It’s been a wet start to the weekend already at North Wilkesboro Speedway and the latest NASCAR weather forecast for Saturday isn’t all that promising, either.
Rain washed out All-Star Open qualifying on Friday, forcing NASCAR to set the starting lineup by owners points.
In addition, All-Star Race qualifying and the pit crew challenge was also pushed from Friday until Saturday morning due to rain.
With this in mind, let’s examine the updated NASCAR weather forecast for Saturday at North Wilkesboro, including the chances that rain impacts tonight’s All-Star Race heat races, which are scheduled to start at 5:20 p.m. ET (FS2).
NASCAR Weather Forecast for Saturday
According to the National Weather Service, Saturday’s forecast does include rain, especially as the day progresses.
There’s a 60% chance of rain this afternoon, which increases to 70% tonight.
Looking at the All-Star Race heat races specifically, the hourly breakdown shows a 58% chance of rain at 5 p.m. ET, then bounces between 61-66% through 9 p.m. ET.
It’s also important to note that the chances of precipitation do begin to drop after 9 p.m. ET, so it’s not as if it’s an absolute washout depending on the timing and how much rain falls.
For what it’s worth, North Wilkesboro Speedway does have lights, so NASCAR can attempt to wait out the rain if there is a window to dry the surface and get cars on track on Saturday night.
Live NASCAR odds show Denny Hamlin (+475) as the All-Star Race favorite, followed by William Byron (+575), Ryan Blaney (+575), Kyle Larson (+800) and Christopher Bell (+800) at BetMGM.
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