NASCAR is headed to New Hampshire Motor Speedway for a packed weekend of racing, but the weather forecast could become part of the story before the checkered flag falls.
The three-day schedule at the âMagic Mileâ begins Friday, Aug. 21, and runs through Sundayâs NASCAR Cup Series Dollar Tree 301. While Friday and Saturday currently look relatively favorable for on-track activity, Sunday is the day NASCAR teams and fans will want to watch.
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The forecast for Loudon, New Hampshire, calls for increasing precipitation potential during the weekend, with showers possible Sunday. One current forecast shows a 49% chance of precipitation and afternoon thunderstorms Sunday, when the Cup race is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. ET.
With several days remaining before the green flag, however, the timing and likelihood of any rain could change.
Friday Forecast Looks Favorable for NASCAR Activity
NASCAR has a busy Friday planned at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and the early forecast offers encouraging news.
Friday is expected to be partly cloudy to partly sunny, with temperatures reaching around the upper 70s to low 80s. The forecast provided Thursday shows only a 5% chance of precipitation.
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That would be welcome news considering how much track activity is packed into the afternoon.
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour is scheduled to practice at 11:30 a.m. ET and 12:40 p.m. ET before qualifying at 2:45 p.m. ET.
The Craftsman Truck Series follows with practice at 4 p.m. ET and qualifying at 5:05 p.m. ET.
There are no national-series races Friday, but teams should have plenty to accomplish if the weather cooperates.
Saturday Forecast Should Allow Cup Practice and Qualifying
Saturday is when the Cup Series finally hits the track.
The forecast calls for cloudy skies with a high around the mid-to-upper 70s and an 11% chance of precipitation.
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Cup Series practice is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. ET, followed by qualifying at 11:35 a.m. ET.
The Craftsman Truck Series Team EJP 175 is then scheduled to take the green flag at 1:30 p.m. ET, with coverage on FS1 and FOX One.
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour’s Mohegan Sun 100 follows at 4:30 p.m. ET.
At this point, Saturday’s weather does not appear to pose a significant threat to NASCAR’s schedule.
Sunday Weather Could Be the One to Watch at New Hampshire
Sunday presents the biggest question of the weekend.
The latest forecast provided Thursday calls for a high around 77 degrees with a 49% chance of precipitation and the possibility of afternoon thunderstorms.
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That timing is notable.
The NASCAR Cup Series Dollar Tree 301 is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. ET Sunday, putting the race directly into the portion of the day when thunderstorms could develop.
Other current forecasting sources are somewhat less aggressive about Sunday’s rain potential, illustrating how much uncertainty remains this far from the race. One forecast for the Concord area, near the speedway, currently shows precipitation probabilities around 20% to 30% during much of Sunday afternoon.
For now, that makes this a forecast worth monitoring rather than a prediction that NASCAR will encounter a delay.
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The Cup race is scheduled for 301 laps and approximately 318 miles around New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s 1.058-mile oval.
USA Network will carry Sunday’s race, with streaming available on HBO Max. PRN and SiriusXM will provide radio coverage.
Weather forecasts can change significantly in the days and even hours leading into a NASCAR race. But as teams arrive in New Hampshire, Sunday afternoon currently represents the biggest weather concern of the weekend.
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