers will experience driving at nearly 200 mph inches from the outside wall.
While there’s a chance of rain showers during the morning and midday, it appears the threat is not as high as once thought. Odds of racing Sunday are 85 percent. Models indicate that the rain could be more broken and sparse as it pushes through Las Vegas Sunday morning into midday. There are a few scenarios that keep most of the late morning and afternoon dry but I am not ruling out a possible rain delay or two.
With Las Vegas Motor Speedway having lights, winds diminishing by mid afternoon and skies clearing around the same time, I don’t see any reason why NASCAR can’t complete the Kobalt Tools 400 on Sunday.
Temperatures will also be much cooler than the previous days, with afternoon temperatures in the middle 60s.
Please follow me on Twitter @NASCAR_WXMAN and like me on Facebook for the latest weather updates through the rest of the weekend.
All times ET.
SUNDAY:
2:30 p.m. — Kobalt 400 pre-race
Forecast: Cloudy, chance of a shower and windy
Winds: SW 20-30 gusts 35-40 mph
Temperature: 64
3:30 p.m. — Kobalt 400
Forecast: Cloudy, chance of a shower and windy
Winds: SW 20-30 gusts 35-40 mph
Temperature: 64
4:30 p.m. — Kobalt 400
Forecast: Cloudy, chance of a shower and windy
Winds: SW 20-30 gusts 35-40 mph
Temperature: 65
5:30 p.m. — Kobalt 400
Forecast: Windy, mostly cloudy, slight chance of a shower
Winds: SW 20-30 gusts 35-40 mph
Temperature: 65
6:30 p.m. — Kobalt 400
Forecast: Partly sunny and windy
Winds: SW 20-30 gust near 35 mph
Temperature: 65
7:30 p.m. — Kobalt 400
Forecast: Partly sunny and windy
Winds: West 15-25 gust near 30 mph
Temperature: 63
See More:
