DAYTONA BEACH, Florida - The Daytona 500 was postponed to Monday after constant showers on Sunday ruined the hopes of thousands of fans at the Great American Race.
The organisers finally threw in the towel four hours after the scheduled start time when a shower wrecked all the work that had been done drying out the track.
The washout caused, for the first time in the 54 years the postponement of the traditional opener to the Nascar season.
'IT'S THE RIGHT THING...'
Carl Edwards, who has pole position for the grid, said: "Nascar is doing the right thing in not dragging this out and everyone now knows we will be racing on Monday. I hope the weather holds off."
Rain is, however, forecast for Monday so there could be more delays and frustration.
"I guess I'm going to have to win the first Monday Daytona 500," said Ford driver Greg Biffle, also on the front row of the grid. "To just put it on hold makes it tough for a driver because the adrenalin is flowing and you have to try to sleep.
Eight previous Daytona 500 races have been affected by rain in some way but none has ever failed to finish on a Sunday.
The organisers finally threw in the towel four hours after the scheduled start time when a shower wrecked all the work that had been done drying out the track.
The washout caused, for the first time in the 54 years the postponement of the traditional opener to the Nascar season.
'IT'S THE RIGHT THING...'
Carl Edwards, who has pole position for the grid, said: "Nascar is doing the right thing in not dragging this out and everyone now knows we will be racing on Monday. I hope the weather holds off."
Rain is, however, forecast for Monday so there could be more delays and frustration.
"I guess I'm going to have to win the first Monday Daytona 500," said Ford driver Greg Biffle, also on the front row of the grid. "To just put it on hold makes it tough for a driver because the adrenalin is flowing and you have to try to sleep.
Eight previous Daytona 500 races have been affected by rain in some way but none has ever failed to finish on a Sunday.