The start time for the Daytona 500 has been moved up an hour due to potential weather hazards on Sunday in Florida.

The biggest race event of the year is now set to air at 1:30 p.m. ET Sunday on FOX.

Weather forecasts predict a 60% chance of rain in Daytona Beach later today along with strong winds of 30+ mph as a cold front approaches the area on Sunday evening.

Considering these predictions, rescheduling the event to an earlier time would be advantageous for everyone involved, especially the drivers, as noted by Zach Dean, a NASCAR Columnist for Outkick.

Dean noted how gusty winds could have a considerable impact on those competing at the Daytona 500.

Dean emphasized the importance of stability at Daytona due to the style of pack racing where cars are tightly packed together going at speeds of 190 miles per hour. He highlighted that maintaining stability while entering turns is crucial, as even a slight wobble could lead to a major accident involving numerous cars on the track.

Additionally, the conditions on the racetrack must be perfect to ensure the safety of all drivers, as their tires are sensitive to moisture.

Drivers use special tires called slicks to maximize traction on dry roads.

Rain can cause lengthy delays, which could postpone the race.

To ensure that roads are dry and safe enough to perform on, NASCAR uses track drying technology.

NASCAR’s Air Titan 2.0 is a track-drying device that uses compressed air to push water off the track.

It is essentially like using a squeegee to push or brush the water off the road using air.

The FOX Forecast Center says there’s a medium to high risk of weather impacting the race with the expected rain showers.

Temperatures will reach the lower 80s with close to 70% humidity. 

If the race faces any delays, it would be the second year in a row Mother Nature has not cooperated with the race.

Last year’s race was pushed back a day after rain washed out any hope of safely getting the race in on the originally scheduled Sunday. 

“They certainly do not want a Monday race again – Daytona 500 on Mondays are frankly a disaster for NASCAR,” Dean said. “They’re not great for FOX and for people who pay a lot of money for the commercials. So they’re going to do everything they can to keep this race on a Sunday. I think it’s going to start, no problem. It might get a little iffy if they have to red flag it for a few hours. I assume they’d rather do that and restart at 8 or 9 rather than restart Monday night at 4 or 5. So it’s going to be wait and see.”