Bristol dirt NASCAR Cup, Truck races postponed until Monday

Heavy rains on Saturday night left the parking and campground areas around Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway flooded and rain was expected to continue until late afternoon on Sunday.

Once it stopped raining, the dirt track surface would require extensive track preparation that made conducting Sunday’s races impracticable. NASCAR also said Sullivan County (Tenn.) flood warnings and safety concerns played a role in the decision.

Sunday’s Cup Series race – the first in the series on dirt in more than 50 years – has been postponed until 4 p.m. Monday and will be broadcast live on Fox Sports.

Sunday night’s Truck race – already postponed once from Saturday night – is now slated to begin at noon ET Monday and broadcast live on Fox Sports 1.

Because the heat races for both Trucks and Cup were canceled on Saturday, the race lineups for both Trucks and Cup were set per their respective rulebooks, which is based mostly on owner points.

John Hunter Nemechek will lead the Truck field to green.

Kyle Larson would have started the Cup race from the pole but changed engines over the weekend and will have to start Sunday’s race from the rear of the field.

Last weekend’s race winner, Ryan Blaney, will now begin the Cup race in the No. 1 starting position when the race takes the green flag.