UPDATES: Track Drying Progressing as Ally 400 Nears End of Weather Delay

UPDATE #6: Sunday, June 30, 2024 at 6:32 PM ET

All 38 drivers have returned to their cars, the covers have all been pulled off, and the drivers are strapped back into their vehicles. The Ally 400 is just moments away from being restarted.

UPDATE #5: Sunday, June 30, 2024 at 6:25 PM ET

NASCAR has officially made the call for drivers to get back to their cars. Teams will not be permitted to make any adjustments to their cars, and two crew members will be permitted to remove the car covers from the race cars.

UPDATE #4: Sunday, June 30, 2024 at 6:20 PM ET

NBC has shown the progress that is being made in the track drying efforts at Nashville Superspeedway. With the track surface being concrete, and the sun still being out, the drying is coming along quickly. No official expected time of resumption from NASCAR, yet, but we are nearing a return to the Ally 400.

There are roughly seven minutes remaining on the lightning clock, which was reset since the last update.

Great progress being made at Nashville Superspeedway.

We’ll provide more tune-in updates as they come. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/xbU1kvreXy

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) June 30, 2024

UPDATE #3: Sunday, June 30, 2024 at 6:12 PM ET

Track drying is going well, and the track drying crew has even pulled some drying equipment from the main grooves of the race track to begin drying pit road. As long as lightning holds off, we shouldn’t have too much more of a delay ahead of us.

Currently, there are roughly five minutes remaining on the lightning clock.

UPDATE #2: Sunday, June 30, 2024 at 5:47 PM ET

NASCAR has dispatched the track drying crews as the rain has subsided, but the track remains in a lightning hold. Currently, there are roughly 21 more minutes remaining on the lightning clock (provided there are no more strikes that occur).

UPDATE #1: Sunday, June 30, 2024 at 5:35 PM ET

The rain has picked up at Nashville Superspeedway, and additional lightning strikes have continually reset the lightning clock. As of right now, there are about 25 minutes left on the lightning clock, but every strike within eight miles of the track will reset it.

When the rain stops, the track drying crew will be allowed to get to work on drying the track surface, but as of now, it looks like we’re heading into a bit of a lengthy delay.

ORIGINAL STORY: Sunday, June 30, 2024 at 5:30 PM ET

14 laps shy of the halfway point of Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway, Mother Nature reared her ugly head and brought the race to a halt. Lightning in the area, coupled with some minor rain caused NASCAR to bring the cars to pit road, where they will sit in their pit stalls until the storms pass.

With the race not reaching the halfway point, the race cannot be considered official, which means this race will restart at some point.

At the time of the red flag, Christopher Bell, who won last weekend’s race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, is being scored as the leader of the race. Tyler Reddick, who was leading last weekend when massive storms forced that race into a lengthy weather delay, sits second in the No. 45 23XI Racing entry.

Prior to the red flag, Bell took the Stage 1 win over Denny Hamlin, Reddick, Kyle Larson, Brad Keselowski, Ty Gibbs, William Byron, Chris Buescher, Martin Truex Jr., and Bubba Wallace.

After the Stage 1 caution, the first caution for cause in Sunday’s race came out on Lap 116 when John Hunter Nemechek spun in Turn 4. The LEGACY MOTOR CLUB driver currently sits 37th in the running order.

Ty Gibbs brought out the next caution on Lap 126 as he collided with Alex Bowman on the exit of Turn 4. Gibbs made contact and that sent him spinning into the infield grass. Gibbs runs 29th, currently.

Video: Ty Gibbs Slides Into Alex Bowman; Gibbs Spins Through Infield Grass

This post will continue to have updates added to it as they become available. Refresh for the latest status update on the Ally 400 weather delay.

Here is the complete running order at the time of the red flag: