NASCAR has advanced the start time for Sunday’s Daytona 500 to 1:30 p.m. due to threatening weather later in the day. The green flag is expected around 2 p.m. The sanctioning body announced this change on Friday, with pre-race coverage on Fox Sports beginning at 11:30 a.m. Rain is anticipated to arrive in the Daytona Beach area around 4 p.m., making the earlier start critical for the race’s chances of reaching the halfway point and being deemed official.
NEWS: The start time for the #DAYTONA500 has been moved up to 1:30 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Watch The Great American Race on FOX or listen on @MRNRadio and @SiriusXMNASCAR Radio. pic.twitter.com/Mk2UE2MrOM
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 14, 2025
The earlier start time may lead to longer wait times for fans due to “enhanced security measures” at the speedway gates, with speculation surrounding President Donald Trump’s possible attendance at the race.
NASCAR announces the start time of the Daytona 500 has been moved to 1:30 pm ET. Also says “enhanced security measures” will be in place. Expecting President Trump to attend, though that has not been officially confirmed.
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) February 14, 2025
The Daytona 500, NASCAR’s season-opener for the Cup Series and its most popular event, has faced challenges from inclement weather in recent years, negatively impacting TV ratings. Last year’s race was moved from Sunday to Monday because of rain, resulting in the second-lowest ratings in race history, while the 2020 and 2021 Daytona 500s also dealt with rain delays that affected viewership.
