The much‑anticipated Speedway Classic kicked off with the kind of energy fans had been waiting for all year. Pregame festivities were nothing short of spectacular, with music, ceremonies, and a sea of fans packing the stands, buzzing with excitement. Everything seemed perfectly set for a thrilling night of action. But just as the main event was ready to unfold, the skies opened up, forcing a two-hour and 17-minute rain delay.

Fans were left to brave the storm, and the Braves even made the tough call to pull their ace, Spencer Strider, from the start to protect his arm. The game finally got underway, with the crowd roaring as the first pitches were thrown, but it was short-lived. Just one out into the bottom of the first inning, with the Reds having taken a 1-0 lead, the rain returned, and this time, it was too much.

Mother Nature, unrelenting, had the final say, as the game was suspended for the day. But when will it resume?

“The Speedway Classic has been suspended and will resume tomorrow at 1 pm EST,” Talkin’ Baseball wrote on Instagram, sharing the latest update on the game.

So, despite such fanfare and grandeur, it is all over for today. Well, rain is in nobody’s control, but what about planning the event, keeping the forecast in mind? That’s perhaps where things went wrong. In an era where weather radars can spot a drizzle before you can, race officials somehow got caught flat-footed. There was a 25% rainfall probability, but the officials proceeded with the game. The starters had even warmed up with the anticipation crackling through the stands. And then, splat. Raindrops.

Instead of roaring down the straight, fans watched puddles form. And by the time the red flags came out, the only thing moving fast was the crowd’s frustration.

The call came a bit too late. Rain was already coming down when Braves icon Chipper Jones and Reds legend Johnny Bench tossed out the ceremonial first pitches. That should’ve been the warning sign, the moment to hit pause. But no, the game went on. And the rain didn’t just soak the fans; it made life miserable for the players. For instance, TJ Friedl lost the grip on his bat leading off for the Reds. And a pitcher nearly slipped while covering first.

What’s more is that the Braves had to scratch Spencer Strider from his start after the rain delay dragged past two hours. Coming off an elbow injury, Strider would’ve had to warm up twice, something no pitcher wants, let alone one. And by the time the night ended, fans were drenched and frustrated, players were forced into risky conditions, and the MLB Speedway Classic had turned into a mess capped by an abrupt postponement.

For many fans, too, it turned into a miserable ordeal due to poor planning and bad weather. The heavy rain left thousands of people stranded in the elements, drenching them and putting a damper on the highly anticipated event. What made the situation worse was the apparent lack of foresight in planning for such a large crowd.

Despite a record-breaking attendance of over 85,000, the available food and drink options were incredibly limited. This meant that fans who had been sitting in the rain for hours were not only cold and wet but also left starving with few places to go.

But while the main event was curtailed by rain, the pre-game event was quite colorful!

Speedway Classic got an uninterrupted pre-game event

Well, it was an eventful night at the MLB Speedway Classic, even before the rain took over. Fans were treated to a mini-festival with country superstar Tim McGraw, pop icon Pitbull, and country hitmaker Jake Owen all taking the stage for a genre-blending pregame concert. And yes, did we expect a flyover by the U.S. Navy?

The U.S. Navy had its moment in the spotlight, too, as part of its 250th birthday celebration this October. MU1 Kathryn Dobyns delivered a stirring national anthem while the Navy Ceremonial Guard presented the colors, capped off by a flyover from four roaring F/A-18 Super Hornets out of Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach.

And then it was the turn of Hall of Famers with the ceremonial first pitches. Braves legend Chipper Jones fired one to NASCAR driver Chase Elliott, and Reds Hall of Famer Johnny Bench paired up with Kyle Busch for the second. The players made their entrance in style, circling the speedway in the beds of pickup trucks before stepping onto the temporary diamond in the middle of one of motorsport’s most iconic venues.

That was entertainment at its peak! Fortunately, the pre-game events were not marred by downpours. The main event, however, was curtailed and has now been shifted to tomorrow. Hopefully, the weather holds up.