Daytona 500 postponed for first time ever; race set for 9 a.m. Monday

The Daytona 500 has been postponed for the first time in its 54-year history.

NASCAR postponed The Great American Race after heavy rain saturated Daytona International Speedway on Sunday.

Officials spent more than four hours waiting for a window to dry the famed track, but it never came. And when the latest storm cell passed over the speedway, they had little choice but to call it a day and reschedule.

The 500-mile race was rescheduled for noon Monday EST. It will be aired on Fox.

"This is one of the toughest things for us drivers," pole-sitter Carl Edwards said. "It's now who can really stay focused. That's not just the drivers, that's the pit crews, the crew chiefs, everyone, the officials. But I think we'll be just fine."

But Monday may be another test for both drivers and fans.

The forecast calls for more rain, and officials are prepared to wait all day and into the night to avoid a Tuesday race.

Eight previous Daytona 500s have endured rain delays, the latest in 2009. But never before had storms forced NASCAR's premier event to be moved.