Rain Delay Updates: Daytona 500 Red Flagged After 11 Laps Completed
Sunday, February 16 -- 3:00 PM ET: Race Delayed by Rain After 11 Laps
The rain that had been expected to descend upon Daytona International Speedway during Sunday's 67th annual Daytona 500 indeed arrived. Unfortunately, the 41-car field had very little chance to get much racing in before the precipitation started falling.
9 laps of the scheduled 200 laps that make up the high-anticipated 500-mile NASCAR Cup Series season-opening event were completed before the caution was displayed for rain in Turns 1 and 2. After a couple of laps under caution, drivers and teams were instructed to pull their cars into their pit stalls on pit road, and place the car covers over them.
The race was red flagged after the 11th lap was completed.
When the race went under the yellow flag, William Byron was scored as the race leader, and the defending Daytona 500 champion will reassume the lead when the race goes back under the green flag.
The Daytona 500 started with plenty of pageantry, as Pitbull performed a pre-race concert on a stage in the frontstretch grass at Daytona International Speedway. As expected, President Donald Trump arrived just after 1:00 PM ET, and would take some pace laps in front of the thundrous pack of race cars around the Daytona International Speedway in The Beast.
President Trump also addressed the drivers via the drivers' radio communications systems praising them as great Americans and urging them to remain safe during the high-speed race.
President @realDonaldTrump addresses the drivers before the 2025 Daytona 500. pic.twitter.com/DP9hXWjDpm
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 16, 2025
There were three lead changes in the opening few laps of the race. Chase Briscoe led the opening four laps of the race from the pole position before giving way to Kaulig Racing's Ty Dillon, who has shown incredible speed all week long. Dillon would lead three laps before being overtaken by Byron for the top spot.
The weather is expected to remain around Daytona International Speedway for at least another hour, but once the rain stops falling, NASCAR will have to deploy the track drying equipment to get the 2.5-mile superspeedway in condition to race for the 41 competitors in the field.
This post will be updated as details about the potential return to racing in the Daytona 500 are announced.
Sunday, February 16 -- 3:40 PM ET: Air Tundras on Track
With a break forming in the rain pattern on the radar, the rain has begun to lighten up at Daytona International Speedway, and NASCAR has officially deployed the Air Tundras, specially compressed air and squeegee equipped Toyota Tundra's, which quickly dry up the track.
There is a chance that rain continues on the other side of the break in the radar formation, but for now, the weather is cooperating. There has been no estimated time for the restart of the race at this time.
Stay tuned for additional Daytona 500 weather delay updates.
Sunday, February 16 -- 5:00 PM ET: Drivers to Their Cars
NASCAR is pleased with how the track drying has gone, and we are nearing a restart to the 67th annual Daytona 500.
The NASCAR tower has called for drivers to be in their cars and strapped in by 5:25 PM ET, and the race is expected to go back green approximately at 5:30 PM ET, if all continues to trend the way it is now.
There is more rain on the radar heading toward Daytona International Speedway, but the weather has been breaking up, so, there is a chance we are done with rain for the evening. If not, the rain is expected to totally be out of the area by 6:30 PM ET.
Sunday, February 16 -- 5:30 PM ET: Red Flag Lifted
Drivers were strapped into their cars at 5:25 PM ET, and the engines were fired up promptly after. Cars are rolling off pit road as the red flag for the track drying has been lifted. There will be a few caution laps, and the Daytona 500 will be back under way.
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Toby Christie is the Editor-in-Chief of Racing America. He has 15 years of experience as a motorsports journalist and has been with Racing America since 2023.