NASCAR has changed the start time for Sunday's Daytona 500. The green flag is set to fly at 2:13 p.m. ET. Nadia Zomorodian/News-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

NASCAR makes change to Daytona 500 start time ahead of inclement weather

By Samuel Stubbs | Last updated Feb 14, 2026 12:26 PM ET

NASCAR has changed the start time of Sunday's Daytona 500 in order to get ahead of inclement weather.

The listed start time for the 68th running of the Daytona 500 is now 1:30 p.m. ET, with the green flag set to fly at 2:13 p.m. ET on FOX.

The Daytona 500 has been pushed to Monday twice in the last six years (2020, 2024) and was impacted by lengthy weather delays in 2021 and 2025.

NEWS: The start time for the #DAYTONA500 has been moved up to 1:30 p.m. ET on Sunday.

Watch The Great American Race on FOX or listen on @MRNRadio and @SiriusXMNASCAR Radio. pic.twitter.com/stzthusnjA
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 14, 2026

Rain and thunderstorms have often plagued NASCAR races at Daytona International Speedway.

What Daytona 500 forecast looks like

Per AccuWeather, there is a 55 percent chance of precipitation on Sunday and a 33 percent chance of thunderstorms in Daytona Beach, Fla. While there may be a small rain shower on Sunday morning, the main weather concern would be a late afternoon thunderstorm that is typical in Florida.

The schedule change will impact Sunday's previous schedule. Parking lots will now open at 6 a.m. ET Sunday, the fan zone opening at 8:30 a.m. and gates at Daytona International Speedway opening at 9 a.m. ET.

Sunday's race is sold out and a crowd of over 100,000 fans will take over the 2.5-mile superspeedway.

Coverage of the 68th Daytona 500 will begin at 1:30 p.m. ET Sunday on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Samuel Stubbs

Hailing from the same neck of the woods as NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin, Samuel has been covering NASCAR for Yardbarker since February 2024. He has been a member of the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) since October of 2024. When he’s not writing about racing, Samuel covers Arkansas Razorback basketball for Yardbarker

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