The NASCAR Cup Series returns to Martinsville Speedway for Sunday's Cook Out 400 (3 p.m. ET, FS1), and weather could have an impact on today's race.
The updated NASCAR weather forecast shows a chance of rain at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday afternoon, though the timing and amount of precipitation will determine if the Cook Out 400 is ultimately delayed.
With this in mind, let's look at the latest NASCAR weather forecast for Martinsville, including the potential for rain delays in today's race.
NASCAR Weather Forecast for Martinsville
According to the National Weather Service, there's a 30% chance of rain at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday afternoon, so the early forecast does look promising.
However, the probability of rain increasing to 60% by Sunday evening could cause issues and should certainly impact your NASCAR picks for Martinsville as well.
A deeper look at the hourly breakdown shows a 30% chance of precipitation at 3 p.m. ET, the scheduled start of today's race, which then bumps to 36% by 4 p.m. ET, 38% by 5 p.m. ET, and 41% by 6 p.m. ET.
It's important to note that NASCAR does bring rain tires to Martinsville, so as long as the rain is light, cars can still run in wet conditions without a delay.
In addition, Martinsville Speedway has lights, giving NASCAR a long runway to complete today's race even if it is delayed due to rain.
If rain is heavy enough to force a postponement of the Cook Out 400, Monday's forecast doesn't look great either, with an 80% chance of precipitation and the potential for thunderstorms as well.
According to live NASCAR odds, Ryan Blaney (+550) and Denny Hamlin (+550) are race co-favorites at DraftKings Sportsbook, followed by Kyle Larson (+650), Christopher Bell (+700), and Chase Elliott (+850).
