Coke Zero at Daytona International Speedway red flagged for rain

Photo for Headline Surfer® / Die-hard racing fans begin to leave the grandstands at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona, Fla., after the Coke Zero is called off Saturday night, 50 minutes after the sceduled 8 p.m. start because of thunderstorms, in favor racing on this Sunday morning. But just 11 laps into the race, it was stopped because of rain.

DAYTONA BEACH -- Just 11 laps into the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona, the mid-summer race was red flagged because of rain. In the 6th lap, the yellow flag was dropped because of rainfall in turn 2 on the super speedway, eventually prompting stoppage of the race on lap 11.

Pole-sitter David Gilliland, behind the wheel of the No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford, led the 43-car field to the green flag. At least 80 of the 160 laps of the 2.5-mile track have to be run to make the race official.

The race was originally supposed to run under the lights Saturday night, but never got started because of heavy, sustained thunderstorms that began late afternoon and never let up.

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NASCAR calls off Coke Zero 400 race because of rain; rescheduled for 11 a.m. Sunday start

Thunderstorm pelting Sanford area with heavy rain and lightning; heading towards Daytona