TALLADEGA, Ala. (WIAT) — It’s race weekend once more at the Talladega Superspeedway, and the RVs are already lining up.
Fans from all 50 states and 23 different countries are rolling into Alabama to see car racing’s biggest and boldest battle it out on NASCAR’s fastest track.
“It’s gonna be a huge weekend for us,” said Brian Crichton, Talladega Superspeedway President.
Since this weekend’s three races are playoffs, Crichton said they’re upping the ante in the activities. First, on Friday, there’s a rodeo with bull riding and then fireworks. On Saturday, it’s the first two races and a free concert from country’s Chase Rice. Then, on Sunday, it’s the “big one” on the boulevard.
The Talladega team expects upwards of 10,000 RVs on their grounds and hopes for close to 100,000 fans, and they’re on track to make the highest sales in five years — if Hurricane Ian doesn’t try to roll into the races too.
“So if it is raining during any of our three races over the race weekend, the race will not go on. You cannot run 200 miles an hour on a wet race track,” Crichton said.
He added that they’re closely watching the weather and working on a plan if they get washed out. They’ll have jet dryers on stand by to dry off the track.
But rain or shine, the fans are coming, like Jeff and Becky Sanders from West Point, Georgia.
“I just hope we see a good race, and it don’t rain. We got a hurricane coming,” Sanders said.
The couple has made the pilgrimage to Talladega for more than 20 years.
“It’s kind of like our vacation. We come two times a year, we stay a week … This track right here is different. For some reason, it’s different,” Sanders said.
Crichton offers a reason why.
“This is almost an unofficial family reunion. People use Talladega Superspeedway as a getaway, as a release from reality so to speak and just to come out and have fun,” Crichton said.