Fans’ guide to NASCAR race weekend at Texas Motor Speedway

Mother Nature appears to be cooperating with Texas Motor Speedway’s opening race weekend this year.

Forecasts don’t call for rain until Monday, which means the NASCAR doubleheader Saturday and Sunday should go on without a hitch. Rain — and an impossible-to-dry track — ruined every race weekend a season ago.

That won’t be the case this time around.

Even if TMS gets hit with showers, it is unveiling a new racing surface that should dry relatively quickly compared to the old, porous surface of recent years.

With that being said, here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming race weekend. From meeting Danica Patrick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. to times for various events, this is your guide for all things racing.

The races

Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series My Bariatric Solutions 300

Laps: 200

Green flag: 12:30 p.m.

TV/Radio: KDFW/Ch. 4, KFWR/95.9 FM The Ranch

Qualifying: 9:35 a.m. Saturday

Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series O’Reilly Auto Parts 500

Laps: 334

Green flag: 12:30 p.m.

TV/Radio: KDFW/Ch. 4, KFWR/95.9 FM The Ranch

Qualifying: 5:15 p.m. Friday

What an honor

Rock star Ozzy Osbourne and his son, Jack, will be honorary “race directors” on Sunday, including giving the command of “Drivers To Your Cars.” And national sportscaster Jim Rome will serve as the race’s grand marshal and give the “start your engines” command.

Driver appearances

Friday

Danica Patrick is the headline driver to meet on Friday, as she’ll be at the souvenir stand outside section 407. Wristbands are required for this event and will be distributed beginning at 10:30 a.m. at the souvenir stand.

Saturday

Landon Cassill will be at the Love’s Travel Stop (4800 TX-114, Rhome, 76078) from 2-3 p.m.

Sunday

Kyle Busch, Clint Bowyer and Chris Buescher will be outside Gate 4 from 9:15-9:45 a.m.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be at the party pad, on the concourse outside Turn 3, at 9:35 a.m.

Gettin’ dirty

Friday: The dirt track gates for Tony Stewart’s Texas Sprint Car Nationals presented by Machinery Auctioneers open at 6 p.m. Racing gets underway at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday: Gates open at 6 p.m. and racing starts at 7:30 p.m.

Practice schedule

Cup: 11 a.m.-1:25 p.m. Friday

Xfinity: 1:30-2:55 p.m. and 4-4:55 p.m. Friday, 8:30-9:25 a.m. Saturday

This story was originally published April 6, 2017 at 5:18 PM with the headline "Fans’ guide to NASCAR race weekend at Texas Motor Speedway."