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Daytona 500: How NASCAR officials dry the track at Daytona International Speedway

By Dani Medina
Updated  February 19, 2024 11:50am EST
NASCAR Daytona 500
FOX 35 Orlando

Daytona 500: Here's how big trucks dry the track in hours

Former NASCAR driver Jesse Little joins Good Day Orlando to discuss the track-drying process ahead of Monday's double-header after a wet, wet weekend across Central Florida. The United Rentals 300 race is slated for 9 p.m., following the Daytona 500 that's set to kick off at 4 p.m. on FOX 35.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - After a wet, wet weekend in Daytona Beach, it's finally race day. The skies are clearing up and NASCAR officials are already in the process of drying up the tracks at Daytona International Speedway ahead of Monday's double-header. 

The Daytona 500 was rescheduled to 4 p.m., followed by the NASCAR Xfinity Series at 9 p.m. The latter was originally rescheduled to 11 a.m., but was pushed back due to continuing inclement weather in the area. 

The FOX 35 Storm Team said all the rain should be "long gone" by 4 p.m., giving race officials the chance to get the track dried ahead of the two races. 

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Jesse Little, a former NASCAR driver who stepped into the logistics and management side of the biz, joined FOX 35's Good Day Orlando on Monday morning and shared some insight about the track-drying process. 

The beginning step is to introduce air tundras and jet blowers – and of course, the sun peeking out late Monday morning is helping accelerate that process. NASCAR had 31 trucks out on the track on Monday, and about half of them are Tundra drivers. 

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Tundras drive at 3 mph and pull the moisture out of the track. Once the final rain cell has passed, huge air dryers will be placed out on the track. 

That process takes about two hours, or maybe a little bit longer depending on the weather conditions. 

The Daytona 500 is slated to start at 4 p.m., and the NASCAR Xfinity Series is scheduled to start at either 9 p.m., or an hour after the end of the Daytona 500.