Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 is being threatened by a forecast of rain over Charlotte Motor Speedway, and NASCAR has already changed its weekend schedule in response.
Both Saturday’s practice and qualifying and Sunday’s race are likely to be affected: weather.com says there is an 83 percent chance Sunday.
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The start time for Saturday’s Xfinity Series race, the Alsco Uniforms 300, has been moved up an hour to noon ET to help ensure that it is run.
Cup Series practice and qualifying are scheduled for Saturday night, although the odds point to that being washed out. Because Charlotte is an oval track of greater than a mile (it’s 1.5 miles long), rain tires are not available.
Coca-Cola 600 weather updates
Sunday
6:30 p.m.: Rain proving an unruly dance partner for NASCAR. The Cup Series race is off for Sunday. It was rescheduled to begin at 3 p.m. ET on Monday.
Cu race postponed to 3pm ET Monday on FOX … Xfinity race moved to 11am ET Monday on FS1.
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) May 28, 2023
6:20 p.m.: Air titans are out and about at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Remains to be seen how effective they prove against the blistery mix of rain and wind.
Air titans on the track at Charlotte Motor Speedway. #HotPass pic.twitter.com/8FfVNAC9XA
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) May 28, 2023
4:50 p.m. — Charlotte Motor Speedway President & CEO Marcus Smith said showers are expected to let up around 6 p.m. ET, and that the track will be dried then. From there, they’ll hope to start the race around 8-8:30 p.m. ET.
“No guarantees, but I hope they are right!” Smith wrote on Twitter.
Weather meeting update from @CLTMotorSpdwy … Here’s what I heard …. Spotty showers from now to 6pm. Then things lift and we start drying the track. Projecting 8-8:30 start time.
No guarantees, but I hope they are right! We shall see. https://t.co/WnxtXjTEzL— Marcus Smith (@MarcusSMI) May 28, 2023
3:20 p.m. — No Doobie Brothers concert in Charlotte, but NASCAR is still hoping to get the race in today. The Charlotte Motor Speedway is preparing to start drying the tracks.
Stick with us. #CocaCola600
WX UPDATES 👉 https://t.co/Z30pGAWNmK pic.twitter.com/yrIysC54G9
— Charlotte Motor Speedway (@CLTMotorSpdwy) May 28, 2023
3 p.m. — Teams have reportedly been told to wait to make adjustments before. Pockrass believes the rain will have to stop by 7 p.m. ET for the race to begin today.
Cup garage opened at 3p ET but teams told they are on a hold for adjustments.
-Still raining. Possible break soon and then question is if/when will rain resume (forecasts vary)
-With as much rain/humidity probably 120-150 to dry.
-would think rain needs to stop by 7p to race pic.twitter.com/pOnRw3zWxo
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) May 28, 2023
12:22 p.m. — As Fox Sports’ Bob Pockrass notes, there will need to be a “break to get a big enough window and conditions to dry track.” Rain has continued in Charlotte as the race gets to within six hours.
11:20 a.m. — The weather has shown little signs of clearing up. The National Weather Service has said showers and a possible thunderstorm are expected after 3 p.m. ET. The evening doesn’t look any better, with showers likely to continue through the night before midnight and scattered showers until 3 a.m. ET.
9 a.m. — A Monday afternoon race would be likely if the Coca-Cola 600 is postponed from Sunday, Fox Sports’ Bob Pockrass noted. An official call by NASCAR isn’t expected until late in the afternoon.
Would expect Monday afternoon start if Cup race ppd. Xfinity could move a little earlier. … everything depends on forecasts. Original plan was Xfinity today but forecast indicated getting both races in tough & delays would make it too long of day on fans, crews, officials, staff https://t.co/3gAYRPaUy6
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) May 28, 2023
Monday is a holiday so NASCAR might be more willing to run later into the wee hours of the morning but I don’t see them starting a 4.5-hour race much later than 9pm. Darlington in 2019 was exception b/c tropical storm coming. https://t.co/hgN8OQ9xBk
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) May 28, 2023
8 a.m. — Rain showers are in the Charlotte forecast throughout Sunday morning after afternoon. There is a possibility for relief in the evening before the scheduled green flag at 6:21 p.m. ET, but 3-4 hours are required to dry the track.
With the forecasts of there possibly being a window to race tonight, wouldn’t expect a decision until late this afternoon or early evening unless that forecast changes. https://t.co/1bTSLyZOUy
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) May 28, 2023
Saturday
4 p.m. — With no window to be found, the Xfinity race has been postponed to Monday at noon.
Xfinity race postponed to noon Monday. https://t.co/oRTHnDH7qs
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) May 27, 2023
Cup qualifying has also been cancelled.
2:40 p.m. — The rain in Charlotte continues to fall, and it’s been fairly steady. According to Bob Pockrass, they’re looking for a three-four hour window to run the race.
Rain remains steady. The question is if there is a window coming. pic.twitter.com/lng2aUW2HI
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) May 27, 2023
1:15 p.m. — The Xfinity race has been delayed, and there’s going to be a lot of push and pull throughout the day. Track drying crews were trying to get the course dry, but they have since retired as the rain as kicked up again. Expect a lot of this throughout the day.
Radar shows obvious potential for rain but NASCAR hopeful to get started. Official race would be Lap 90. FS1. pic.twitter.com/9H7ir11Tvc
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) May 27, 2023
What time is the Coca-Cola 600?
The timing of Coca-Cola 600 events this weekend are likely to be affected by the weather, starting with practice and qualifying on Saturday evening.
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The Coca-Cola 600 is scheduled to begin at 6:21 p.m. ET Sunday.
- Coca-Cola 600 practice: Saturday, May 27, 7:05 p.m. ET
- Coca-Cola 600 qualifying: Saturday, May 27, 7:50 p.m. ET
- Coca-Cola 600 start time: Sunday, May 28, 6:21 p.m. ET green flag
Coca-Cola 600 weather forecast
Saturday, May 27
The forecast for May 27 calls for a 95 percent chance of rain in the Charlotte, N.C., area.
Between noon and 3 p.m. ET, the chance of rain increases from 72 percent to 90 percent, and it will hover around 95 percent from 5 p.m. until midnight.
Temperatures are expected to be in the mid- to high 50s throughout the day.
Sunday, May 28
The forecast for race day includes a rain chance in the mid-70s to low 80s. Temperatures will be slightly warmer, in the low-60s from 1 p.m. on.
The Coca-Cola 600 green flag is scheduled to drop at 6:21 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Monday, May 29
If the race is postponed to Monday, it’s hardly a sure thing it can be run smoothly. The forecast looks better, but not by much.
The day will be warmer than Saturday or Sunday, with temperatures in the mid-60s to low 70s after noon, but the rain continues to linger, with a 30-to-50-percent chance throughout the day.