(photo courtesy Leon Hammack)
This week NASCAR rolls into the Talladega Superspeedway, formerly the Alabama International Speedway. This racing facility is rich with NASCAR history.
Big Bill France built this track and opened up for business with the first race in 1969. Throughout those 41 years this track has witnessed some of NASCAR’s highest highs, as well as some of the lowest of lows.
When the track first opened and all the drivers got their races cars out on the track, the high speeds and the tire failures that occurred during practice led the drivers to band together and refuse to race on that opening weekend. The drivers voiced their opinion to Big Bill France, he got into a race car, proceeded to drive a few laps and announced that it was perfectly safe.
The drivers still refused to race and was told by Mr. France to pack up and leave, but he was running a race on Sunday! Richard Petty and most all of the Sprint cup drivers took their race cars and went back home! But on Sunday Big Bill France did indeed run the first race at Talladega that Sunday. For that first race, most of the competitors were from what would now be call the Nationwide Series!
For the rest of this story, which is located over at my digital buddy’s web site, www.brusimm.com. For the rest of the story check out Talladega: Highs and Lows.
TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!
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