“It would be a disservice to the fans”: Fans urge NASCAR to complete the race amid rain delay at Dover

Fans online have been pleading with NASCAR to continue racing at Dover Motor Speedway after a late rain delay. The track has been plagued with rain in recent years, with multiple races being either postponed or split over two days because of continued rain, including the 2019, 2022, and 2023 events.

Likewise, the 2025 event is no different as rain cancelled out qualifying and practice sessions before affecting the race on Sunday, July 20. In the closing stages, rain has caused cautions and a temporary halt, but NASCAR kept pit road open for the drivers and expected them to eventually return to green flag conditions.

One issue is that racing at Dover without the benefit of track lights means the race must finish before sunset, further constraining the timing factor of drying the track and resuming the race.

Fans online took to X to urge NASCAR to complete the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400. Some fans reiterated that not completing the Cup Series race because of weather issues would be a disservice to the fans.

"There are 3 hours of light left to finish 12 laps. It would be a disservice to the fans to not run this out IMO," one fan wrote.

Another fan penned:

"Still enough daytime to dry the track and get back going. There’s no excuse. We came to see 400 Miles I best get it if possible."

One fan claimed what the "right thing" for racing was and wrote:

"The right thing to do is dry it if you can. We should always try to complete the race."

Another said that ending the race would alienate the fans further:

"They will only further push fans away if they end the race."

As of the red flag caused by rain, with 13 laps at Dover Motor Speedway, Denny Hamlin led the race, with Christopher Bell, Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, and Alex Bowman in the top five. The finishing order under review, and potential race resumption still to be determined by the weather conditions.

The race had many caution laps and lead changes, Hamlin and Elliott swapping time at the front, with rain pouring down in the last laps.

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Denny Hamlin’s spotter points out Alex Bowman’s run during the NASCAR race at Dover

During the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series race at Dover Motor Speedway, Denny Hamlin's spotter, Chris Lambert, highlighted Alex Bowman's exceptional ability to utilize the high lane. He noted that Bowman was the only driver successfully making the top groove work late in a run.

Lambert relayed over the radio that Bowman's chosen line was about two-tenths of a second faster than the rest of the field, a significant advantage at a track as demanding as Dover. Both Hamlin and Bowman, who started 13th and 16th, respectively, climbed into the top five by the end of the early stages, competing alongside strong contenders like Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson.

Bowman's skill in the high lane stood out particularly because he had come to Dover seeking his first win of the 2025 season, previously showing similar prowess at Homestead-Miami before a late mistake cost him the victory there.

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Edited by Sumeet Kavthale