Because of the high speeds, NASCAR does not race on ovals in the rain. This is why they only compete on road courses in the rain. Although the Monster Energy Series has never raced in the rain, a few Xfinity Series events have. The first was in 2001 when Michael Waltrip won the pole and led 184 of 200 laps before finishing second behind Jeff Gordon. In 2012, Juan Pablo Montoya won the pole and led 132 of 200 laps before finishing second to Dale Earnhardt Jr. by one lap.
They also used to race at Riverside (Calif.) International Raceway in the early 1990s. But because of poor attendance figures, they canceled their remaining races there in 1994.
NASCAR stopped racing at Riverside in 1995 after two seasons due to financial problems for the track. The final season there had 16 races with drivers competing for $1 million in prize money. Only three were decided by more than one lap - Bill Elliott won twice while Darrell Waltrip finished second both times - but none of those champions would play a role in the next decade's make-up of the series.
Riverside closed its doors for the last time that year after 24 years as an active race track.
The future of the track site is still up in the air despite attempts by local officials to keep the venue open for racing.
NASCAR does race in the rain at a few road courses, which is pretty much all F1 races are on. NASCAR races on slicks (slick tires), so they can't get traction on their normal tires if they were to run in the rain. They use different strategies at different tracks to avoid having all their cars end up in the wall.
The most famous incident of this kind happened at Daytona in 1996. A large part of the field was disqualified after many of them had no choice but to go into the infield hospital for surgery. The leader at that point went on to win the race. This happens quite often at NASCAR races because some of the tracks are short and have multiple laps where anyone can win.
They also race in the snow at some places such as Michigan and Fontana. These races are called "sprinters" because it's mostly driver skills vs. car performance. The drivers have to be able to handle conditions changing from moment to moment. There is also a class of specialized cars called "trucks" that are designed to haul heavy equipment around town. These vehicles usually have huge engines under the hood and don't care about distance per se; they just need to get from point A to point B as fast as possible while maintaining control.
Of all the types of racing, sprints are by far the least expensive.
Having said that, rain tires are available in NASCAR, although they are rarely used. Most track and weather circumstances do not allow for the use of tires while also sustaining a safe and competitive race. However many tracks have rules regarding tire types which may limit what manufacturers can offer.
The most common type of rain tire is the wet-weather compound. These tires are designed to handle water well and still provide good traction on dry pavement. They are usually red or black with white lettering and can be seen at many sports venues during rainy days.
Wet-weather compounds are recommended for conditions where the risk of aquaplaning is high (such as when standing starts are used). They work best when the ground is very wet rather than just damp. During periods of heavy rain, some races will use only wet-weather compounds while others may use both wet-weather and dry-weather compounds together. The decision on which races will use which type of tire is made between NASCAR and the track promoter prior to the season starting.
Dry-weather compounds are good choices for races where rain is not expected or not likely to occur. They provide better handling and less wear and tear on the track than wet-weather compounds.
NASCAR employs a softer tire compound designed expressly for oval racing in virtually all of its events. The tires cannot channel rain through them as they rotate because they lack grooves. On rainy courses, standard NASCAR tires will force the vehicle to hydroplane, which might lead to tragedy. Rain has caused several accidents in which cars have lost control and hit other vehicles or trees.
However, there are some races that are held on tracks with intermediate banking (between steep and flat-out straightaways). At these races, drivers can use the wet track to their advantage by spinning out their competitors or sliding into the corner to avoid being passed.
The most famous example of this is the 1978 season finale at Carter Park Speedway in Culver City, California. There was heavy rain throughout the day before the race started and it was reported that some lanes were still wet when the field went onto the track. Jeff Gordon, who was running second behind Richard Petty at the time, took off down the backstretch and slid into the turn one wall to win the championship. This event is now known as the "Winning Way" tour due to the fact that it was Gordon's first title victory.
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