Weather Forecast for NASCAR Cup Series 2021 Race at Martinsville: Will Rain Affect the Race?

Published 04/09/2021, 2:20 PM EDT

This weekend, the NASCAR Cup Series kicks off at the Martinsville Speedway. What makes this race so special is the fact that it is the first night race of the season. This weekend’s race marks the first of two Martinsville visits, with the second one taking place during the Playoffs.

For the extra challenge, reports suggest that the paddock can expect rain on the horizon. Around that time, the percentage of humidity is expected to be around the mid-70s to early 80s. In addition to that, the air temperature will likely hover around 60°F to 70°F. Suffice to say, rain on a track that is this short, things could get very interesting indeed.

Forecasts indicate a little more promising about tonight, still around 70% chance rain tomorrow night for Martinsville. Have seen worse forecasts and no rain. I do not have firm contingency plans as far as times if races need to be rescheduled. https://t.co/H0MmGruXaX
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) April 9, 2021

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What to expect at the NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville?

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For this weekend’s race, Joey Logano starts on pole position. This comes on the back of the #22 driver winning last time around at Bristol. Alongside him on the front row is championship leader, Denny Hamlin. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver will be eager to finally win a Cup race this season.

Considering that every race has produced different race winners, a Hamlin win is certainly feasible. However, the chances of someone else stealing his thunder is not out of the realm of possibility. It is a known fact that the Martinsville Speedway is one of the shortest NASCAR tracks. This is what makes it so challenging for the driver.

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It is also worth mentioning that Martin Truex Jr will also be keen to defend his Martinsville crown. Other Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500 winners include Hamlin himself, Brad Keselowski, Kyle and Kurt Busch, Ryan Newman and Kevin Harvick. However, with the threat of the rain, the Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500 will likely descend into a lottery. Nevertheless, the fans and TV viewers will hopefully get their money’s worth.

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Dhruv George is a senior Formula One and NASCAR analyst for EssentiallySports, having authored nearly 12000 articles spanning different sports like F1, NASCAR, Tennis, NFL, and eSports. He graduated with a PG Diploma in Journalism from the Xavier Institute of Communications. Dhruv has also conducted interviews with F1 driver Pierre Gasly and Moto2 rider Tony Arbolino.