NEWS

Daytona's Country 500 gates to open later, at 5 p.m. Sunday

Jim Abbott
Jim.Abbott@news-jrnl.com

DAYTONA BEACH — Because of weather concerns, gates will open at 5 p.m. today for the final day of the Country 500 music festival at Daytona International Speedway, organizers announced Sunday morning.

The delay is based on updated forecast information that shows the later gate opening will offer a better chance of avoiding rains that could adversely affect fan experiences, said Matthew Goldman, spokesman for Festival Productions, Inc., presenter of the festival with concert industry giant AEG Live.

Gates originally had been scheduled to open at 2 p.m. for VIP and three-day passholders; and at 3 p.m. for single-day ticketholders. The schedule change means that two scheduled acts, DJ Dirty and Runaway June, will not perform on Sunday. Singer Michael Ray's set has been moved to 6:40 p.m. in the Bluebird Theater. Concertgoers should check the event's social media pages for more information or updates, organizers said.