As early as 8:00am on Sunday, fans were lining up in front of Talladega Superspeedway to take their vehicles on a lap around the 2.66 mile tri-oval during Fan Appreciation Day. Officials estimate 12,000 fans attended the event. Some came from as far away as Indiana and Florida, but all left with a story to tell. “This was payback to my dad,” said Mike McAnally from Gulf Shores, Ala. “Dad used to be a sheriff and worked security at the races a long time ago. When I was about 10, dad got to do a track drive like this. I remember when we went into Turn One I got scared and made him stop. When I got my track ride voucher for attending the Aaron’s 499, I called him up and told him he was going to get a chance to drive Talladega again.”
Jack Wilson of Tennyson, Ind. said he and his wife made the drive to Talladega just to take their new Corvette around the track. “I was hoping they would really let me open her up,” said Wilson. “But they had a truck pacing everyone. It was still worth the trip just to experience going around those turns. We had a good time.”
After taking their turn driving around the track, fans enjoyed lunch provided by Talladega Superspeedway, Pepsi and Golden Flake, a Q&A and autograph signing with Richard Brickhouse, Dave Marcis, Sterling Marlin and track president Rick Humphrey and a free concert by Darryl Worley. Tickets are still available for the upcoming Oct. 30 – Nov. 1 AMP Energy 500 Weekend. The AMP Energy 500 is Race Number Seven in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and a critical factor in determining the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion.(TSS)(9-22-2009)
