This week the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series changes gears and travels to Talladega Superspeedway, the second restrictor-plate race of the 2007 season. Teams will revert back to the old car design and attempt to survive the intense door-to-door action for which Talladega is famous. The NASCAR Busch Series race on Saturday is also shaping up to be a great one, with nearly 20 Cup regulars attempting to qualify for a starting spot in the field.
This will be the first 'impound' race for the Nextel Cup Series this season. Teams will qualify on Saturday and won't have any additional practice time to tune their cars before Sunday's Aaron's 499. This is also the second Cup race on the 2.66-mile superspeedway since it was repaved last year. That excites many teams, as they anticipate the track to pick up more grip from the last time the teams raced at Talladega in the fall of 2006.
As is typical for such a high-profile race event, Talladega plans to have a couple of high-profile celebrities in attendance. Four-time Grammy nominee Joe Nichols, famous for his recent hits "I'll Wait For You," "Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off" and "Size Matters," will be singing the national anthem prior to Sunday's race. Also, comedian Jeff Foxworthy, host of the hit FOX show, "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader," will serve as the Grand Marshal.
Fans are welcome to attend the 22nd annual Race Fever, a charity fundraising event benefitting the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind (AIDB). The event will take place on Friday, April 27, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the SPEED Channel dome inside the International Motorsports Hall of Fame complex. Fans will be able to rub elbows with plenty of drivers and racing legends in attendance, as well as bid on lots of autographed racing collectables in both live and silent auctions.
Talladega Superspeedway Quick Facts
Talladega Lap Record: Bill Elliott (44.998 seconds and 212.809 mph), April 30, 1987
Talladega Race Record: Mark Martin (2 hrs., 39 min., 18 sec/188.354 mph), May 10, 1997
2006 Nextel Cup Winner: Jimmie Johnson
Total Purse: $6,022,630
