The 2025 Daytona 500 will start an hour earlier than originally scheduled.
NASCAR announced Friday that the race would begin at 2 p.m. ET. The race had been scheduled for just after 3 p.m., however there’s a chance of rain on Sunday afternoon. As of Friday, there is a 60% chance of precipitation in the afternoon. Fox’s race broadcast will begin at 1:30 p.m.
NASCAR is no stranger to delayed Daytona 500s because of rain in recent years. The 2020 Daytona 500 was delayed after 20 laps on Sunday and had to be completed on Monday. The 2021 Daytona 500 was run on Sunday but was completed late at night after a lengthy rain delay.
The race ran as scheduled in 2022 and 2023 but had to be held on Monday a year ago because of rain.
Chase Briscoe will start the race from the pole position alongside Austin Cindric. They posted the two fastest laps during front row qualifying on Wednesday. Cindric and Bubba Wallace won the Duel qualifying races on Thursday. Wallace will start third while Erik Jones, the driver who finished second to Cindric, will start fourth.
At least a half-dozen drivers will start the race in backup cars after crashes during the qualifying races. Past Cup Series champions Martin Truex Jr. and Jimmie Johnson will start at the back of the field after earning their spots in the field via their qualifying times on Wednesday. Both drivers are retired from full-time racing.
Four-time Indianapolis 500 champion Helio Castroneves will start 41st after taking advantage of NASCAR’s new provisional for historically successful drivers. Castroneves crashed out of his qualifying race on Thursday but was guaranteed a spot in the 500 because of the provisional.