Rain fell "all day Sunday" in Daytona and forced race officials to postpone the Daytona 500 until 4pm ET today, which "will set up the first Daytona Monday doubleheader" -- with the Xfinity Series race scheduled to get underway at 11am. Television broadcast assignments "have not changed, as Fox will carry the Daytona 500 and FS1 will air the Xfinity race. For ticketholders who are not able to stay for the race now, NASCAR's Weather Protection Program "allows fans to exchange their ticket for another race at a designated track this season or for the 2025 Daytona 500" (Daytona Beach NEWS-JOURNAL, 2/18).
Today "will likely be a better day for racing," weather officials said, as "by the afternoon there will be a less than 20% chance of rain falling." By the time the Daytona 500 starts, "much of the rain will have moved offshore." Temperatures are "expected to reach a high of 62 degrees" (Daytona Beach NEWS-JOURNAL, 2/18).
Artist Pitbull was "supposed to perform the pre-Daytona 500 concert" before the race, but he "couldn't stay" following the delay. DJ Khaled (the race’s honorary starter) and Miss America 2024 Madison Marsh (the honorary pace-car driver) "couldn’t stick around, either." However, grand marshal Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson "will remain in town and fulfill his role" (Daytona Beach NEWS-JOURNAL, 2/18).
