Hurricane Joaquin puts NASCAR race in jeopardy

Officials at the Dover International Speedway have a lot at stake and are closely monitoring Hurricane Joaquin.

They have a race scheduled for this weekend with thousands expected to attend. Some NASCAR lovers already have their campers set up outside the speedway. 

Ed Klima, the senior director of public safety and track operations says they had a similar situation with the remnants of hurricane Isabel in 2003. He says the best thing they can do right now is play the situation by ear.  

Klima continues, “We can’t race when it’s raining. We would race the next sunny day. Typically you know if it’s still raining on Tuesday then that presents other challenges.”

Klima says historically the cut off day beyond which a race won’t be pushed back is the following Tuesday. That would be October 6th in this case.

He says the speedway is working with NASCAR and their broadcast partners to determine long term plans if drivers can’t race that day.