NASCAR Won’t Let Rain Ruin Its Oval-Racing Fun Anymore

It’s like the rain on your NASCAR day. Photo: Meg Oliphant (Getty Images)

Is there anything worse than a rain delay in sports? It’s so disappointing when a football match is abandoned because the referee decides the pitch is too waterlogged. Or in tennis, there’s nothing like the sight of a field crew rushing onto the court to cover it and protect it from the deluge. Now, NASCAR is looking to end similar delays with a new wet weather pack that could be used at select races on the schedule.

Sometimes there is no escaping a rain delay in motorsport. This happens in Formula 1 when the cars have to follow the safety car until the course is deemed safe, and it also happens in stock car racing. But NASCAR hopes to minimize the impact of a sudden downpour with a new pack created for short oval circuits.

In the past, races have always been interrupted at NASCAR meets when the rain falls. Indeed, the slick tires used in NASCAR paired with the slick surface of a race track can be a recipe for disaster when a patch of drizzle is thrown into the mix.

Now a new wet weather pack has been approved for use on oval circuits to try and minimize rain delays at events.

You are the reason for the raindrops on my NASCAR. Photo: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire (Getty Images)

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According to Road & Track, the new wet weather pack could be introduced at events such as Clash, Martinsville, New Hampshire, North Wilkesboro, Phoenix and Richmond. Road and track reports:

“The oval rain package will mirror that currently used at NASCAR road events. This means it will include hardware such as a windshield wiper, flaps behind the wheels, Goodyear rain tires and rain lighting affixed to the rear of racing cars.

All of the tracks we might see the pack popping up on are at the short end, with none of the tracks being over a mile long. This helps to ensure that the speeds remain manageable in all sorts of adverse weather conditions on the track.

Seems like a great start to minimizing rain delays at races, as things like windshield wipers and lights can help improve visibility on a soggy course. The lights that will be fitted to the wet racing cars include a flashing rain light, as well as four brake lights.

The raindrops keep falling on my NASCAR. Photo: David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire (Getty Images)

Prior to the introduction of the wet weather pack, NASCAR was limited to racing in the rain at select tracks on the schedule. These included the Circuit of the Americas and Watkins Glen, where the track’s drainage and surface make it safer.

But, it is important to note that updates will not completely prevent rain delays from occurring. Standing water on a track is always dangerous for drivers and officials can always intervene if they deem the conditions too bad for racing.

What the pack means, however, is that the racing action will be able to start sooner once the wet weather conditions start to improve. Now, who knows a good rain dance so we can see these measures in action?