Daytona 500 Weather: Forecast for Sunday’s race at Daytona International Speedway

Mother Nature has a penchant for crashing NASCAR races due to rain and weather delays, and the Daytona 500, Sunday’s NASCAR season opener, could be impacted. For the 68th edition of The Great American Race, the broadcast will begin at 12:30 p.m. ET and the race broadcast is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. ET (FOX and the FOX Sports app). So what does the weather look like? The forecast for Sunday in Daytona Beach, Florida, calls for a high of 79 degrees Fahrenheit and a low of 58 degrees. There’s a 24 percent chance of rain, up from 62 percent, according to FOX Weather on Saturday. That said, the Daytona 500 could still be disrupted. There are also winds blowing south at 18 miles per hour. The sun will set at 6:13 p.m. ET. [DAYTONA 500: Bob Pockrass’ Everything To Know About Daytona 500] Last season’s Daytona 500 was affected by rain. There were two delays totaling more than three hours and 30 minutes, but after the final restart, William Byron finally won the race. Rain has also already been a story for the 2026 NASCAR season. The Clash at Bowman Gray, last Wednesday’s exhibition race in North Carolina, lasted three and a half hours and included 17 caution flags and risky racing on a wet track. Mother Nature often affects the event known as the “Great American Race.” There is a good chance that this will have an impact on Sunday’s result. But clear skies are likely for the rest of the week and race weekend, Wednesday through Saturday. There is a 10 percent chance of rain on Thursday, 16 percent on Friday and 7 percent on Saturday. [WHO IS? Jimmie Johnson Opens Up on His Daytona 500 Future] After Wednesday’s qualifying, when Kyle Busch won the Daytona 500 pole, and Thursday’s duels, the field and starting lineup for the 2026 Daytona 500 are set. For the NASCAR Cup Series, Practice 3 will take place on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET, and it is expected to take place with almost no obstacles, according to FOX Weather. “Conditions couldn’t be better Saturday for those heading to the track,” noted the FOX Forecast Center. “Temperatures will reach the low 70s with low humidity and a steady but light breeze from behind. Wall-to-wall sunshine in the morning will be punctuated by only a few high clouds moving in throughout the day.” Sunday’s race could be a different story.