Fans were looking forward to watching the Daytona 500 on Sunday. However, due to the rain during the race, it had to be postponed until Monday at 4 p.m. ET. The race was scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday. However, with President Donald Trump making an appearance with rain following, the race didn’t start for another two hours before it was stopped after just 20 laps.
According to 247Sports, this is the first time the Daytona 500 has been affected by rain since the time it happened twice in a three-year period. In 2012, the race was postponed due to rain for the first time ever and it was pushed back to a Monday night start. It was then delayed for several hours on lap 33 back in 2014.
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Normally, the Daytona 500 starts at 1 p.m and had it started around that time this year, it may haven’t been postponed. Here’s a look at fans lobbying to move the race back to its original time.
Raining in Daytona
A Daytona 500 day that began with the pageantry of a Trump visit devolved into a rain-soaked affair, with weather pushing the race back to Monday https://t.co/A7RxAdsp4R
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) February 17, 2020
It’s clear the race could not continue based on the conditions on Sunday. Moving the race to Monday afternoon is not the most ideal day for a race and officials tried to finish it on Sunday. But the rain was not letting up.
Letter to NASCAR
Dear @NASCAR @NASCARONFOX @FOXSports:
— Sean Sedor (@SASedor2994) February 16, 2020
PLEASE move the #Daytona500 back to a 1:00 PM Eastern start time next year. Everyone would thank you.
This fan clearly wants NASCAR to move the start time back to a early afternoon start in 2021. One Twitter also said: “Would actually love to hear you guys explain why the race starts so late when you could’ve gotten the race in by now.”
Super Bowl
Drop the green flag at 1:00 pm and cut out all the fluff. It’s the Super Bowl of racing and as usual NASCAR found a way to screw it up.
— JW (@N312BA) February 16, 2020
This Twitter user is not happy with NASCAR as he believes they got things wrong by moving the start time. This is the biggest racing event of the year and the fact that it’s now being continued on a Monday does not have the same feel.
Done By Sunday
Why 1 pm start times die? Wouldn’t have changed the rain but woulda been half way and dried to get a finish by 6
— JJLeafsFan93 (@Fan93Jj) February 16, 2020
This fan is convinced that if the Daytona 500 started by 1 p.m., it would have been halfway done by the time the rain came in. And that would have led to a delay, but the race could have been done sometime in the evening.
Here’s the Reason
This is WHY you do not start at 3:30 in the damn afternoon @NASCAR I remember when the 500 started at 1:00 pm SHARP! Being those times back!!
— Heather (@hearenee33) February 16, 2020
This fan has a clear explanation as to why the Daytona 500 should start at 1 p.m. sharp. There were several circumstances that led to the delay, but if this happens again next year, it’s very likely NASCAR will go back to the original start time.
Love the 1 p.m. start
Anyone agree with me that the #Daytona500 should go back to the old start time of 12:30-1:00PMish?
— Random NASCAR Facts (@FactsNascar) February 16, 2020
I know people are making the argument because we’d already have it in before the rain this year, but I mean regardless
I loved the 1PM start time.#Daytona #NASCAR
This Twitter user is all about the 1 p.m. start time and wanted to get thoughts from other fans. One person wrote: “I agree but Fox and NASCAR feel they must appease the West Coast time zone. I’m thinking there’s not a lot of church goers out west anymore so I agree. 1:00 PM start time!”
“I think all races should. West coast can start 1pm pacific. It’s much easier,” another person wrote. “There’s a reason the NFL doesn’t change start times from week to week.”
Daytona Native Weighs in
2 things that don’t work. Afternoon in February in Daytona. Night in July or August. I’ve lived here my whole life and it’s never changed. I dunno how nascar doesn’t learn this. Start the race at noon. Anytime they have momentum for a race this happens. #DAYTONA500
— Tim W. Downey Jr. (@TimWdowneyJR) February 16, 2020
This Daytona native isn’t surprised about what happened on Sunday because of how the weather can be in the area. He wants to know when NASCAR is going to realize this is will continue to happen unless changes are made.
