Browse > Home / NASCAR, Nascar Chase 2008, Talladega Superspeedway / The Chase Heads To The Big One

The Chase Heads To The Big One

User Avatar

by Steve Wronkowicz

I am co-host of the syndicated radio show: ON PIT ROW. Over ten years on the air and three on the net; see what can happen when I don't let the facts get in the way of my opinions.

September 28, 2008 10:12 pm CDT No Comments

Talladega Superspeedway is the biggest and scariest track in the Chase.

This Alabama track holds the distinction of the fastest qualifying time in NASCAR history when Bill Elliott turned 212.8  miles per hour in 1987.  Speed has always been a concern at the 2.66 mile tri-oval.  It’s inaguaral race in 1969 was wrought with controversy as the drivers of the Professional Drivers Association, boycotted the race due to concerns over the tires holding together at the speeds the track produced.  The PDA was a short lived drivers union headed by Richard Petty.  The boycott saw second tier drivers running that first race and gave journeymnan driver, Richard Brickhouse his only win in NASCAR’s premier series.

In 1987 Bobby Allison experienced a tire failure while going through the tri-oval , which sent his car airborne. His car tore out a portion of the frontstretch catch fence, nearly entering the crowd.  NASCAR imposed rule changes to slow the cars after the incident, with a 1988 rule requiring cars running there and at Daytona to begin use restrictor plates. The plates limit the amount of air and fuel entering the intake manifolds of the car, greatly reducing horsepower of the cars and therefore their speed.

The reduced power affects not only the cars maximum speed but also the reponsiveness of the throttle. The racing seen at Talladega today is extremely tight; often three or four abreast.  This tight side by side racing with huge packs of cars are what makes “the big one” possible.  The big accident is what makes Talladega so unique and unpredictable.  Dega has been dubbed as a “wild card” race because of the swiftness and unmercilesness with wich the track and plate racing can change a drivers day, season or career.

Talladega sports the series steepest banking at thirty-three degrees and the most unusual start-finish line.  The checkered flag waves just past the tri-oval area near pit out.  The positioning was done to aid in the sale of more high priced seats.  The unique positioning has led to a differnt strategy in closely contested finishes, as the race isn’ off of turn four, but is to be set up for the race through the tri-oval.  Talladega also has an out-of-bounds line along the bottom of the race track which drivers must stay above or be penalized.

There tends to be two plots of strategy by drivers; either get out front and stay ahead of the big one or hold out near the back of the pack until there is one-hundred miles to go then start racing to the front.  Both tactics have been successful; but more so the thought of staying out front.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. has won this race five times including four straight from the Fall of 2001 through the Spring of 2003.  Jeff Gordon has also won there five times, most recently sweeping both races last year.  This recent success of the Hendrick team along with new teammate, Earnhardt, Jr could make it tough for anyone not sporting a Hendrick Chevy to pull off a win.

photo credit: Paul Freeman

Filed Under NASCAR, Nascar Chase 2008, Talladega Superspeedway 

Tagged with: , , , ,

Comments

Got something to say?

Did you know you can log in with your Thunder Lounge account, and have your personal avatar and site link available when you comment at On Pit Row?

Don't have an account yet? Sign-up for free.





Powered by WP Hashcash