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Rainy races in NASCAR history
By Zack Albert | Published: August 21, 2022 20
Sarah Crabill | Getty Images
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Sarah Crabill | Getty Images
NASCAR teams raced in the rain during this weekend's events at Watkins Glen International. Wet-weather racing has happened on several occasions, most often in the Xfinity Series. With a soggy Sunday start at the New York road course, here's a historical look at NASCAR's experience with rainy races.
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ISC Archives & Research Center | Getty Images
Road America, 1956
The NASCAR Cup Series' first trip to the Elkhart Lake circuit was won by Hall of Famer Tim Flock, but it was also the series' only race that'd been partly affected by rain. The series returned to the 4.048-mile track in 2021.
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Robert Laberge | Getty Images
Montreal, 2008
The Xfinity Series made six visits to Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, and two of those were impacted by wet weather. Here, Canadian Ron Fellows guides the JR Motorsports No. 5 Chevrolet through the rain.
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Robert Laberge | Getty Images
Fellows led seven of the 48 laps, shortened from a scheduled 74-lap distance when the rain became torrential. Rain or not, he was pleased with the trophy after what wound up being the last of his four Xfinity Series wins.
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Elsa | Getty Images
Montreal, 2009
Paul Menard works his way through the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve bends during a damp 2009 running of the NAPA Auto Parts 200. Carl Edwards denied Marcos Ambrose with a last-lap pass in the Xfinity Series.
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Tyler Barrick | Getty Images
Road America, 2013
The Xfinity Series' fourth trip to the Wisconsin venue didn't feature a rainy race, but precipitation dropped on opening practice for the Johnsonville Sausage 200 (later won by AJ Allmendinger).
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Rainier Ehrhardt | Getty Images
Road America, 2014
Elliott Sadler leads a pack through the soak and spray in Elkhart Lake, as the series negotiated rain in 2014. Brendan Gaughan prevailed in overtime for his first Xfinity Series win.
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Jonathan Moore | Getty Images
Mid-Ohio, 2016
Justin Marks tiptoes through the rain on the way to his lone Xfinity Series win at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Marks' road-racing expertise came through as he led 43 of 75 laps.
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Chris Trotman | Getty Images
Watkins Glen, 2018
Practice and the race were subject to rain two years ago at Watkins Glen International for the Xfinity Series. Here, Ryan Truex works his way up through the esses on the 2.45-mile course.
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Jeff Zelevansky | Getty Images
AJ Allmendinger leads the field into Turn 1 during the rainy 2018 Xfinity Series race at Watkins Glen. Joey Logano, right behind him in the No. 22 Ford, won by leading 31 of 82 laps.
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Stacy Revere | Getty Images
Road America, 2020
Preston Pardus wheels the No 36 Chevrolet through a precipitation-drenched Road America. Austin Cindric scored the victory in the Henry 180.
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Chris Graythen | Getty Images
Daytona Road Course, 2020
The first Xfinity Series race on the Daytona International Speedway road course layout began with a damp start, giving teams the option for rain tires. The weather eventually cleared, and so did the path to victory for Austin Cindric, who started from the pole position in the No. 22 Team Penske Ford.
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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
Charlotte Roval, 2020
The rains came early and often in the Xfinity Series Round of 12 finale at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval.
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Sean Gardner | Getty Images
AJ Allmendinger emerged victorious to nab the win on the Charlotte Roval -- his second straight win on the 17-turn course.
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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
Charlotte Roval, 2020
The first portion of Stage 1 in the Cup Series Round of 12 elimination race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval was run with rain tires.
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Sean Gardner | Getty Images
Drivers switched to slick tires once drying begin to take place on the 17-turn road course. Chase Elliott earned his second straight win on the Roval to advance to the Playoffs Round of 8.
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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
Circuit of The Americas, 2021
The Camping World Truck Series' inaugural race at the Austin, Texas road course turned damp. Todd Gilliland tamed the inclement conditions for his second victory in the series, besting runner-up Kaz Grala by a 7.941-second margin and pocketing a $50,000 bonus in the Triple Truck Challenge initiative.
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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
Sunday's inaugural for the NASCAR Cup Series at Circuit of The Americas was a torrential affair, stopped 13 laps shy of its scheduled 68 lap distance. Chase Elliott outlasted the field in the wet weather for his first win of the season and the 800th for Chevrolet in NASCAR's top division.
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Meg Oliphant | Getty Images
Portland, 2022
Another first-time event turned soggy when the Xfinity Series made its debut at Portland International Speedway. AJ Allmendinger emerged from the soak and spray in the Kaulig Racing No. 16 Chevrolet, surviving multiple off-course excursions for the checkered flag.
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Sean Gardner | Getty Images
Watkins Glen, 2022
The Cup Series started the Go Bowling at The Glen on rain tires after a delay for excessive standing water and visibility concerns. Teams swapped to dry racing slicks at various points during Stage 1 as the sun came out and conditions improved.