Talladega Rear-View Mirror

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Pete Pistone shares some news, notes and observations from a weekend of racing at Talladega Superspeedway.

I have a love-hate relationship with Talladega Superspeedway. Since the first time I watched a race at the mammoth track there has been a Civil War of emotions churning inside me every time the Alabama track rolls around on the schedule. Sunday’s GEICO 500 was a perfect example. It was equal parts epic and frightening, intense and scary, entertaining and anxious. From the drop of the green flag, the urgency level was off the charts. Whether it was pent up driver emotions or impending weather, the racing was captivating. Three and four-wide wasn’t the exception but the norm. There was no riding around, hugging the top of the race track in a single file line or “making laps” as is sometimes the case over the course of a 500-mile race. Drivers put on a literal thrill show that had me pacing about oh, lap two. As the late great Barney Hall used to say, “They don’t race them anywhere else like they race them at Talladega.” Unfortunately there’s something else they don’t do anywhere else but Talladega. “The Big One” is inevitable and Sunday there were way too many examples of what can go wrong when drivers get impatient, make mistakes or simply make contact. The last quarter of the race was punctuated by some frightening accidents with airborne cars a way too frequent sight. Thankfully there were no serious injuries and it truly is a testament to the safety in …

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