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Great American Getaway 400 weather delay: NASCAR Cup Series Pocono race start time revealed

JHby: Jonathan Howard06/22/25Jondean25
Pocono Raceway NASCAR rain
Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Another week, and we are facing rain on race day once again. The Pocono NASCAR Cup Series race is currently on a delay. Last week in Mexico City, it didn’t matter much thanks to wet-weather tires and all of that. At Pocono, that’s not an option.

Today’s race was set to fire engines around 2:20 PM ET. So, we are clearly looking at a delay past that time. How much past that time? That remains to be seen. NASCAR is going to keep drying the track and working to get it ready for the race.

Unfortunately, no lights at Pocono Raceway for NASCAR. So, this race needs to start no later than 5:00 PM ET if we want to see all 400 miles.

NASCAR has announced a start time of 4:30 PM ET for today’s race. At that point, sunset could play a factor at around 8:30 PM ET if there are further delays. Whether that comes via more rain, lightning, or an unusual number of caution flags.

Driver intros and pre-race ceremonies will still happen. Engines will be fired at 4:19 PM ET.

A race is official when it reaches the halfway point or the end of Stage 2. Whichever happens first. 160 laps, laps in this race, so the halfway point will be prior to the end of Stage 2. Stages are set for 30 laps, 65 laps, and 65 laps. So, lap 80 is where this NASCAR race at Pocono becomes officially official, no matter what happens afterward.

The Tricky Triangle is tricky for many reasons. Three unique corners on the track, the high speeds, and the weather. If it isn’t rain, it’s fog. This track is known for its wacky weather and configuration. Both of those factors will have an effect on today’s race.

NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono delayed

This race takes about three hours to run. That is with a normal amount of caution flags. However, last night’s Xfinity Series race had a record number of yellow flags. Could that be the case today in the Cup Series race?

NASCAR has a long and proud history at Pocono. There have been so many iconic moments, finishes, wrecks, and wins. You think of Denny Hamlin sweeping the two races in 2006 as a rookie. Ryan Blaney’s first Cup Series win with Wood Brothers Racing in 2017. Kyle Larson vs. Hamlin a few years ago gave us a very recent iconic moment.

It was Blaney last year at Pocono in a dominant performance. He led the most laps and earned his second win of the season for 2024. He picked up a win at Nashville earlier this season, and that speed from Music City should show up again at Pocono this weekend.

Today’s NASCAR race at Pocono is going to happen. We are just going to have a very tight window to get it all in later today. 4:30 PM ET start time, tune into Prime Video to catch all of the action at the Tricky Triangle.