Fans sit in the rain during the delayed NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 54th Daytona 500 race at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach
On Sunday, rain continuously poured on the rack of the Daytona International Speedway. In a rare, unprecedented move, NASCAR officials were forced to postpone the Sprint Cup Series' biggest event of the year, but will the race be postponed again? Reuters

The Daytona 500 is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. EST on Fox, according to Yahoo Sports.

NASCAR officials had initially rescheduled the Daytona 500 to begin at noon on Monday, but Yahoo Sports' Dan Wetzel reported that race officials instead have pushed the start time back to primetime due to rain concerns.

It is expected to rain throughout the afternoon and the race cannot begin until officials dry off the track, which is usually a two-hour process. NASCAR officials hope for dry weather for Daytona 500 under the bright lights of primetime.

The Daytona 500 was initially scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m., but was postponed for the first time in the race's 54-year history due to rain delays.

The change in time puts more pressure on the drivers to try to stay focused during another long wait period before the start of the race.

This is one of the toughest things for us drivers, Carl Edwards told reporters on Sunday. You plan on it and get all geared up, then you put it off for a day and it's now who can really stay focused. But not just for the drivers. It's the pit crews and the crew chiefs, as well.

If it goes on as planned at 7 p.m., it will allow the race to recoup some of the viewers it would have lost with a noon start time. The Great American Race is typically NASCAR's most viewed race of the year and many would have been unable to watch the race at noon due to a lack of streaming options and work obligations.

If rain continues to be an issue tonight it is possible the race could be moved back to Tuesday or have to be rescheduled for sometime in April.

Yahoo