Passing Lane
A NASCAR BLOG BY Mike Hembree
Tale of two Talladegas
Before we close the curtain on the mayhem at Talladega Superspeedway for another season, it's worth pointing out that Sunday's Amp Energy 500 produced a range of opinions.
Anger and disappointment were perhaps the biggest responses from fans. NASCAR's strict prohibition on bump-drafting through the turns produced a lot of careful, single-file racing, and that's not fun for anybody at any track, particularly the wild and free Talladega course.
The two huge wrecks that pockmarked the final laps of the race brought forth some other emotions, however, including this in an e-mail from a fan in North Carolina:
"I’m done watching plate races because the carnage is too scary, and it’s inevitable that sooner or later, someone I’m a fan of is going to be terribly hurt or worse. The fact that these tracks are so popular proves that I am not in the majority. It’s a conundrum. These races are huge moneymakers. The drivers dread going there and are happy to simply escape with their lives. NASCAR will continue to run there because it makes them a buttload of money. The racetracks won’t be altered, as they are thought of almost as shrines by the racing faithful who spend that buttload of money. It’s a no-win situation. And someone is going to be killed."
Talladega and Bristol – they never fail to excite the masses, one way or another.
Mike Hembree
Mike Hembree has been covering NASCAR since 1975 and has been an associate editor at NASCAR Scene for three and one-half years.
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Comments
3 responses to "Tale of two Talladegas". Post a Comment.
grumpyjim52 said:
Nov 4, 2009 at 11:23 AMAs "Cousin Carl" said: We'll race like this until somebody get's killed.
Report as AbuseUnfortunately, it seems that's what it will take to change this mess called the COT at Daytona and Talladega.
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» Confirm Abuse Report7cgoi1c0 said:
Nov 4, 2009 at 12:52 PMI haven't read anywhere about how close Kevin Harvick came to being injured or killed in the accident at Talladega. If Newmans 3500lb car had landed in windshield instead of on his hood at the speed it was still moving it could have easily penatrated or crushed the windshield and the roll cage. Newmans car still had enough energy to flip and spin in the air after it hit the grass.
Report as AbuseThat wasn't a race, it was a wreck waiting to happen. I know accidents are part of racing, I have been watching races for 40 years and they are going to happen but I have never bought a plate race ticket and I never will. I don't care to see "the big one", hoping no one gets killed or injured and watching the total waste of some expensive machines and untold man hours of work to build them and get them race ready.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportlarisda said:
Nov 4, 2009 at 4:19 PMWhy aren't folks crying for Dover to be altered or shut down? In case you forgot, Joey Logano flipped his car there in September. Racing cars at high speed is dangerous and always will be. A driver can be hurt or killed at Martinsville (Richie Evans) as will as Talladega. It's never going to be completely safe unless NASCAR slows the cars down to 35MPH.
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