The word that best describes the Talladega Superspeedway? Unique. The 2.66-mile monstrosity located in Lincoln, Ala.
, boasts plenty of interesting features that make it stand out from other tracks on the NASCAR circuit. Whether it be the wild party scene, the scale of the crashes or an alleged curse that dates back to the 1830s, NASCAR’s fastest track always provides plenty of entertainment for race fans. Here are four of the track’s most infamous moments that no fan will soon forget.
PDA with a punch (1969) Talladega Superspeedway, known as the Alabama International Motor Speedway at the time of its opening, got off to a rather inauspicious start when it opened in 1969. The track’s completion was rushed in order to meet the opening day deadline of Sept. 14 and the "luxury suites" that were set to host black-tie executives were unfinished rooms with little to no real amenities.
Driver Bobby Allison claimed the track had "great big holes" all over it, and Goodyear was unable to provide a tire that could traverse the rough surface safely. Eventually, the PDA, (Professional Driver’s Association) led by Richard Petty, opted to skip the race. The tension between NASCAR President and Talladega visionary Bill France, who was the farthest thing from a union man imaginable, and the PDA resulted in driver LeeRoy Yarbrough landing a punch on France, and the first race at the new speedway was controversially won by Richard Brickhouse after nearly all of NASCAR’s best bowed out.
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