Downpours could threaten NASCAR Cup Series Sunday

By Jake Sojda, AccuWeather meteorologist

Updated May. 23, 2020 1:02 PM

After rain forced NASCAR's Xfinity Series race at Darlington, South Carolina Tuesday to be moved to Thursday, and shortened the Toyota 500 Wednesday, race fans may again have to cross their fingers that rain will stay away from the Charlotte Motor Speedway for this weekend's Coca-Cola 600.

At 600 miles, Sunday’s Cup Series race is the longest of the year and has been a Memorial Day weekend tradition for NASCAR since the 1970s.

Driver Clint Bowyer walks to his car for the start of the NASCAR Cup Series auto race Sunday, May 17, 2020, in Darlington, S.C. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

"It will feel like a pretty typical early summer day in Charlotte," said AccuWeather meteorologist Tiffany Fortier. "It will be warm and humid with the chance for a shower or thunderstorm to pop-up pretty much anywhere in the area in the afternoon."

Racers and pit-crews will have to be wary of a slow-moving downpour that could move into the area in the evening and delay the race.

"It's unlikely that any rain lasts long enough to completely wash out the race, but there is a slight chance the race could be delayed to dry out the track or even to wait for any lightning threat to pass the area," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Courtney Spamer.

A greater concern will be the warmth and humidity. Temperatures are expected to be in the low 80s at race time. Combined with the humidity, AccuWeather RealFeel® temperatures will be closer to 90 degrees. Temperatures will only gradually fall into the upper 70s as the race goes on into the evening.

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However, drivers have to contend with much warmer temperatures inside the cars. “It’s usually about 30 to 40 degrees [Fahrenheit] hotter inside the car than the outside ambient temperature,“ said David Ragan, a driver in NASCAR’s premier division for 11 years.

This means that drivers could have temperatures near 120 degrees inside their cars to endure.

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Though fans will not be in attendance in Charlotte, that does not mean weather won't be a concern for spectators as well.

"Many fans may be at home, grilling out for Memorial Day weekend, still trying to recreate that 'tailgating experience'," commented AccuWeather Meteorologist Danny Pydynowski. "With active weather expected in parts of the nation, anybody with outdoor picnicking plans, whether they plan to watch the evening race or not, should be sure to keep up to date with their local forecast."

Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.