If you’ve followed the Coke Zero Sugar 400 for any length of time, you know Daytona in late summer is almost as unpredictable as the racing. The race was originally run on the Fourth of July, back when fans baked under that Florida sun with only an evening fireworks show to cool them off. Afternoon heat and pop-up thunderstorms were basically part of the tradition.

In 2015, for example, rain pushed the start all the way past midnight, and the race didn’t wrap up until almost 3 a.m., one of the latest finishes in NASCAR history. Fans were groggy but still buzzing after that wild last-lap crash at the line.

That wasn’t the only rain-soaked memory. Weather delays have been a frequent guest at this event. The 2019 edition was shortened by rain after 127 laps, handing Justin Haley a surpris

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