The 1998 Pepsi 400 was supposed to be a summer night spectacle. NASCAR fans had marked their calendars for the annual Fourth of July race at Daytona. But as race day approached, a different kind of fire took center stage. Wildfires swept through Central Florida, turning skies into a thick haze of smoke and forcing thousands of residents to evacuate. With safety concerns mounting, NASCAR had no choice but to postpone the race.
The fully sold-out race was rescheduled to October which affected NASCAR’s plans. But it turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Jeff Gordon. The Hendrick Motorsports driver had won everywhere, but never in October. That changed in 1998 when he took the checkered flag at Daytona under the bright lights of the first-ever nighttime race at the speedway. When Gordon crossed the finish line, his crew chief Ray Evernham couldn’t contain his excitement. “Hey Jeff, it’s October, buddy! It’s October!” he shouted over the radio. Gordon, soaking in the moment, replied, “You better believe it.”
The delay had handed him a rare chance to break his October jinx, and he made the most of it. Now, in 2025, nature is once again playing a role in a NASCAR event. This time, it’s Homestead-Miami Speedway that finds itself in the middle of a brewing storm—not of rain, but of fire. With wildfires spreading across South Miami-Dade County, NASCAR is pushing forward with the weekend’s races. But with dry air and rising temperatures, could this be another moment when Mother Nature forces the governing body to rethink its plans?
Mother Nature’s plans for NASCAR weekend in Homestead-Miami!
This weekend, Homestead-Miami Speedway will host NASCAR’s triple-header, but wildfires are creating chaos just miles away. By midweek, officials had contained only 30% of the fire, and it had already disrupted traffic in parts of the region. Smoke has already disrupted local travel, caused traffic delays and raised concerns about air quality. Despite these risks, NASCAR has made its stance clear: the races will go on as planned.
But as the weekend approaches, the latest weather forecast for the weekend isn’t helping the situation. The latest forecast from Accuweather shows that there is a zero to five per cent chance of rain for the entire race weekend. Friday’s temperatures will hover around 23°C before dropping slightly in the evening. Saturday will be warmer, reaching a high of 25°C. However, Sunday will bring the hottest conditions of the weekend. Temperatures are expected to peak at 26°C by race time.
Thermal-INDYCAR
ET
Today
6:35-FS1-Practice
Sat
1-FS1-Practice
5:05-FS1-Qualifying
Sunday
11:02-FS1-Warmup
3-FOX-Prerace
3:17-FOX-Race green flag, 65 laps
NWS: Highs in 80s (60s for Sun a.m. warmup), 0% rain all weekend pic.twitter.com/oIXGwf6d20
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) March 21, 2025
But the bigger issue is the dry air, which could intensify the fires and spread the smoke closer to the track. According to the latest updates, the wind speed will range between 15 to 19 KM/H which might spread smoke and wildfire if the situation escalates. Notably, NASCAR fans travelling to the event have already been advised to keep their windows rolled up and set their air conditioning to recirculate. With 46,000 fans expected in attendance, the situation raises questions about safety. Poor air quality could impact drivers, teams, and spectators. Traffic delays due to road closures could lead to late arrivals and logistical nightmares.
If the fire grows worse over the weekend, NASCAR might have to reconsider its stance. Notably, in 1998 also NASCAR waited till the very last moment to cancel the event just an hour before the scheduled start time. That July 4 race was scheduled to be the first-ever night race at Daytona International Speedway and fans were pretty excited. Tickets sold out by March, and prime-time broadcaster CBS looked for its first major live event.
However, wildfires ripped through Central Florida, blanketing Daytona International Speedway in smoke. NASCAR had no choice but to postpone the race, moving it from its traditional July 4th slot to October 17. Now, as history threatens to repeat itself, NASCAR finds itself at a crossroads. Should they take extra precautions, or will they push through, no matter the risks? One thing is clear—Miami’s dry coast has set the stage for one of the most unpredictable race weekends in recent memory. While speaking about history we can’t forget that this weekend Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson is aiming for something very unique.
Kyle Larson eyes unique record!
While weather concerns dominate the headlines, Kyle Larson has his sights set on making NASCAR history. The Hendrick Motorsports driver will race in all three series this weekend—Cup, Xfinity, and Trucks. He hopes to become the second driver ever to sweep a triple-header. The only other driver to accomplish this feat? Kyle Busch, who pulled it off at Bristol in both 2010 and 2017.
For Larson, Homestead-Miami Speedway has always been a track that suits his style. His aggressive, high-line racing ability makes him a constant threat at the 1.5-mile oval. However, despite leading a record 626 laps at the track, his history has been mixed. In 2022, he dominated the track by leading 199 out of 267 laps to win the race. However, In 2023, while chasing Ryan Blaney for the lead he misjudged entry onto pit road and crashed into sand barrels to end his race.
Despite past frustrations, Larson is confident heading into the weekend. He’ll drive for Spire Motorsports in the Truck race, Hendrick Motorsports in the Xfinity race, and his usual No. 5 car in the Cup Series race. “Winning all three would be amazing. It was my idea to go for it, and I’m excited to see what happens,” Larson said. With wildfires creating uncertainty, one thing is clear—Kyle Larson is chasing history, and he won’t back down from the challenge.
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