All track activity Saturday at Talladega called off

TALLADEGA, Ala. -- The threat of approaching severe weather forced officials from NASCAR and Talladega Superspeedway to cancel Saturday's schedule, including Sprint Cup qualifying and the Aaron's 312, setting up the possibility of 800 miles of racing in a Sunday doubleheader.

While the lineup for the Aaron's 449 will be set by the NASCAR rule book, the Nationwide Series race will now be run Sunday afternoon, immediately following the conclusion of the Cup race. Even though the track does not have lights, Nationwide Series director Joe Balash said Friday local sunset is about 7:30 p.m., which should provide for enough time to complete both events.

Start time for the Aaron's 499 is 1 p.m. ET on FOX. According to the track release, fans holding tickets to the Nationwide race will be allowed to watch both events in unassigned seating. The Nationwide race now will be on ESPN2.

After a morning meeting with forecasters from the National Weather Service, the track issued an announcement explaining the decision.

"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," according to the 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."

According to several reports, fans staying in tents are being asked to take them down for safety reasons.

The area was hit with a severe thunderstorm early Saturday morning, and at least two more major systems were expected to move in from the west, forcing officials to make the call. A tornado watch is currently in effect for 29 central Alabama counties, including Talladega County.

Points leader Jimmie Johnson will start from the pole on Sunday, with Matt Kenseth sharing the front row. Terry Cook and Aric Almirola did not make the field, which was set by owners' points, previous wins and attempts.

Fans who want to see the race but who have not yet purchased tickets can still do so by calling 877-Go2-DEGA or visiting one of the ticket booths on site. Gates open at 8 a.m. CT.