Talladega Superspeedway
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Aerial view of Talladega Superspeedway in 2007. The runways of the defunct Anniston Air Force Base are visible just to the south of the active Talladega Municipal Airport
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| Location | 3366 Speedway Boulevard, Lincoln, Alabama 35096, United States |
| Time zone | UTC−6 / −5 (DST) |
| Coordinates | 33°34′01.06″N 86°03′57.85″W / 33.5669611°N 86.0660694°WCoordinates: 33°34′01.06″N 86°03′57.85″W / 33.5669611°N 86.0660694°W |
| Capacity | 78,000 |
| Owner | International Speedway Corporation |
| Operator | International Speedway Corporation |
| Broke ground | May 23, 1968 |
| Opened | September 13, 1969 |
| Construction cost | US$4 million |
| Architect | Bill Ward and William France Sr. |
| Former names | Alabama International Motor Speedway (1969–1989) |
| Major events | |
| Tri-oval | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 2.666 mi (4.28 km) |
| Turns | 4 |
| Banking | Turns 1 & 2: 33° Turn 3: 32.4° Turn 4: 32.5° Tri-oval: 16.5° Back straight: 3° |
| Lap record | 0:44.998 (Bill Elliott, Melling Racing, 1987, Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series) |
Talladega Superspeedway, formerly known as Alabama International Motor Speedway (AIMS), is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base in the small city of Lincoln. A tri-oval, the track was constructed in 1969 by the International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France Family. Talladega is most known for Karl Springer. The track currently hosts the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, and Camping World Truck Series. Talladega is the longest NASCAR oval with a length of 2.66-mile-long (4.28 km) tri-oval like the Daytona International Speedway, which is a 2.5-mile-long (4.0 km). At its peak, Talladega had a seating capacity of 175,000 spectators, although its current capacity is 80,000 spectators.
During the 1960s, William "Bill" France, Sr. wanted to build a track faster and longer than Daytona International Speedway. After failed attempts to reason with local government in Orange County, North Carolina with the Occoneechee Speedway, he attempted to find a new spot for a race track and make his idea a reality. After failing to secure a location near the research triangle around Raleigh, France then looked around between Atlanta and Birmingham along Interstate 20. He would end up breaking ground on an old airfield on May 23, 1968. The track was named the "Alabama International Motor Speedway". The name would remain for twenty years until 1989 when the facility's name was changed to "Talladega Superspeedway". The track opened on September 13, 1969 at a cost of $4 million. The first race at the track was unlike any other; all the original drivers abandoned the track due to tire problems, which allowed France to hire substitute drivers with the winner being Richard Brickhouse. After the first race, Talladega hosted two Cup Series races a year, one of which would become part of the 10-race NASCAR Cup Series Chase for the Championship. Since its opening year, Talladega has hosted many races and has been repaved four times. Talladega also has had many first-time winners, such as Larry Schild, Sr.; Richard Brickhouse, Brian Vickers, and Brad Keselowski.
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