NASCAR Sprint-Cup Series
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CUP: Severe Weather Blankets Talladega
Heavy rains and tornadoes are expected at Talladega on Saturday...
Mike Hembree  |  Posted April 24, 2010   Talladega, AL
Crews line up for inspection in the garage as all track activities are canceled due to weather at Talladega Superspeedway. (Photo: Getty Images)
With ominous clouds covering the horizon to the west and forecasters predicting dangerous weather later in the day, race officials announced the cancellation of all Saturday activities at Talladega Superspeedway early Saturday morning.

PDF>STARTING LINE UP BY ROW: Aaron's 499 - TALLADEGA

Saturday’s scheduled Aaron’s 312 Nationwide Series race was rescheduled for Sunday afternoon following the 1 :00 pm ET Aaron’s 499 Sprint Cup race, creating a rare Talladega doubleheader. The Nationwide race is expected to start at about 5:30 p.m.

The weather forced cancellation of Saturday’s Sprint Cup qualifying, and the lineup for Sunday’s race was set using the NASCAR rule book.

Racing was a definite afterthought at the speedway Saturday morning as track and NASCAR officials wrestled with a menacing forecast that called for the likelihood of strong storms and wind and the possibility of exceptionally violent tornado activity in central Alabama.

Rain was falling in the speedway area early Saturday morning, and forecasts called for as much as five inches Saturday in some parts of central and eastern Alabama.

The biggest threat is wind associated with violent thunderstorms and tornadoes, and officials urged race fans camping in the area to avoid staying in tents and to seek shelter – in their vehicles if no other places are available – if strong storms develop.

Some drivers left the speedway area Saturday morning to return to their homes in North Carolina.

Mike Hembree is NASCAR Editor for SPEEDtv.com and has been covering motorsports for 28 years. He has written several books on NASCAR, including "NASCAR: The Definitive History of America's Sport" and "Then Tony Said To Junior: The Best NASCAR Stories Ever Told". He is a six-time winner of the National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year Award.

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