NASCAR at St. Louis weather updates: Enjoy Illinois 300 halted with lightning near track

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This year's St. Louis NASCAR Cup Series race is enjoying a hiatus.

The Enjoy Illinois 300 was halted early in Stage 1 on Sunday after lightning was detected within an eight-mile radius of WorldWide Technology Raceway in Madison, Ill., just east of St. Louis.

MORE: Live updates, highlights of St. Louis race

The race ran just five laps before the red flag was waved. Kyle Busch and Ryan Blaney were jostling for the lead.

Rain hasn't yet fallen on the track, although pop-up showers were materializing west of Gateway Motorsports Park. Each lightning strike forces a delay of at least 25 to 30 minutes.

Here's what you need to know as NASCAR takes a pause:

MORE: Track location for Enjoy Illinois 300

Enjoy Illinois 300 weather updates

5:50 p.m.: Back to green at St. Louis! Our long national nightmare has ended!

5:40 p.m.: Following the waving of the green flag, racers will be permitted to enter into pit road. Makes sense given the lengthy delay.

5:34 p.m.: Rain still popping up in the greater St. Louis area. However, it should evade the track; looks like it's heading eastward.

5:30 p.m.: Drivers headed out to the track. Things should get going in the next 10-15 minutes.

5:10 p.m.: Another lightning strike, another weather delay. This is getting ridiculous now.

4:35 p.m.: Another lightning strike pops up nearby. Expecting another, somewhat lengthy, delay.

4:15 p.m.: No rain at the track, but pop-up storms are firing up a few miles away.

3:55 p.m.: NASCAR announced that the lightning was four miles away.

3:50 p.m.: Red flag comes out as lightning rips through sky a few miles from the track.

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David Suggs is a content producer at The Sporting News.