Sunday’s Daytona 500, which fans can watch online with a trial, came to an early halt after a massive pile-up impacted 16 drivers. Minutes later, the delay continued due to lightning in the area and heavy rain at the track. While many drivers headed to their trailers to wait for the race’s restart, Chase Briscoe hopped in his car and headed to Panda Express.
Briscoe’s wife, Marissa, revealed the trip with a photo on Twitter. She showed the NASCAR driver behind the wheel and waiting to order some food. He still had on his firesuit and looked ready to race at a moment’s notice. Briscoe retweeted the photo and confirmed that he was making a “mid-race Panda Express pit stop.”
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Rain delays 🙃 pic.twitter.com/NKvngAEj1b
— Marissa Briscoe (@MarissaBriscoe_) February 14, 2021
“So glad to see you’re eating healthier for these longer races!!” one racing fan commented after seeing the photo. The Xfinity Racing account took a different approach and expressed sorrow about the Chick-Fil-A being closed on Sundays. The jokes continued as fans waited to learn when the race would resume.
Cole Custer, the 2020 Rookie of the Year, responded to his fellow Stewart-Haas Racing driver and said that he hoped his teammate got a good fortune. Briscoe posted visual evidence of the fortune, which said: “Turn toward those with the means to help you succeed.”
Heading into Sunday’s race, the forecast called for temperatures in the 70s and a 60-80% chance of rain at Daytona International Speedway. The expectation was that rain would cause a delay early but that the skies would clear as evening approached. The fans hoped that the race would continue under the lights and lead to an exciting finish.
The rain delay is nothing new for NASCAR. Several races did not take place on time during the 2020 season, including the Daytona 500. The race came to a halt after a mere 20 laps before moving to Monday. Denny Hamlin ultimately secured the victory after a massive car wreck.
While the early portion of the season sent drivers to drier climates in Nevada, California, and Arizona, the inclement weather caused issues after a 10-week delay. The drivers returned to action for two events in South Carolina but only managed to finish one race.
The Real Heroes 400 took place on time, but the Toyota 500 started later than expected due to rain in South Carolina. NASCAR later delayed the Coca-Cola 600 due to rain at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The 600-mile race started 90 minutes late and did not finish until after midnight.
