Aaron’s 499 delayed until today

TALLADEGA, Ala. – This time, the mess at Talladega Superspeedway couldn’t be pinned on the scary crashes typical of restrictor-plate racing.

Blame it on the rain. The Aaron’s 499 was postponed until today after a 1-hour, 40-minute rain delay Sunday, leaving pole sitter Elliott Sadler and Co. to sit idle for much of the day.

It’s the first time since the spring of 1997 that a race had to be postponed at Talladega’s tri-oval. NASCAR officials and Mark Martin both will hope for a repeat of that Winston Select 500.

Martin won a pristine race that didn’t have any caution flags – imagine that – on a track known as much for crashes as for scintillating finishes.

Sadler won the pole in qualifying, followed by Tony Stewart, Carl Edwards and Dale Jarrett, who won at Talladega last October.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., a five-time Talladega winner, will drive a car painted like the famed black Chevrolet his late father piloted. He will start 27th.

Sadler is hoping to finish better this time. He also started first at the October race, but lasted just 20 laps before Johnson ran into the back of his car and started an eight-car accident.

Unable to separate with the horsepower-sapping restrictor plates, cars often race in one large pack.

With the rain delay, testing at Lowe’s Motor Speedway will be held Tuesday and Wednesday and last two days instead of three.