NASCAR Shifts Pocono Cup Race to Noon Ahead of Storm Threat
NASCAR announced that the Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono Raceway will now start at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Sunday, June 14, a two‑hour advance from its original slot. The change is a direct response to a forecast that calls for thunderstorms to develop in the late afternoon and early evening.
Meteorologists expect a clear sky through the morning, with a 0 % chance of precipitation until mid‑day. By 3:00 p.m. the likelihood of rain climbs to 48 %, and it reaches 66 % by 6:00 p.m., prompting the series to secure as much dry weather as possible before the storm window closes.
Because Pocono does not have lighting, the series cannot simply push the event into the night if delays occur. Instead, the earlier start gives officials a larger window to use sunlight to dry a slick surface, a process that can take up to two hours if the track becomes wet. Once the race reaches the halfway point, it is officially considered complete, but any rain that arrives before then could force a premature ending or a scramble to finish under caution.
The shift also reshapes strategy for drivers and crew chiefs, who must decide whether to race to the rain rather than pit for fresh tires or fuel. Even a brief gap in showers could be enough to dry the track, but intermittent showers may leave teams with insufficient time to make the most of a drying surface.
If the race proceeds without interruption, it is projected to run about three hours, finishing near 4:00 p.m., though cautions could extend the duration. Fans are urged to adjust their afternoon plans to tune in at the new start time, as the combination of weather and timing could make for a dramatically different spectacle.