Auto racing: Daytona 500 begins under gray skies
Associated Press
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The Daytona 500 has started under threatening skies.
Intermittent showers were expected around Daytona International Speedway during the season opener, and a rainstorm would force at least a two-hour delay because that's how long it takes completely dry the 2½-mile superspeedway.
NASCAR officials, though, were hopeful the race would be completed Sunday. Only 100 laps would have to be completed under NASCAR rules for the race to be official.
"Hopefully Mother Nature will cooperate with us and be as supportive as everybody else is," NASCAR president Mike Helton said.
Local forecasts called for a 70 percent chance of rain and scattered showers all afternoon and throughout the evening.
