Weather will be a factor in NASCAR comeback race at Darlington

By Brian Lada, AccuWeather meteorologist and staff writer

Updated May. 15, 2020 12:41 PM

Professional sports in the United States are slowly heading toward restarting after events were suspended in early March due to the coronavirus pandemic. More than two months later, NASCAR is getting ready to fire up the engines and take to the track.

Sunday’s race at Darlington Raceway will be the first race since March 8 when Joey Logano took the checkered flag at Phoenix Raceway. Since then, some drivers have competed in virtual racing in the eNASCAR Pro Invitational Series, but these races were for bragging rights and did not count toward the official 2020 season.

To help make up for lost time, NASCAR is holding seven races in 11 days, starting on Sunday, May 17. This includes races across three series: The Cup Series, the Xfinity Series and the Gander Trucks series.

With such a packed schedule, any weather delays, such as rain, could potentially impact other races down the line.

In addition to an altered schedule, these races will be held with no fans in attendance to limit the potential spread of COVID-19.

Drivers will have their temperatures checked as they enter the racetrack and will be required to wear masks until they suit up and enter their cars just before the race, The Associated Press reported.

While fans will be able to watch the race from the comfort of home, drivers, teams and race officials will be out in the summerlike heat fighting for the sole spot in Victory Lane.

FILE - In this Sept. 4, 2015, file photo, Aric Almirola heads for the track during a NASCAR Sprint Cup auto racing practice session at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, S.C. When it resumes this Sunday, May 17, 2020, at Darlington, drivers will have their temperature taken as they enter the track and they will be wearing masks as they leave their isolated motorhomes and make their way to their cars. There will be no fans. (AP Photo/Terry Renna, File)

Dry weather is lined up for the weekend in Darlington, South Carolina, but weather could still play a factor in the race.

Temperatures are forecast to climb toward 90 F on Sunday afternoon with even higher AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures. While these temperatures are common for NASCAR events in the summer, it may be a shock to the system for some following a long break in the season. This is especially true for drivers, who will experience extreme heat throughout the race.

“It’s usually about 30 to 40 degrees [Fahrenheit] hotter inside the car than the outside ambient temperature," David Ragan told AccuWeather. Ragan was a driver in NASCAR’s premier division for over a decade.

This means that while the air temperature is around 90 F, drivers in the cars (that are not equipped with air conditioning) will have to endure temperatures between 120 and 130 F for several hours during the race.

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Drivers take every precaution to hydrate properly on the days leading up to a race, but dehydration is always a risk, especially on hot afternoons like what will unfold this Sunday.

“During a race, I lose 5 to 7 pounds about every weekend [from sweating],” Ragan said. “A few times throughout the course of my career I have gotten dehydrated where I started cramping really bad.“

Clouds begin to gather over the grandstand at Turn 1 before a NASCAR Cup Series auto race Sunday, Sept. 1, 2019, at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, S.C. (AP Photo/Richard Shiro)

The temperature can also impact the way the cars perform throughout the race.

“Track temperature affects performance greatly by changing the friction capabilities of the tires,” Dr. Eric Warren, Richard Childress Racing’s chief technology officer, told AccuWeather.

Just a few minutes of cloudy conditions can be enough to have an effect on how the cars handle for the drivers as they zip around the racetrack at speeds over 160 mph.

This is an aspect of the weather that teams will need to consider when making a game plan for the race, especially since there will be no practice or qualifying beforehand to fine-tune the car before the green flag flies on Sunday.

This weekend’s race will honor health care workers and first responders on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic and will be called The Real Heroes 400. This is part of The Real Heroes Project, a collaboration across more than a dozen sports that recognizes and pays tribute to medical professionals.

“As the coronavirus challenges our country in unprecedented ways, the frontline healthcare workers – the nurses, paramedics, emergency physicians and many others – continue to inspire us with their strength and bravery in caring for their fellow Americans,” said Jill Gregory, NASCAR executive vice president and chief marketing and content officer. “These men and women are the real heroes and the NASCAR industry is incredibly proud to honor their selflessness and service as we return to racing on Sunday.”

The action will stay at Darlington with an Xfinity Series race on Tuesday, May 19, at 8 p.m. ET and another Cup Series race on Wednesday, May 20, at 7:30 p.m.

Weather could play a bigger factor in these races as the threat of disruptive rain increases heading into the middle of the week.

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