Weather Forces NASCAR Doubleheader At Talladega

Talladega, AL, United States (AHN) – Mother Nature is having her way with NASCAR lately.

A week after both NASCAR events were pushed back to Monday at Texas, NASCAR was again forced into a doubleheader Sunday by the weather.

Due to the threat of severe weather Saturday morning and a less-than-favorable forecast, NASCAR and Talladega Superspeedway cancelled Saturday’s schedule, which included Sprint Cup qualifying and the Aaron’s 312 Nationwide Series race.

NASCAR’s top-2 touring series are looking at a 800-mile doubleheader Sunday and the Aaron’s 449 lineup was set via the NASCAR rulebook. The Cup race will start at 1 p.m. and the Nationwide race will follow.

Talladega Superspeedway does not have lights like its sister track, Daytona International Speedway, but Nationwide Series director Joe Balash said there should be enough time to complete both events.

“In the interest of fan safety, all activities scheduled at Talladega Superspeedway on Saturday have been postponed due to the significant threat of extended periods of severe weather,” said the speedway in a release. “This decision was made based on advice from the National Weather Service and the Talladega County Emergency Management Agency. Fans are strongly encouraged to take necessary precautions to ensure their safety, especially those guests camping on speedway property.”

Points leader Jimmie Johnson earned the pole, while Terry Cook and Aric Almirola did not make the field because the field was set by owners’ points, previous wins and attempts.

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