Drivers, Start Your Snowblowers
NASCAR fans are no strangers to having their viewing sessions impacted by rain delays, and sometimes, seeing races get pushed back a day to accomodate for the inclement weather. But snow delays? While not nearly as common, the recent postponement of the Xfinity Series race at Auto Club Speedway due to a freak California snowstorm shows that, yes, it can happen.
It’s been a weekend many fans have been looking forward to, as The Auto Club Speedway is set to undergo major renovations, with plans to reconstruct the facility into a half-mile high banked oval that features long straightaways like Martinsville and high banked turns like Bristol. Due to this, the 2023 races are set to be the last one on the current two-mile layout. However, the snowstorm forced the postponement of Saturday’s Production Alliance Group 300 NASCAR Xfinity Series until Sunday night.
But how common, or uncommon, are “snow delays” in NASCAR? Let’s take a look.
LAS VEGAS - 2022
If you’re an Xfinity Series fan like myself, you’ll remember last year’s event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway not for the caution that came out on Lap 16 for debris, but what followed.
Just a couple of laps later, rain had begun to fall from the sky, further delaying the restart. However, it didn’t take long for that rain to turn into snow.
As a result, the field was brought to pit road and put under the red flag. Snow continued to come down for 20 minutes before stopping, allowing the track to be properly dried and the race to resume without issue.
One of my favourite NASCAR follows on Twitter, Daylon Barr (@BarrVisuals), captured this tasty moment.
MARTINSVILLE - 2018
A lot – and I mean a lot – of snow fell on a cold, Saturday night in March over Martinsville, Virginia, making it impossible for NASCAR to run their Cup and Trucks Series races until the following Monday.
The storm began with rain fall, but worsened overnight and turned to full-on snowfall, which caused NASCAR to push both races into the following next week.
However, the Cup race that eventually took place on Monday was also notable for another reason: it was won by Clint Bowyer, a victory that broke his 190-race losing streak that dated all the way back to 2012.
I mean, look how happy he was. I wish my Monday’s were that fun.
BRISTOL - 2006
For another short track plagued by weird and wacky weather, we go to “The Coliseum, which had its fair share of challenges with a snowstorm in 2006.
Qualifying on Friday was cancelled, and then more snow on Saturday caused a red flag during the then-Busch Series Sharpie Mini 300. That race eventually finished as a night race and was won by Kyle Busch.
Despite the weather hiccups, the Cup Series race went on as scheduled on Sunday and was won Busch Brother #1, Kurt, who proceeded to perform snow angels on the start-finish line to celebrate.
I couldn’t find a good picture of said-snow angels, but trust me. He did them, and they were glorious.
ATLANTA - 1993
What a doozy. Originally scheduled for March 14, the Cup Series race was delayed almost a week due to the "Storm of the Century" that dumped nearly three feet of snow on large parts of Georgia.
Finally, on March 20th, the race got underway and it proved to be a dramatic one. Jeff Gordon, who was still searching for his first Cup Series win at the time, appeared to be well on his way to victory. However, a late spin allowed Morgan Shepherd to take the checkered flag. It would prove to be the final Cup Series win of Shepherd’s career.
Gordon would have to wait until the 1994 season for his breakthrough win, which came at the Coca-Cola 600, the very race that earned him the “Wonder Boy” nickname from Dale Earnhardt.