Daytona 500 Weather: Rain Could Change Race Finish

(Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

Daytona 500 Weather: Rain Could Change Race Finish

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jonathan Howard | Last updated Feb 15, 2026 3:51 PM ET

Rain and bad weather are threatening the NASCAR Daytona 500. This could alter the finish to the race tonight as NASCAR officials keep their eyes on the radar and try to complete as much of this race as possible.

Once Stage 2 ends or the race is halfway finished, whichever comes first, the race is official. So, if rain and weather come in and force a red flag after that point, there is a real chance we don't see the full race of the Daytona 500. Keep up with all updates here at Athlon Sports.

NASCAR is going to try, even more than most races, to get the full race in. However, there could be an issue with that as the rain looms miles away. There is a possibility NASCAR waits it out for the night and then tries to conclude the race late into the night/morning. That would likely mean getting moved off of FOX and to FS1.

Thunderbirds fly over the fans at Daytona ahead of the Daytona 500. (Photo by Jeff Curry/Getty Images)

NASCAR knew that rain was a threat all week long. It has been one of the background stories to the Daytona 500 this entire time. Right now, it looks like there is going to be rain. The question is, when does it happen? Then there are a few more questions.

Will NASCAR wait it out if the race is technically official? Since it is the Daytona 500, you have to imagine that NASCAR will wait as long as possible, but they will not push the race to Monday if it is already official, meaning halfway or further along.

Can NASCAR get the track cleared tonight? It depends on how much rain and for how long, ultimately. The one thing fans should be aware of is the possibility that the race is pushed from FOX to FS1. Then again, if the race doesn't conclude until late into the night, there might not be anything else going on to push it off FOX.

With rainy weather looming in the background, crew chiefs will start to tell drivers as it gets closer and closer. That is when we will see this race kick it up a notch. No one wants the race to go to a red flag due to rain, but no one wants to be P2 in case it does happen.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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