In the late 1960s, NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. envisioned building a new race track in Alabama, and he sought a site that was centrally located in the Southeast. The Talladega Superspeedway was built on a 2,000-acre site near the city of Talladega, Alabama, and opened its gates to fans in 1969. The Talladega race track is the largest NASCAR venue, and it typically produces the highest speeds on the circuit.
This race track is huge. it is not the longest, it cant be with the road tracks of the Circuit of the Americas and Sonoma being used in the season but it is the largest and longest oval, which lets face it is NASCAR racing, in the country!
With that size comes speed, lots and lots of speed. Talladega is where the cars open up their engines for 3 hours and never wind down. its a testament to how fine tuned these Stock cars are operating at 200 miles an hour for three hours straight!
We take a look at the track facts for the awesome Talladega Superspeedway including the big ones and the curse! and if you want to know about other NASCAR tracks then you can use the table below which has all the NASCAR track covered so far it grows each week.
NASCAR Track Facts
Talladega Superspeedway Track Facts.
Below you will find, hopefully, everything you need to know about this most popular of NASCAR speedways. Talladega Superspeedway! Feel free to update or let us know anything we may have missed.
Where is Talladega Superspeedway?
Talladega Superspeedway is located in Lincoln, Alabama It is about 50 miles West of Birmingham Alabama, and about 100 miles eat of Atlanta Georgia. It is 5 miles north of Talladega itself.
What is The Configuration of Talladega Superspeedway?
The track is a 2.66-mile (4.28 km) tri-oval with 33-degree banking in the turns and 18-degree banking on the straights.. The Track is the fastest for overall speeds in the entire NASCAR Season and is the Speedway that holds the official and unofficial speed records for NASCAR.
Is Talladega Superspeedway the longest NASCAR race?
The Oval is the Longest track of the NASCAR season. However both in miles and in time the NASCAR race at Talladega is not the longest race. The highspeeds mean that the cars can go faster over those 500 miles. The Longest race is actually the Coca Cola 600 at Charlottes on the same day as the Indy 500 ( labor day weeked)
The fast speeds of talladega motor speedway do may those engines roar. You will be thankful the track is so long as they fly past. So make sure you take some Ear Protection. We have a full article on the best Ear protection for NASCAR here and below (see what we did there ! )
Talladega Superspeedway Racing Lines
The preferred racing line at Talladega is the high line around the top of the race track. This allows drivers to carry more speed through the turns and get a better exit onto the straights. However moving at those speeds makes this risk sensitive. So expect to see drivers dropping down a few feet if not 3-4 cars wide
What is the Trophy for Winning a NASCAR Race at Talladega Superspeedway
The trophy at the Talladega Superspeedway is certainly impressive. it is over 130 pounds, over 3 feet tall and in the shape of The Roman God of fire! Great to take home.
However after driving at 200 miles an hour for 3 hours we are not sure the arm strength to lift up 130 lbs of trophy will be possible for most drivers! Certainly wouldn’t want to wave it above my head after that!
What is the Nickname of Talladega Superspeedway
Unfortunately unlike other Speedways the Talladega doesnt have a “cool” nickname. New Hampshire may have the magic mile, Bristol might be called the Last Great Colosseum, Daytona might be called the American race.
However Talladega jsut has the nickname “dega” a little bit of a let down to be honest.
What are The Lap Records at Talladega Superspeedway?
The current NASCAR lap record at Talladega is unlikely to be broken and has been held by Bill Elliot ( father of chase Elliot) since 1987. It was in the days before restrictor plates and the cars were running the fastest they ever had.
Bill Elliott did the 2.66 miles of the Talladega track in 0.44.998 for the official lap record. Since the restrictions that has never been beaten, although Rusty Wallace did go faster in an official lap that same year.
| Series | Driver | Time | Year |
| NASCAR | Bill Elliott | 44.998 Seconds | 1987 |
Is Talladega Superspeedway A Tough Track?
Talladega asks a lot of NASCAR drivers. it has a set of challenges unlike any other Oval during the season. Daytona may come close but talladega is the fastest and most challenging of the Long track races.
It is a pack racing track, cars will be drafting and racing mere inches from each other. A slight slip in concentration and tug on the wheel can result in huge crashes at high speeds. There have been plenty of these through the 50 years of racing here.
So many that they have their own term “the big one” We will take a look at those below. The danger is that with these speeds and closeness of racing that a crash is seldom a single car affair. It will take other cars with it, often 10s of cars.
What Kind of Weather Conditions Does Talladega Superspeedway Experience?
The weather at Talladega Super Speedway can be very hot and humid in the summer months. It has had tornado warnings, rain, super hot weather. So as is said in England pack for an English summer. ( everything!)
The races scheduled at Talladega are usually in late March or early April and ends in late August or early September.
When Was Talladega Superspeedway Speedway Raceway Built?
The track was originally built in 1969 by the Alabama International Motor Speedway Corporation, a group led by Bill France Sr., the founder of NASCAR.
Big One Crashes at Talladega Superspeedway
“Big One” is a term that describes a serious crash in which more than five cars are involved. It is most often associated with events at Talladega Superspeedway and Daytona International Speedway. Before the early 2000s, such crashes were simply known as “terrific” or “major” events. But as the media became more interested in these events, “Big One” has become part of the lexicon.
Examples of Big one crashes at talladega
- 2020: Clint Bowyer crashed into Jamie McMurray and turned around. This caused a huge 21-car pileup in turn four.
- 1996: Winston 500. Ricky Cravens’ car was rockets airborne and landed in the path of 13 other cars.
- 2012: Tony Stewart was clipped by Michael Waltrip. The ensuing crash collected 25 other cars!
- 2016 Geico 500: Kurt Busch got caught on the bumper of Jimmie Johnson and they hot the outside wall. 21 cars joined them in the Big one!
- 2017 Geico 500: A.J Allmendinger trying to take 2nd from Chase Elliott spinning both of them and causing a 18 car crash.
Not a Big one by definition but the 1987 crash of Bobby Allison into the catch fence brought about the restrictor plate era of NASCAR and a reduction in speed.
How Many Seats Does Talladega Superspeedway Have?
Talladega has a capacity of 175000 seats. However it depends on the event being held at the superspeedway. The Seating capacity can range from 80,000 to 175000.
How Much do NASCAR tickets cost at the Talladega Superspeedway?
The ticket price range for Talladega Geico 500 Race usually start at $35 -$167 for general admission depending where the seat is located, You can pay more for suites and weekend passes of course.
Camping and RV parking and hosting will also add to these prices.
What Type of Track is Talladega Superspeedway?
Talladega is a Super Speedway. At 2.66 miles long it is the largest oval in NASCAR. The only other super speedway oval is Daytona Super speedway. This makes is also the fastest track of the season.
The Talladega Curse?
Is Talladega Super Speedway cursed? There are many legends and stories surrounding the speedway. Although most are considered an urban legend
- One of these is that Native American horse races took place there in the early 1800s. During one of these ancient races, a Native American chief was killed when he was thrown off his horse.
- It is also thought that the speedway was built on the site of their burial grounds.
- And finally it it thought a creek (Muscogee) Indian Shaman cursed the land after the tribe living there collaborated with Andrew Jackson.
Many drivers have reported strange events at the track, including Bobby Isaac, who abandoned his car on lap 90 due to “voices in his head”.
Larry Smith and Tiny Lund both lost their lives at the track,
Another race, in 1986, was delayed for two entire laps because a pace car was stolen. Despite this history, the speedway remains popular today.
So all these Big crashes…. just bad luck or something more supernatural!
Does Talladega Superspeedway Have Lighting for Night Racing?
Talladega does not have lights for night racing. There are only five tracks that do not have lights in the current Cup series season. Talladega is the largest, the others are Dover, New hampshire, Pocono and Michigan.
How Many Laps are in a Race at Talladega Superspeedway?
The NASCAR Cup Series races at Talladega are 188 laps, while the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races are 90+laps to 110+.
How Long is a Race at Talladega Superspeedway?
As mentioned above the NASCAR Cup series race is 500 miles. This means the average length of time for a NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega is around the 3 hours depending on cautions. The NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races are typically 2 hours,
What are Some of the Notable Races at Talladega Superspeedway?
Some of the most notable races at Talladega include the geico 500 in April, and the YellaWood 500 in October. Both Race weekends also feature Xfinity, Camping World Truck and the April race also has ARCA on its schedule.
What Drivers Have Won the Most Races at Talladega Superspeedway?
The drivers with the most wins at Talladega are
| NASCAR Driver | Number of Talladega wins |
| Dale Earnhardt | 10 |
| Brad Keselowski | 6 |
| Dale Earnhardt Jr | 6 |
| Jeff Gordon | 6 |
| Buddy Baker | 4 |
| Darrell Waltrip | 4 |
| Bobby Allison | 4 |
How Many Spectators can Attend Talladega Superspeedway?
Talladega has a capacity of 175,000 spectators. Although this can range between 80,000 and 175,000 depending on the event being held.
Who Owns Talladega Superspeedway?
It is owned and operated by the International Speedway Corporation. Talladega is one of many active tracks owned and operated by ISC, others being Daytona International Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Darlington and Kansas Speedway among a list of 12 other tracks. .
What is the Banking on Talladega Superspeedway?
Talladega Super Speedway is is 2.66 miles (4.281 km) long with 33-degree banking in the turns. the straightaways are 3 degree banking. The Tri Oval banking is 16.5 degrees.
How can I get tickets to the Talladega Superspeedway?
Tickets for the Geico 500 and other NASCAR races can be purchased online at the speedway’s website or by calling the ticket office.
What is the Address of Talladega Superspeedway?
The address of Talladega is 3366 Speedway Blvd, BLincoln, Alabama, 35096
Can you Camp or bring an RV to the Talladega Superspeedway?
Yes, you can camp or bring an RV to the Talladega Camping and RV spots can be reserved through the speedway’s website. There is infield camping plots all over the inside of the track.
What are the Rules for Bringing a Pet to the Talladega Superspeedway?
Pets are not allowed in the grandstands, but they are allowed in the camping areas. All pets must be on a leash at all times. Service animals are permitted.
Does the Talladega Superspeedway have Wifi ?
Yes, Talladega has wifi. The wifi is free for all guests.
What is the Phone Number for the Talladega Superspeedway?
The phone number for the Superspeedway is 877 – 462 – 3342
What Food and Drink Concessions Do They have at Talladega Superspeedway?
Tallladega has a wide variety of food and drink concessions. Some of the options include hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, chicken, sandwiches, salads, soft drinks, beer, and wine. Some of the bars are really nice. You can bring your own food, beer and drinks too.
You also have the garage experience which has a huge selection of reasonably priced food and drinks as well.
Can you bring Coolers to Talladega Superspeedway.
Coolers are allowed to be taken to talladega Superspeedway as long as they are soft sided (we have an article on the details here) and you can bring food and drinks inside the speedway. You are allowed to bring your own beer also, just don’t bring glass bottles. Coolers should eb 14″ x 14″ x14″ inches. See the article above for what style you are allowed.
Note if you are doing the garage experience then coolers are not allowed into that.
Do you need Seat Cushions At Talladega Superspeedway?
No, seat cushions are not required at Talladega. However, they are allowed and we have details on the best ones here.
Is There an Age Limit For Entering the Talladega Superspeedway
There is no age limit for entering the Talladega Super Speedway. However, children under the age of 12 the cup series races cost just 10 dollars ( or a fifty dollar discount) and children under 12 can go to NASCAR Xfinity / Truck races as well! To buy alcohol you will need to have ID and be over 21.
What is the Policy For Wheelchair users at Talladega Superspeedway?
Talladega is wheelchair accessible. Wheelchair-accessible seating is available in all grandstands. Guests can also rent electric scooters at the speedway. There is also parking assigned, shuttles and buses, shuttles / golf carts for those with mobility issues.
What Should I Bring To The Talladega Superspeedway?
Some items that you may want to bring to the Talladega Superspeedway include sunscreen, hats, sunglasses, binoculars, and comfortable shoes.
You can also bring a cooler ( special size see here) with your own food and drinks.
What Time Should I Arrive At The Talladega Superspeedway?
Gates open around 2 hours before the race at talladega Superspeedway and the place is huge so make sure you know where your seat is located.
Arriving early also helps you avoid the queues if you are planning on getting food and drinks prior to the Green flag.
if you are camping the sites usually open on the Wednesday before the race Either way the build up and the actual race or something you certainly don’t want to miss a second of!
Conclusion
Hopefully you have all the information you need for your visit to this iconic NASCAR track, and have a great day! Enjoy!
