Start times for Daytona 500, other Speedweeks events
By Sporting News
The Daytona 500 will have a 1 p.m. listed start time for the fourth consecutive year.
While NASCAR has not announced start times for all of its 2013
races, Daytona International Speedway has announced the start times for
its February Speedweeks events.
NASCAR made a move to more consistent start times starting in 2010
with most of its regular-season daytime races starting at 1 p.m. or 3
p.m. Eastern and its Chase for the Sprint Cup races most recently
starting at 2 p.m. or 3 p.m. Eastern.
Prior to that, the Daytona 500 started after 3 p.m. and ended under
the lights. (Last years race was run in prime time due to a long rain
delay.)
Although the start time is listed at 1 p.m., that typically is the
time for the prerace invocation. The green flag likely will be closer to
1:30 p.m.
Among the start times for other Daytona events:
The Daytona Shootout, which does not yet have an announced format or sponsor, will start at 8 p.m. on Saturday Feb. 16.
Daytona 500 qualifying (which sets the front row) is scheduled for 1 p.m. Feb. 17.
The Budweiser Duels to set the field for the Daytona 500 will start at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 21.
The Camping World Truck series opener, the NextEra Energy Resources 250, will be at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 22.
The Nationwide Series opener, the Drive4COPD 300, will be at 1 p.m. Feb. 23.
NASCAR typically announces its start times in January or early February.
