Talladega Superspeedway

Talladega Superspeedway opened in September 1969 as NASCAR's longest oval at 2.66 miles. Built on the site of a former Air Force base in Lincoln, Alabama, Talladega's 33-degree banking, steeper than any other Cup superspeedway, produces some of the highest closing speeds in motorsports. Cup cars have run laps over 200 miles per hour at Talladega, leading NASCAR to mandate restrictor plates and later tapered spacers to slow the field for safety reasons. The resulting drafting-style pack racing has made Talladega famous for last-lap winners coming from outside the top 20 and for multi-car wrecks known as 'the Big One.' Talladega hosts two Cup Series races each year, both regularly producing the closest finishes on the schedule.