The NASCAR Cup Series event at Atlanta Motor Speedway, billed as the Quaker State 400, started on schedule but was quickly interrupted by a storm cell that rolled into the Hampton area of Georgia, prompting a lightning hold after 109 laps.
Lightning Hold Halts Action
Race officials raised the red flag at 8:25 p.m. Eastern, noting that while the track was still dry when the hold was issued, rain began to fall shortly thereafter, drenching the circuit and forcing a full drying operation.
Series leader Ryan Blaney was at the front of the pack when the caution was displayed, but the competition was suspended before the race could reach the 130‑lap mark that would have cemented its official status.
Drying the Track
NASCAR lifted the lightning hold at 8:10 p.m. Central and immediately began a track‑drying process that typically takes between 90 and 120 minutes, hoping to get the event back under green before the evening forecast worsens.
Meteorologists from the National Weather Service had earlier warned that July 13 could bring a 50‑to‑70 percent chance of rain across the Atlanta metro area, with mid‑morning through evening showing the highest probability of showers.
Heavy rain was recorded at 7:40 p.m. Central, completely washing out the speedway, and officials warned that a full drying of the asphalt would be required before any green‑flag restart could be attempted.
If the race does not finish on the originally scheduled date, it will be rescheduled for July 13, when teams will have to contend with the same unsettled weather pattern that forced the initial delay.