Your NASCAR, football, anything else forecast

There's no such thing as 100 percent guarantees in weather, but we'll come reasonably close to that with this weekend's forecast.

It's a weekend when, literally, hundreds of thousands of Carolinas residents will be outdoors. Some of the bigger attractions:

-- High school football tonight.

-- College football Saturday.

-- The NASCAR Nationwide Series race tonight at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

-- NASCAR's Sprint Cup race (and all the pre-race events) Saturday at the speedway.

-- Renaissance Festival.

-- Countless youth soccer, football, baseball and softball games, plus golf and tennis outings.

-- Trips to the mountains to see the leaves.

Unlike last week, when a cold front and a cold air wedge teamed to create a miserable Sunday (after a summer-like Saturday), this weekend looks to be nice and 100 percent autumn. There won't be any 80-degree weather Saturday or Sunday.

You might be surprised by the clouds at midday Friday across the Charlotte region, but they're the remnants of an area of showers and thunderstorms that swept through Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia earlier in the day. There's no chance of rain today in the area, and meteorologists say the clouds will move out of the region by mid-afternoon.

A cold front will cross the area today, leaving cooler temperatures but pleasant weather Saturday. Then the high pressure system modifies Sunday, allowing for a warm-up before rain arrives Monday.

So here's what to expect at various outdoor venues this weekend:

FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL, AUTO RACING ... Mostly clear skies and mild weather, for this time of year. Temperatures will be in the upper 60s at kickoff and the start of the 300-mile race, with readings dropping to the upper 50s by 11 p.m.

SATURDAY MORNING EVENTS ... Temperatures will drop to near 50 degrees at daybreak, then climb through the 50s during the morning. Expect sunny skies with the cool temperatures.

SATURDAY AFTERNOON ... Sunshine and high temperatures reaching the middle 60s are a good bet.

SATURDAY NIGHT'S RACE ... Rain won't be a problem, with mostly clear skies. Expect temperatures to be near 60 degrees when the 500-mile race starts, falling back through the 50s during the evening. Winds should be calm.

SUNDAY ... Partly sunny skies, with highs in the lower 70s after a morning low in the middle 40s.

IN THE MOUNTAINS ... It should be good for leaf-viewing. Skies should be mostly clear Saturday and partly sunny Sunday, with especially good visibilities Saturday. Temperatures will be a bit below seasonal averages Saturday, then climb back to average Sunday.