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NASCAR postpones Charlotte 600

By Damion Smy

Monday 29th May, 2023 - 8:51am

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The track drying team prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 race, which has been delayed. Photo: by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

NASCAR has postponed the Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway due to persistent rainfall at the North Carolina track.

The Coca-Cola 600, the longest event on the schedule at 600 miles (965.61km), will now take place on Monday May 29 at 15:00 local/Tuesday May 30 at 05:00 AEST.

This follows the Xfinity Series race postponement the previous day at the same venue.

The Crown Jewel Cup Series race had an original start time of 18:00 local on Sunday, May 28, but rain in the area caused a delay. The cars remained locked up in the garage while the drivers remained in their haulers.

There was optimism earlier in the day as the forecast showed the percentage of precipitation dropping below 50 after 18:00 local. The hope at Charlotte Motor Speedway was that the crews could begin drying the track at the original time while preparing for an estimated 20:30 local start time.

NASCAR chose to send the Toyota Tundras with the drying equipment out on the track at 18:00 local, and they began methodically moving through the turns while attempting to make some progress.

The rain lightened as the Tundras headed out onto the track, but it returned with a ferocity minutes later. The crews lost all progress, so NASCAR opted to postpone the race until the following day. There was not enough time to start and complete the race on May 28.

The forecast is far more favourable for Monday’s schedule. The chance of precipitation is only 10 percent at 11:00 local/1:00 AEST when the Xfinity Series race begins. It will move to 30 percent at the start time of the Cup Series race.

William Byron will start on pole after NASCAR set the starting order with its formula that takes into account the finishing order in the previous points-paying race (50 percent), the fastest lap in the previous points-paying race (15 percent), and the owner point standings (35 percent). Kevin Harvick will join him on the front row.

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