Posted on 02/17/2020 8:05:30 AM PST by Oldeconomybuyer
DAYTONA BEACH -- The Daytona 500 has been postponed by rain for the first time since 2012, dampening NASCAR’s season opener that started with a ballyhooed visit from President Donald Trump.
The race was postponed after two lengthy delays totaling more than three hours. The race will now begin at 4 p.m. Monday and be broadcast live on Fox.
It’s the second time in 62 years that “The Great American Race” will finish on a Monday.
The first delay of the day came moments after the presidential motorcade completed a ceremonial parade lap around the 2 1/2-mile track. Trump’s armored limousine nicknamed “The Beast” exited Daytona International Speedway, and the sky opened for a brief shower that forced drivers back to pit road.
The start already had been pushed back 13 minutes to accommodate Trump’s trip. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. eventually led the field to the green flag and was out front for the first 20 laps before heavier rain soaked a racing surface that takes hours to dry.
NASCAR called drivers back to their cars around 6:40 p.m. EST, hoping to get more laps in before more showers hit again. Some drivers showed, but the heaviest rain of the day forced a postponement.
It no doubt choked some of the excitement out of an event that had been a raucous celebration for hours, some of it prompted by Trump’s dramatic entrance. Thousands cheered as Air Force One performed a flyover and landed at Daytona International Airport a few hundred yards behind the track. Trump’s motorcade arrived a few minutes later, eliciting another loud ovation. Both entrances were broadcast on giant video boards around the superspeedway.
At least a dozen drivers were escorted from the pre-race meeting to a private introduction with Trump.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
“The Daytona 500 has been postponed by rain for the first time since 2012, dampening NASCAR’s season opener that started with a ballyhooed visit from President Donald Trump.”
Yup. Trump’s fault. Now all those Daytona 500 ticket holders have to try again today.
Safety first! :)
LOL! That commercial was Gold, Jerry! GOLD! ;)
Good ol' AP. Anything to discredit whatever President Trump does.
Hey, AP, UP YOURS!!!
No wonder I couldn’t find out who won......;)
If golfers and football players play through the rain, car drivers should as well.
Loudon NH does. They were doing snowmobile races there yesterday. They had to truck snow in because of mild weather but got some snow this week.
If golfers and football players play through the rain, car drivers should as well.
In Formula One racing they do run in the rain.
The libs can't undo yesterday with some lame narrative. It was great all the way around except no race.
If golfers and football players play through the rain, car drivers should as well.
In Formula One racing they do run in the rain.
Trump stole 13 minutes of sunshine! They had to work that in there.
Good to know, and formula-69 drivers (yours truly) never have stopped driving through rain. Actually I love driving when it is raining. And snow driving as well! But freezing rain...now that is scary! Once I was driving from Pontiac, MI to Downers Grove, IL on a Sunday evening in December. On the interstate past Ann Arbor, it was freezing rain, and traffic was going slow, with cars in ditch every 100 feet! I got off the highway as soon as I saw a Holiday Inn nearby, checked in, and continued my drive at 4am. The roads were well salted by then, no more ice on road, and no traffic! I went speed limit plus and made it straight to work on time!
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