NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at Talladega moved to Monday due to rain

By Bob Pockrass
FOX Sports NASCAR Writer

TALLADEGA, Ala. — The NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at Talladega Superspeedway was postponed from Sunday to Monday because of rain.

NASCAR furiously attempted to dry the track after morning rains, but a mid-afternoon shower ended NASCAR’s hopes of getting the 188-lap, 500-mile race in Sunday. NASCAR policy is to not start a race it doesn’t have time to complete, and with the sport’s biggest oval track (2.66 miles) not having lights, NASCAR made the call to postpone the event shortly before 4 p.m. ET.

The race is now set to begin at 1 p.m. ET (noon local time) Monday.

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The race would be official once the leader completes half the race, or Lap 94. NASCAR policy is that a race becomes official when the leader completes half the laps or the race reaches the end of the second stage, whichever is earliest. The stages for Talladega are 60 laps, 60 laps and 68 laps, so the midway point (instead of Lap 120) is used as the benchmark for an official race.

The National Weather Service predicts a 70% chance of rain Monday.

NASCAR policy is to try to get a race in on the next available day. Last year, it had to complete the Texas playoff race on Wednesday after three postponements.

The next race is scheduled for next Sunday at the Charlotte road course.

Bob Pockrass has spent decades covering motorsports, including the past 30 Daytona 500s. He joined FOX Sports in 2019 following stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @bobpockrass. Looking for more NASCAR content? Sign up for the FOX Sports NASCAR Newsletter with Bob Pockrass!