Ever imagine seeing firsthand the view Dale Earnhardt Jr., Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch and the other top stars in NASCAR have when driving around the sport’s most mammoth track – Talladega Superspeedway? What is it like to get a feel for the 2.66-mile grand venue on its 33-degrees of banking in the long, incredibly wide turns?
Well, fans will have that special opportunity – in their own personal car – during “Fan Track Drive,” a fundraising event for the American Red Cross on Saturday, July 26.
The “Fan Track Drive” event will run from 9 am until 2 pm and will allow guests to drive their passenger vehicle two laps around the Talladega Superspeedway for a $50 contribution. Each vehicle will closely follow one of Talladega Superspeedway’s Emergency Services vehicles, which will lead the field at highway speed. Currently, there are no other fan “drive” events planned for the remainder of 2014 at Talladega.
“We are proud to host the American Red Cross at Talladega Superspeedway for the upcoming ‘Fan Track Drive’ event,” said track Chairman Grant Lynch. “The American Red Cross does wonderful things in our area that save peoples’ lives each and every day. We are more than happy to contribute as much time and effort as we can to help them do their job.”
In addition to the “drive,” guests can take a high-speed ride around NASCAR’s Most Competitive Track in one of the speedway’s official pace cars – the Ford Mustang or the Chevrolet Camaro – at a cost of $100. All money for rides will be directly donated to the American Red Cross Talladega-St Clair Chapter. Photo opportunities will be offered in Gatorade Victory Lane to capture guests’ memorable time at the historic track, which turns 45 years old with the running of the GEICO 500 and fred’s 250 Powered by Coca-Cola, Oct. 17-19.
Upon arrival at the main entrance to the property off Speedway Boulevard, fans will be greeted by track staff which will take payments, have participants sign a waiver to drive, and give directions to go inside the track.
The “Fan Track Drive” will be limited to passenger vehicles only. No motorcycles, recreational vehicles, tractor trailers, etc. will be allowed on the track. Passing on the track is not allowed. Driver of each vehicle must be at least 18 years of age and provide a valid driver’s license. All participants must abide by TSS rules or be removed from track property. Some restrictions include: dropping back or lagging behind and exceeding the paced highway speed, and driving in the top groove/lane of the track.
Also on the horizon for the American Red Cross at Talladega Superspeedway is the annual “Laps for Life” blood drive, slated for September 11. Details will be available in the near future. The American Red Cross recently recogized the speedway for its outstanding contributions and support of the organization.
The American Red Cross, Blood Services, Alabama and Central Gulf Coast Region, which supplies blood to approximately 100 hospitals, needs 600 blood donors each day in order to meet the needs of patients in the region. Blood donors must be at least 17 years old (16 with parental consent) and weigh at least 110 pounds. Please call 1-800-RED-CROSS or visit www.redcrossblood.org to make an appointment to donate blood or platelets.
NASCAR speeds back into Talladega Superspeedway October 17-19 for the GEICO 500 Sprint Cup Series race and fred’s 250 Powered by Coca-Cola Camping World Truck 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 also 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 also NASCAR’s “Party Capital” thanks to the track’s infamous infield and world renowned Talladega Blvd. The historic venue has always worked hard to enhance the fan experience in every way and now 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. This is more than a race, this is Talladega!