Stock car racing returns to Talladega Superspeedway for a tripleheader weekend featuring ARCA Menards Series, Xfinity Series, and Cup Series drivers. They should have a clear weekend of racing based on a very favorable forecast.
According to Weather.com, the first day of races should take place under sunny skies and warm temperatures. The forecast for Saturday, April 23, calls for temperatures in the mid-80s with winds up to 10 mph. There is only a 3% chance of precipitation at the track, which sets the stage for a full day of racing.
The forecast on Sunday, April 24, provides an equally positive outlook. Temperatures will once again be in the mid-80s with wind speeds at 8 mph. There is a 4% chance of precipitation on April 24, which should open a path for a complete race.
The tripleheader will begin on April 23 with the ARCA Menards Series race at 1 p.m. ET (FS1), which will feature a guest analyst in Austin Cindric. The Xfinity Series race will follow at 4 p.m. ET (FOX). The Geico 500 Cup Series race will cap off the weekend on April 24 at 3 p.m. ET (FOX) as Dale Earnhardt Jr. joins the booth as a guest analyst.
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Multiple Talladega Superspeedway Races Have Ended Early
GettyJeb Burton celebrates a rain-shortened win.
The forecast is particularly important heading toward the first trip to Talladega Superspeedway of the year. The reason is that multiple races in NASCAR history have ended early due to either rainfall or approaching darkness, resulting in some big moments for drivers.
There are several drivers that have reached Victory Lane after rainfall shortened events. Justin Haley won the Coke Zero Sugar 400 in 2019 while Clint Bowyer captured the 2018 FireKeepers Casino 300. The list also includes Carl Edwards at Texas Motor Speedway in 2016, Chris Buescher at Pocono Raceway in 2016, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Phoenix Raceway in 2015 among many others.
Jeb Burton, who drove for Kaulig Racing at the time, won the Xfinity Series race on April 24, 2021. He led 20 laps and took his spot at the front of the pack when a multi-car incident unfolded during the final stage. The drivers completed some laps under caution, but rainfall forced NASCAR officials to end the race after only 90 of the 113 scheduled laps. Burton won his first race of the year and punched his ticket to the playoffs.
The fall races at Talladega featured similar circumstances. Brandon Brown won his first race of the year after leading eight laps, and he did so after NASCAR officials shortened the race due to approaching darkness. There were multiple delays on October 2, 2021, which extended the race length closer to the evening and some approaching rainfall.
The Cup Series Race Featured the Most Weather-Related Issues
GettyTalladega Superspeedway crews try to dry the racing surface.
While Burton and Brown both won races on the scheduled day, another driver had to wait even longer for his first career win. Bubba Wallace captured the YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway after multiple weather-related issues.
The playoff race had a scheduled start time of 2 p.m. ET on October 3, 2021, but the cars remained in the garage due to heavy rainfall at the track. Track crews tried to dry the racing surface, but it was a losing battle. NASCAR ultimately made the decision to postpone the race to October 4.
The weather played another big role once the drivers finally took the green flag for the YellaWood 500. They were able to complete the first stage and most of the second, but a massive wreck brought out the caution flag. Heavy rainfall brought out the red flag and prevented the drivers from resuming the action.
The drivers spent a considerable amount of time on pit road waiting for NASCAR officials to make a decision about whether to continue the race. The track crews even attempted to start the drying process, but the rain picked up once again and forced the officials to declare the race official.
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