Daytona 500 moved up an hour due to rain forecast

NASCAR's biggest race aims to finish before storms arrive in Daytona Beach on Sunday afternoon.

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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The 2026 Daytona 500 has been moved up to a 1:30 p.m. ET start time on Sunday in an effort to avoid rain and storms that are expected to move into the Daytona Beach area later in the day. Organizers are hoping to complete the race before the wet weather arrives.

Why it matters

The Daytona 500 is NASCAR's marquee event, and weather delays or postponements can significantly impact the race and the overall season schedule. Avoiding a rain delay or postponement is crucial for the sport and its fans.

The details

The National Weather Service is forecasting increasing chances of rain and thunderstorms in the Daytona Beach area throughout Sunday afternoon and evening. As a result, Daytona 500 organizers have moved the race's start time up by one hour, from the originally scheduled 2:30 p.m. ET to 1:30 p.m. ET, in an effort to complete the 500-mile race before the wet weather arrives.

  • The Daytona 500 was originally scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 15, 2026.
  • The race start time has been moved up to 1:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 15, 2026.

The players

Daytona 500

NASCAR's premier annual race event held at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Daytona International Speedway

The racetrack that hosts the Daytona 500 and other major NASCAR events in Daytona Beach, Florida.

National Weather Service

The federal agency that provides weather forecasts and warnings for the United States.

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What’s next

NASCAR and Daytona 500 organizers will continue to monitor the weather forecast on Sunday and make any additional adjustments to the race schedule if necessary to avoid rain delays or postponements.

The takeaway

Weather is always a major factor at the Daytona 500, and race organizers are proactively moving up the start time in an effort to complete the race before the expected storms arrive in Daytona Beach on Sunday afternoon.