Talladega, AL – Just last week, Talladega Superspeedway celebrated NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott’s 1985 victory, the most incredible comeback win in NASCAR history when he made up nearly two laps, more than five miles all under green flag conditions.
During the celebration, Elliott turned laps around Talladega in the red, white and gold No. 9 Coors Ford that made him legend during that memorable ’85 race. Two years later, he would win again, and would also set the all-time NASCAR official qualifying mark of 212.809 mph. Now, it is time for another Elliott to put his name in the Talladega record book.
Chase Elliott, son of Bill, would love to add another Talladega victory to the family’s legacy here in Saturday’s Winn-Dixie 300 NASCAR XFINITY Series race, which is set to get the green flag at 2 p.m. (CST).
“Talladega is a special place because it’s a historic race track for our sport,” said Elliott, the defending NASCAR XFINITY Series champion. “I remember watching a lot of races there, and last year I got to compete there for the first time”.
Elliott, then a young 18-year-old, battled the unpredictability of Talladega’s mammoth 2.66-mile layout for the first time in the 2014 Winn-Dixie 300. After starting out 37th he made his way to the front, where he was leading three laps before a wreck caused him to finish 19th.
Some of Elliott’s inspiration is tied to his family roots as he still thinks of his father’s accomplishments at Talladega Superspeedway, but he’s well aware that his Dad didn’t do it alone. With the help of his Uncles – Ernie (crew chief and engine builder) and Dan Elliott – Bill was able to set the fastest qualifying record, claim eight pole positions (including six straight), two wins and four runner-up finishes.
“He (Bill) still has that (qualifying) record and it’s obviously very impressive,” stated Chase, the driver of the No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet for JR Motorsports. “It says a lot of him, Uncle Ernie and Uncle Dan, and really everybody who worked on those cars back then. They all went the extra mile to make things like that happen. So, when I think about that, it just takes the respect level that I already have for all that they did with what they had back then, and makes it even greater”.
As for Chase, he’s ready to get back out on the biggest and baddest race track in the world – that is Talladega Superspeedway. “The racing there, you can’t really compare it to anything else,” he says. “Talladega is always known for close finishes and I’m excited to get back”.
Talladega’s weekend kicks off on Friday (May 1) with practice sessions for the GEICO 500 and Winn-Dixie 300 (NASCAR XFINITY Series), as well as practice, qualifying and green flag for the International Motorsports Hall of Fame 200 ARCA Racing Series Presented by Menards event, set to start at 5 pm (CST). The evening concludes with “The “Big One on the Blvd” Mardi Gras-style parade, which will feature NASCAR drivers and fan competitions on the track’s infield Talladega Blvd.
Saturday’s slate includes qualifying for the GEICO 500 and Winn-Dixie 300, followed by the start of the Winn-Dixie 300 at 2 p.m. (CST). The day concludes in the evening with the Talladega Superspeedway traditional Infield Concert featuring country music maverick and Columbia Nashville recording artist Chase Rice. Buddy Brown & Dee Jay Silver will get the party started prior to Rice taking the stage. The concert is free with the purchase of a Sunday GEICO 500 (12 noon CST start) admission ticket. For ticket information, call 1-877-Go2-DEGA or visit www.talladegasuperspeedway.com.
All seating along the fronstretch grandstands and towers are equipped with roomy and comfortable 21- and 22-inch wide chair back seats. Large High Definition Sprint Vision video boards that were implemented in 2014 will be back – three are permanent – and placed along the frontstretch to provide views of the whole track to every seat in the house. The video boards, three of which that are now permanent, are an initiative that is planned to be implemented at all International Speedway Corporation (ISC) tracks in the coming years.
About Talladega Superspeedway
NASCAR speeds back into Talladega Superspeedway May 1-3 for the GEICO 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race and Winn-Dixie 300 NASCAR XFINITY Series event. NASCAR’s Most Competitive Track (record 88 lead changes in 188 laps), with the circuit’s steepest banking (33 degrees) and longest distance (2.66 miles), is the most fun and fan-friendly, offering up hundreds of acres of free camping, amazing kids ticket prices and special offers for military members and college students. Talladega Superspeedway is NASCAR’s “Party Capital” thanks to the track’s infamous infield, which features the traditional Saturday Night concert and the world renowned Talladega Blvd, home of the “Big One on the Blvd” party. The historic venue features the most comfortable seats in motorsports, large video viewing boards (a new initiative planned for future implementation at all ISC tracks) lining the frontstretch and endless activities for fans throughout its event weekends. Log on to www.talladegasuperspeedway.com or call 877-Go2-DEGA for more information.
