GEICO 500 at Talladega postponed by lightning, rain (Update)
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| Air Titan |
| Sean Gardner/Getty Images |
UPDATE Today’s NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway has been postponed due to inclement weather. It is set to take the green flag tomorrow, Monday, June 22, at 2 p.m. CDT (3 p.m. ET) on FOX.
Martin Truex, Jr. will start from the pole position and will be flanked by Denny Hamlin. Starting third will be Kyle Busch, followed by Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick. Chase Elliott, defending champion of the GEICO 500, starts 11th while the track’s latest winner, Ryan Blaney, who won last October, will be alongside Elliott and roll of 12th.
All tickets from today’s event will be honored Monday and will be good for re-entry. Protocols for the GEICO 500 will remain the same. Talladega Superspeedway’s fan parking lots will open Monday morning at 11 am CDT while gates to the grandstands will open at 12 Noon CDT. If fans aren’t able to return, they can visit www.talladegasuperspeedway.com/weather to learn about the NASCAR Weather Protection Plan.
The GEICO 500 at Talladega is the first major sporting event to welcome back a limited number of fans in attendance. NASCAR’s modified event procedures, protocols and number of attendees for the GEICO 500 have been finalized with guidance from public health officials, medical experts and local, state and federal officials. In order to adhere to local social distancing guidelines, the limited number of guests will be allowed in the frontstretch grandstands/towers.
In addition to being broadcast on FOX, the GEICO 500 can also be heard on MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
06/21/20 Lightning strikes near Talladega Superspeedway and rain delayed the start of Sunday’s GEICO 500 for the NASCAR Cup Series. Green flag was originally slated for 3:24 p.m. ET, but a lightning warning that went out at 2:39 p.m. ET put things in a holding pattern for at least 30 minutes. Then, rain started to fall at the track shortly before 3 p.m. ET.
NASCAR has a track-drying team of 18 Air Titans, eight jet dryers, two track vacuums and an Elgin sweeper on hand to dry the 2.66-mile superspeedway. At 4:05 p.m. ET, track-drying efforts began. At 4:27 p.m. ET, NASCAR gave the all-clear from the lighting alert.
When the track is dry, the race will get underway. Martin Truex Jr. will lead the field to green in the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Teammate Denny Hamlin, who won last week at Homestead-Miami Speedway, will also start on the front row.