Mother Nature has a way of keeping things interesting. A triple-header at Martinsville Speedway is on the horizon, and the excitement is at an all-time high for the jam-packed schedule. However, before the roar of the engines can be heard at ‘The Paperclip’, fans are keeping an eye on the gray skies, as the threat of rain looms large. The legendary track has hosted plenty of unforgettable races in the past, but could heavy showers cast a shadow over what should be an exciting weekend?
It certainly seems to be the case. Even though fans are hoping for sunshine and fast laps, the weather gods may have other plans. How might that affect the upcoming Truck, Xfinity, and Cup Series fixtures? Let’s explore.
NASCAR’s Martinsville Speedway triple-header is at nature’s mercy
Martinsville Speedway has quite a history with NASCAR. The short track found a place in the Cup Series calendar back in 1949 and has been consistently featured since then. It’s not the first time weather will play spoilsport in the drama at ‘The Paperclip’, and it certainly won’t be the last. Even though predictions are never set in stone, the forecast ahead of the race weekend doesn’t look promising at all.
According to forecasts, Friday’s Truck Series race scheduled for 7:30 pm ET could see scattered showers. Mostly cloudy skies and highs of 72°F combined with a 52°F low don’t paint a promising picture. With 40% humidity, rain could pose a threat when the Boys & Girls Club of the Blue Ridge 200 gets underway under the Martinsville lights. The same is expected on Saturday for the Xfinity Series when the US Marine Corps 250 takes place at 5 pm ET.
Temperatures are set to rise to 73°F, and the humidity level is set to increase to 44% on Saturday. However, the biggest threat lies on Sunday, as showers are expected ahead of the 2025 Cook Out 400. As things stand, the chance of rain is 35-40% throughout the day, with the humidity level rising to 60%. This could seriously disrupt the high-stakes Cup Series race, forcing a postponement.
The last time rain played a role at ‘The Paperclip’ was back in 2023, during the Long John Silver’s 200 Truck Series race. Teams were forced to start with wet weather tires, which proved to be a resounding success. However, with 76 laps remaining, Mother Nature played spoilsport again, forcing NASCAR to end the race prematurely. Corey Heim, who was leading the pack at the stoppage, was declared the winner, which kick-started his era of dominance. Heim is currently the points leader in the Truck Series as they gear up for Friday’s Martinsville race.
#NASCAR is at @MartinsvilleSwy this weekend for the #CookOut400!
Rain is in the forecast all three days, with the greatest chance on Sunday. The timing & strength is still uncertain, so check back for updates!
Head to https://t.co/notLlmk37p for the full forecast! pic.twitter.com/sa06jdMCxf
— RaceWeather (@RaceWeather) March 27, 2025
Earlier this year, the 67th Daytona 500 was delayed by more than four hours because of weather, which led to two red-flag stoppages. Eleven of the scheduled 200 laps were completed before the first delay, which lasted over three hours. Drivers eventually got back on the track and took eight caution laps before being forced to return to the pit road once again for a second delay. It’ll be an outcome NASCAR will be hoping to avoid this time around, and if recent weeks are anything to go by, they have been quite lucky in this regard. Do you think rain will play spoilsport at Martinsville Speedway this weekend? Let us know in the comments!
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