Talladega rolls into 2020 riding wave of momentum

Huge crowds at Talladega

TALLADEGA, Ala. – After one of the most successful and monumental years in the history of iconic Talladega Superspeedway, the 2.66-mile venue is just three months away from hosting its first motorsports weekend in 2020 and will introduce the new Talladega Garage Experience to fans at its springtime tripleheader, April 24-26.

The Talladega Garage Experience, which debuted last October to rave reviews, will be showcased for the first time this year when flowers are blooming and excitement to the beginning stages of a new racing season will be at an all-time high. The huge wave of momentum that was created last fall at NASCAR’s most competitive and fan-friendly track, which also celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2019, will continue this spring with three incredible races – the GEICO 500 for the NASCAR Cup Series, the MoneyLion 300 for the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the traditional General Tire 200 for the ARCA Menards Series, a staple at the track since 1969, the first year of the historic venue.

Transformation – New RV Areas; Oversized Tunnel
At no point in the track’s history has it seen more effort to cater to its fans than with the Transformation Infield Project. The $50 Million Transformation redevelopment endeavor – designed specifically for guests of all ages – was completed in two phases.

The first was finished last April with the introduction of new Turn 3 Oversized Vehicle Tunnel, as well as the Finish Line Premium RV area (full hookups) and Infield Shower Trailers. For years, guests asked for more camping sites in the track’s iconic infield, and they got it. In addition to the Finish Line Premium RV area, a more reserved, private RV lot was also created (fall) inside the Alabama Gang Superstretch, bringing the total number of added spots to more than 300 – all with 24-hour enter/exit access via the new oversized tunnel during race weekends.

All-New Talladega Garage Experience
The epicenter of the construction for Phase II (demolition began following the 2019 spring race weekend) was the Talladega Garage Experience, which features an assortment of engagement areas for a fan immersive experience like never before. In the middle of it all is BIG BILL’S Open Air Social Club, the unique 35,000 square foot creation that is lined on both sides by two garages that house the top 22 teams (11 on each side) in the NASCAR Cup Series. Fans get unprecedented access and are under the same roof – just feet away – where the teams and drivers work on the cars.

The Garage Experience also includes family/fan friendly items such as incredible $4 or less value-priced concessions, FREE Wi-Fi, a Kids Zone, a Game Zone, Clyde May’s Courtyard, Tito’s Lemonade Lounge, an entertainment stage for local music, Driver Q&As and other interviews, and a reserved area at Gatorade Victory Lane to witness celebrations after each race in Fr8Auctions Celebration Plaza. The 600-person Pit Road Club, which allows fans a birds-eye view of Pit Road, along with the new Race Operations building, were also a part of Phase II.

Alabama Support
The massive redevelopment project could not have been accomplished without the relentless work and dedication of a host of construction companies involved, a vast majority of which hailed from Alabama.

Throughout the entire construction process, Talladega Superspeedway was the daily workplace of an average of 215 construction professionals. Of those workers, approximately 65 percent resided in the surrounding communities, and the remainder traveled in daily from the Birmingham area. Nonetheless, over 1,500 unique individuals came to NASCAR’s biggest and baddest track to help create and bring to life the incredible new fan amenities the track has to offer. It was the biggest project in the history of Talladega Superspeedway to date, aside from its initial construction in 1968-69.

50th Anniversary Celebration
Throughout 2019, current drivers and NASCAR legends wanted to be a part of the celebration of the past, as well as the present and future during the construction process and the finished product at Talladega.

Racing icons such as Dale Earnhardt Jr., Bobby and Donnie Allison, Red Farmer, Darrell Waltrip, Richard Childress, Dale Inman, Jeff Burton, Dale Jarrett, Kyle Petty, Rusty Wallace, David Ragan and Leonard Wood all participated in 2019 events as part of the Transformation project, along with current NASCAR drivers’ Clint Bowyer, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Matt DiBenedetto, Alex Bowman, Brendan Gaughan, Corey LaJoie, Daniel Hemric, Ryan Newman, Ross Chastain, and Grant Enfinger.

Fan Support
Guests from across the globe made the trek to Talladega Superspeedway in 2019. Fans represented from all 50 states, 22 countries, and six continents as more than 400,000 people attended the two event weekends at the 33-degree banked venue and/or took bus tours of the track during the year via the International Motorsports Hall of Fame (located outside the track’s Turn 4), which also offers self-guided tours and showcases one of the greatest collections of motorsports memorabilia and racing vehicles in the world.

Economic Impact
As a result of another successful year, the track’s continued trend of creating thousands of jobs and incredible economic impact for the state of Alabama kept its path. The track generates more than $434 million in total economic activity each year while spending over $433 million annually to host its two NASCAR weekends. It creates $61 million in state, local and municipal taxes.

Honored for Statewide Contributions
The track was honored late last year in Birmingham for its longstanding commitment to the local community and state by the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center (BJCC) Authority, recognizing the countless benefits the biggest track on the planet has bestowed on the Yellowhammer State.

2020
The stage is set for yet another banner year for the venue, which has both fan entertainment and fingernail-biting, three- and four-wide racing that is second to none. Visit the state of Alabama and be a part of what Talladega Superspeedway has to offer – the Talladega Garage Experience, a social atmosphere like no other, new RV areas, and the most competitive form of racing anywhere.

Fan favorite Chase Elliott is the defending champion of the GEICO 500, while another of the sport’s “young guns," Ryan Blaney, is the track’s most recent Cup Series winner. Ticket information is available online at www.talladegasuperspeedway.com or by calling (855) 518-RACE (7223).