TALLADEGA, AL – The Aspen Dental Weekend at Talladega Superspeedway got off to a roaring start on Friday, with a total of five practice sessions between the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR XFINITY Series and ARCA Racing Series Presented by Menards taking to the 2.66-mile oval track.
Jamie McMurray topped the speed charts at 199.737 mph in the first session of practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series GEICO 500 in the No. 1 McDonald’s Chevrolet. McMurray is a two-time winner, 2009 and 2013, at NASCAR’s Biggest and Baddest track.
Carl Edwards, winner of the past two consecutive NSCS races, said he enters the weekend encouraged by the success displayed by Toyota during February’s Daytona 500, which was won by teammate Denny Hamlin. “It was something like I’ve never been a part of. I don’t know if that same type of thing will work at Talladega, but it’d be hard not to try. We’ve got a really good group that understands what teamwork is.”
NASCAR XFINITY Series Sparks Energy 300 Qualifying Set For Saturday After Two Practice Sessions
Darrell Wallace, Jr.’s No. 6 Kleen Performance Ford led the way in Practice 1 for the NASCAR XFINITY Series Sparks Energy 300 with a lap of 192.413 mph, while Matt Tifft was fastest in Practice 2, posting a 181.918 mph.
Ty Dillon, who finished sixth in his latest Superspeedway effort at Daytona, hopes to keep recent momentum rolling, as he comes off of a $100,000 Dash for Cash win at Richmond International Raceway. He will be relieving Tony Stewart in the No. 14 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet SS in Sunday’s GEICO 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event after Stewart starts.
“It always helps when I’m in both series to be able to get more laps on the race track,” Dillon said. “This weekend will definitely help with this style of racing being pretty similar between both cars.”
Former Talladega Winner Tom Hessert Takes General Tire 200 Pole; Munford, AL Native Bret Holmes Qualifies 13th
Tom Hessert, driving the No. 55 RelaxWraps.com-Cometic Toyota posted a lap of 186.601 mph in the Menards Pole Qualifying for the ARCA Racing Series Presented by Menards General Tire 200. Munford, AL native Bret Holmes will start 13th, putting up a lap of 185.119 mph.
The Aspen Dental Weekend at Talladega Superspeedway continues as green flag flies for the General Tire 200 at 5 p.m. CDT Friday. Later Friday, NASCAR’s party of the year, Talladega Superspeedway’s the “Big One on the Blvd,” is ready to take center stage in the infamous Talladega infield, as “Dega Nation” will put on their party caps and enjoy all the fun and excitement for both fans and drivers alike. Scheduled are four unique “fan challenges” that will be overseen by an array of NASCAR’s top drivers after they are paraded down legendary Talladega Blvd.
Tomorrow’s schedule includes qualifying for the GEICO 500 as well as time trials and the start of the Sparks Energy 300 at 2 p.m. CDT. Later Saturday evening, Big & Rich featuring Cowboy Troy, will headline the traditional Infield Concert. Country Music’s best-kept secret, Eric Lee Beddingfield, is set to open the event at 7:30 p.m.Admission is free with a GEICO 500 ticket. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series GEICO 500 is set for Sunday at 12:00 p.m.
For ticket information, including many upgrade opportunities, log on to www.talladegasuperspeedway.com or call 1-877-Go2-DEGA.
About Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway is NASCAR’s Most Competitive Track (record 88 lead changes in 188 laps), most banked (33 degrees), and longest (2.66 miles), as well as 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. The historic venue, built in 1969, 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. It is the site of 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. Talladega Superspeedway’s Aspen Dental weekend continues April 30-May 1 with the NASCAR XFINITY Series (Sparks Energy 300) and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (GEICO 500). Log on to www.talladegasuperspeedway.
