Potential Wet Weather Forces NASCAR To Move Up Start Of Daytona 500

NASCAR is bumping up the start time of Sunday's Daytona 500 by an hour to try to counter the potential for inclement weather at Daytona International Speedway.

With inclement weather threatening in the forecast for Sunday's Daytona 500, NASCAR has bumped up the start time of the Great American Race. | Ricky Martinez | Racing America On SI

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- All week, wet weather has been in the forecast for Sunday at Daytona International Speedway, and while the forecast has shifted and improved slightly, rain is still expected to fall at the 2.5-mile superspeedway on Sunday.

Due to the threat of inclement weather, NASCAR has made the decision to bump up the start of the Daytona 500 from its originally scheduled time of 2:30 PM ET to now begin at 1:30 PM ET. The race will continue to be televised on FOX.

Gates and hospitality will now open at 9 AM ET, and NASCAR says the Hard Rock Bet Fanzone, located in the infield of the Daytona International Speedway, will open at 8:30 AM ET. For those looking to tailgate, parking lots will open at 6 AM ET.

The potential weather will not impact the pre-race festivities at Daytona International Speedway, as NASCAR says Miranda Lambert will continue as planned with her pre-race performance, and the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds will buzz through the sky for the flyover at the conclusion of Sunday's National Anthem.

Kyle Busch will start on the pole position in the Daytona 500, an achievement he had never accomplished previously in his NASCAR Cup Series career. The Richard Childress Racing driver will be joined by Chase Briscoe, the driver of the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, on the front row for the Great American Race.

William Byron, who had to go to a backup car after being involved in a crash during Thursday's America 250 Florida Duels, is attempting to become the first driver in history to win the Daytona 500 in three consecutive seasons.