Daytona 500 start time moved up to avoid rain

NASCAR's season-opening race has been rescheduled for an earlier start time due to weather concerns.

Feb. 15, 2026 at 1:39am

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For the second consecutive year, the Daytona 500 has been moved up by one hour to 1 p.m. EST in order to get ahead of expected rain showers in the forecast. The weather is expected to be favorable for the season-opening race of the NASCAR O'Reilly Series (formerly the Xfinity Series), which will precede the main Daytona 500 event.

Why it matters

Daytona Speedway has a history of rain delays and shortened races due to inclement weather, so moving the start time up is a proactive measure to try to complete the full 500-mile race distance without interruption.

The details

NASCAR officials decided to move the Daytona 500 start time up from 2 p.m. EST to 1 p.m. EST in order to get ahead of a weather system that is expected to bring rain showers to the Daytona Beach area later in the afternoon. The earlier start time for the season-opening race will allow more time to complete the full 500-mile distance before any potential rain delays or shortening of the event.

  • The Daytona 500 is scheduled for Sunday, February 16, 2026.
  • The race was originally scheduled to start at 2 p.m. EST.
  • The start time has been moved up to 1 p.m. EST to avoid potential rain.

The players

NASCAR

The sanctioning body that organizes and oversees the top professional stock car racing series in the United States.

Daytona Speedway

The iconic 2.5-mile superspeedway located in Daytona Beach, Florida that hosts the annual Daytona 500 race.

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What’s next

NASCAR officials will continue to monitor the weather forecast and make any additional adjustments to the race schedule if necessary.

The takeaway

Shifting the Daytona 500 start time earlier is a prudent move by NASCAR to try to complete the full race distance without interruption from potential rain showers, which have historically impacted this marquee event.