The NASCAR track that has “The Perfect Race Weather Guarantee” may be the first rain impacted race of the 2018 season. Rain arrives late morning to midday across Atlanta Motor Speedway. Timing could be right before or close to the 1 p.m. scheduled start time of the Folds of Honor Quiktrip 500. While not a complete soaker there are challenges to get the race started on time and even finished.
NASCAR 2018 at Atlanta Motor Speedway: Do we race Sunday or Monday?
Rain showers could make for a long race day at Atlanta Motor Speedway - will there be breaks or are we looking at Monday?
Rain will come in as a line then dissipate a little but areas of showers will remain through the afternoon. There might be breaks in the rain but with an estimated track drying time of an hour and a half to two hours, factor in weepers, by the time the track is dry more rain could and should arrive later in the afternoon and evening. Maybe the breaks are long enough to go racing or even start but I’m not confident we get an official race (past stage 2). There’s a real possibility we could be racing on Monday. We will just have to wait and see how the rain plays out during the afternoon. I could be wrong but here is what I think for Sunday.
Odds of starting the NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series Folds of Honor Quiktrip 500 are around 25 percent.
Odds of an official race - 15 to 25 percent
Odds of a full completed race on Sunday < 15%
BUT... Atlanta has lights, Right? As mentioned above there could be breaks in the rain during the afternoon but even if they can get the track dried more rain showers are likely into the evening. This could put the brakes on any racing.
Monday’s Weather Forecast: Rain continues overnight Sunday into Monday morning but is expected to push out by the afternoon and evening. If NASCAR is forced to postpone the Folds of Honor Quiktrip 500 Monster Energy Cup series race to Monday it may be Monday afternoon or evening before they could go racing.
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All times ET
SUNDAY
1:00 p.m. — Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 race
Forecast: Cloudy - showers likely, possible thunder
Winds: WNW 5-15 mph
Temperature: 67
2:00 p.m. — Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 race
Forecast: Cloudy - showers likely, possible thunder
Winds: WNW 5-15 mph
Temperature: 67
3:00 p.m. — Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 race
Forecast: Cloudy - showers likely, possible thunder
Winds: WNW 5-15 mph
Temperature: 67
4:00 p.m. — Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 race
Forecast: Cloudy - showers likely, possible thunder
Winds: WNW 5-15 mph
Temperature: 68
5:00 p.m. — Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 race
Forecast: Cloudy - showers likely, possible thunder
Winds: WNW 5-15 mph
Temperature: 66
6:00 p.m. — Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 race
Forecast: Cloudy - showers likely, possible thunder
Winds: WNW 5-15 mph
Temperature: 66
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