UPDATE 3: Sunday, March 31, 2024 at 7:14 PM ET
Engines have been fired, and NASCAR is set to begin pace laps for Sunday night’s NASCAR Cup Series Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway.
UPDATE 2: Sunday, March 31, 2024 at 7:09 PM ET
Drivers have been called to their cars. NASCAR officials are content with the level of track drying progress, and they see a window in the radar.
They will attempt to give the command to start engines in roughly five minutes.
UPDATE 1: Sunday, March 31, 2024 at 6:58 PM ET
NASCAR is conducting the opening ceremonies, including driver introductions as planned, but the sanctioning body will officially go into a hold following the opening ceremonies to continue drying the track.
While no start time adjustment has been officially made, it appears that Sunday’s race will not start at 7:15 PM ET.
ORIGINAL STORY: Sunday, March 31, 2024 at 6:47 PM ET
Pop up rain showers ahead of Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway has dampened the 0.750-mile short track. As a result, teams have been delivered wet-weather tires, and have bolted them on in the garage are.
Slicks off, wet-weather treads on. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/Ia3ShBwpoL
— Toby Christie (@Toby_Christie) March 31, 2024
The plan is to get the track dried to a point where the treaded tires can be used to start the 400-lap race.
UPDATE: NASCAR has instructed the teams to utilize the wet-weather package for the start of tonight's race.
Wet-weather tires are being installed on the cars at @RichmondRaceway. pic.twitter.com/NAshIA3Y9o
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) March 31, 2024
This will mark the first time in a NASCAR Cup Series points-paying oval race that wet-weather tires will be utilized. Wet-weather tires were used at the start of last year’s NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro.
While the wet-weather tires are an option this weekend, it’s important to note that cars do not feature the full wet-weather package. The cars do not have wipers or flaps installed, which means that the cars will be unable to take the track in super-moist conditions where spray would be a factor.
The wet-weather tires in this situation would aid in drying the track, and could potentially get the race started on time at 7:15 PM ET.
As it stands, the start time of the race has not been delayed officially.
Earlier in the morning, rain swept the area and dampened the Richmond Raceway track surface. However, the weather cleared up around 4:30 PM ET. NASCAR was able to dispatch the air titans, which had the track nearly dried to completion.
Then, the rain hit again. As of 6:46 PM ET, the hard rain has been reduced to a very, very calm sprinkle.
If there are any updates to the start time of Sunday night’s Toyota Owners 400, this story will be updated to reflect those changes in the schedule.
