Rain pushes Xfinity race to resumption at noon

DAYTONA BEACH — Friday night’s Coca-Cola Firecracker 250 was postponed until today due to rain. Gates at Daytona International Raceway will open at 11 a.m., and the race will resume at noon.

Drivers got in eight laps in the Xfinity Series event before the rain arrived. The race was red-flagged three laps later and cars came to the pits to wait out the weather.

The raceway had scheduled four Mixed Martial Arts bouts for after the Firecracker 250. After about an hour, officials decided to start the night’s fighting card to fill the rain delay. Most of the drivers wandered over the nearby decagon, which was covered by a roof.

“This is a hell of a delay,” racer

said. Midway through the second round of the first fight, NASCAR announced the race would be postponed. It will be televised on CNBC. rain

fans will be thrilled if he ends the Coke Zero 400 in the same place he starts. Earnhardt won the pole for tonight’s race, posting a speed of 190.974 mph during Friday’s qualifying. Earnhardt has 17 wins at Daytona, including two Daytona 500s and two Coke Zero 400s. But tonight will be only the second time he’ll start a race from the No. 1 spot. “I feel great about the car,” Earnhardt said.

Hendrick Motorsports teammate will start alongside him on the front row after posting a speed of 190.050. Defending Coke Zero 400 champ

will start third and will start on the outside of Row 2.

“I think the Hendrick power shows down here,” said Kahne, who also drives for the team.

Elliott and Earnhardt were also on the front row for February’s Daytona 500, with Elliott on the pole in that race.

qualified 10th for tonight’s race. Her strategy — and everybody else’s in restrictor-plate racing — is to just to flow with the tight pack, hope to avoid trouble and be in position to win late.

“Hopefully we’ll hang in there all night,” Patrick said, “and have an awesome finish.”

turns 80 on Sunday and the NASCAR legend was presented with a birthday cake Friday after his press conference. It was shaped like the No. 43 car he won 200 races in, with an “8” and a “0” alongside the chassis. When Petty picked up the cake for photographers, the 8 tumbled off and hit the floor. The King decided on a better memento for the occasion. “I would have appreciated a check,” Petty laughed.