April 6, 2014 — staff report by Managing Editor Jacob Seelman for Race Chaser Online — NASCAR photo — FORT WORTH, TX — Mother Nature has spoken again, and she has done so quite loudly this time around.

After a torrential rainstorm coupled with lightning moved into the Dallas-Fort Worth area Sunday morning and drenched the Texas Motor Speedway, the scheduled 3:16 PM ET start of the Duck Commander 500, the seventh race of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, has been delayed due to the current weather conditions.

NASCAR has five of their next-generation Toyota Tundra Air Titan 2.0 track driers on hand at the speedway in addition to three first-generation Air Titans and six jet dryers in order to expedite the track drying process as much as possible.

Driver intros are currently scheduled for 3:45 PM ET at the speedway as the rain has stopped and track-drying efforts are underway. TMS is shooting for an estimated green flag time of 4:31 PM ET providing the rain continues to hold off and track drying is completed.

Due to the fleet of track drying equipment on hand and the fact that the speedway does have lights, TMS says they are confident that the race will be completed today.

“Given the track-drying equipment, an expected break in the weather and that Texas Motor Speedway has lights, all efforts will be made to get in the race today,” the track said in a statement released earlier this morning.

When the race goes green, Tony Stewart will lead the field from pole position alongside Team Penske’s Brad Keselowski, who will start on the front row for the fifth time this season.

Live coverage of the Duck Commander 500 can be seen on FOX, with audio coverage on PRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.