| | | | | | | | | | Talladega Superspeedway | The Cruelest, Fastest and Biggest |
| | Talladega, AL Built in 1969, Talladega Superspeedway holds records for the fastest 500-mile stock car race, most leaders in a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series event, and the most lead changes in a Cup Series event. Those distinctions have earned the 2.66-mile tri-oval course the nickname “NASCAR’s Most Competitive Track.”
Built in 1969, the track was originally called Alabama International Motor Speedway.
Talladega was the top pick among other sites in the Southeast, because of available land, interstate access, and there were at least 20 million people within 300 miles. Bill Ward, a race driver and fan, helped William H.G. (Bill) France – NASCAR and International Speedway Corporation founder – find the land in Alabama. Ward thought Talladega County was the perfect spot, and after France helped convince city officials – and financing issues were worked out, construction began on the 2,000-acre site in 1968
The first race held there was the ‘Bama 400 Grand Touring race on September 13, 1969, with Ken Rush driving his Camaro to victory. Richard Brickhouse won the first Grand National – now NEXTEL – Cup race the next day, called the Talladega 500, beating Jim Vandiver and Ramo Stott.
Qualifying and practice speeds were very high – Charlie Glotzback won the pole at 199.466 mph. So high, tire companies couldn’t figure out a compound that would hold together for many laps. The situation was determined to be unsafe and the Professional Drivers Association, led by Richard Petty, left the track Saturday afternoon.
Bill France decided to continue the race. They would use the drivers that weren’t participating in the boycott as well as some who had raced the previous day.
There was no major incident while running the full 500 miles, and France’s decision led to the eventual dissolution of the Professional Drivers Association.
Later, Bill Elliott would set a world stock car record, posting a speed of 212.809 mph in qualifying in 1987. Ten years later, Mark Martin set a 500-mile stock car record when he won the caution-free spring race at an average speed of 188.354 mph.
Dale Earnhardt had 10 Cup victories at Talladega.
Talladega Superspeedway is located 40 miles east of Birmingham in Talladega, Alabama. Talladega Superspeedway can now accommodate more than 143,000 seated guests, and the property covers about 3,000 acres including the track and parking.
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