Aaron’s 499
NASCAR Pre-race: FOX – 12:00pm/et
Race Coverage: FOX, 1:00pm/et
SPEED’s NASCAR Raceday Pre-Race Show: 10:00am/et
John Roberts, Kyle Petty, Kenny Wallace
Track/Race Length: 2.66 mile quad oval, 188 laps, 500.08 miles
Superspeedway: 2.66-mile trioval 48 feet wide (12-foot apron)
Turns: Banking: 33° Length: 3,750 feet Radius: 1,100 feet
Trioval: Banking: 18°
Frontstretch: Chute length: 2,150 feet (from turn to middle of trioval) Total length: 4,300 feet Banking: 16.5°
Backstretch: Length: 4,000 feet Banking: 2°
Grand Marshal: Auburn Tigers head football coach Gene Chizik
Command to start engines: Gene Chizik
Aaron’s Dream Weekend at Talladega Superspeedway:
Friday, April 15
Qualifying for the NASCAR Nationwide Series,
ARCA Racing Series 250
Saturday, April 16
Qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Aaron’s 312 (NASCAR Nationwide Series race)
Sunday, April 17
Aaron’s 499 (NASCAR Cup Series race)
NOTEBOOK:
•Richard “The King” Petty won twice in 46 Talladega starts. But his two wins managed to set an unusual record. The first win came on August 11, 1974. The second came on May 1, 1983, setting the mark for longest stretch between wins at the 2.66-mile oval.(10-2-2004)
•Slowest Cup race ever at Talladega 2004: A track record 11 caution periods over 55 laps caused the average speed to be 129.396mph, the slowest in a NASCAR Winston/Nextel Cup race at Talladega. The record (130.892) was set in 1975 in a race won by Buddy Baker.(4-27-2004)
•October 2010 Pole Sitter: #42-Juan Pablo Montoya, 184.640mph, finished 3rd
•April 2010 Pole Sitter: none, due to inclement weather
•Track/Event Qualifying Record (no restrictor plate): Bill Elliott, April 1987, 212.809mph
•Track/Event Qualifying Record (Restrictor Plate): Bill Elliott, May 1990, 199.388 (15/16th inch plate)
•Oldest Pole Winner: Ricky Rudd, 47 years, 7 months, 13 days, 4/25/2004
•Youngest Pole Winner: Jimmie Johnson, 26 years, 7 months, 4 days, 4/21/2002
•October 2010 Race Winner: #33-Clint Bowyer, 163.618mph, started 2nd
•April 2010 Race Winner: #29-Kevin Harvick, 150.590mph, started 4th
•Track Race Record: Mark Martin, May 1997, 188.354mph
•Slowest Race Record: Jeff Gordon, April 25, 2004, 129.396mph
•Worst Starting Spot to Win: Jeff Gordon, April 2000, started 36th
•Oldest Race Winner: Harry Gant, 52 years, 3 months, 26 days, May 1991
•Youngest Race Winner: Bobby Hillin Jr., 22 years, 1 months, 22 days, July 1986
CONCERT
Gretchen Wilson performs a free Saturday night infield concert for Talladega Superspeedway race fans. The April 16th concert will be open to all infield guests and any race fan presenting a Sunday Aaron’s 499 race ticket.
EVENTS AT THE SPEEDWAY:
Horsepower Plaza
Visit the Horsepower Plaza with company displays and vendor merchandise will be open Friday – Sunday. The Horsepower Plaza located outside of Turn 4.
Coca-Cola Family Track Walk
Saturday, April 16
Race fans, this is your chance to join Coca-Cola Racing Family members Bobby Allison, Kurt Busch, Joey Logano and Bobby Labonte on Saturday for the Coca-Cola Family Track Walk after the checkered flag waves on the Nationwide race. It’s a truly unique opportunity to walk on an actual surface fresh off 300 miles of racing. The event begins 30 minutes after the end of the Aaron’s 312. Enter the track from the frontstretch grandstands through the crossover gates at the Start/Finish line, or from the backstretch through the Allison Grandstand crossover gate.
Official Merchandise Promotion
Visit the Official Merchandise Trailers at Talladega Superspeedway for a special Fan Appreciation Offer. Anyone who spends $80 or more will receive $10 off their purchase. Visit any of the Official Merchandise Trailers or the Merchandise Store inside the Internation Motorsports Hall of Fame & Museum during the race weekend. Limit one discount per customer.
Miller Lite Inside Track Bar
Friday – Sunday
The Miller Lite Inside Track Bar is a great place to meet up with friends in the infield – at the intersection of Talladega Blvd and Eastaboga Blvd.
Hours:
Friday, April 15 - 10 am – 2 am
Saturday, April 16 - 11 am - 2 am
Sunday, April 17 - 10 am – 3 pm
SPEED TV LIVE Show Tapings
Friday, April 15 – Sunday, April 17
Everyone has seen race fans in the audience at a live taping on the SPEED Stage. SPEED TV will be set up all weekend during the Aaron’s Dream weekend broadcasting LIVE front Talladega Superspeedway. Here is a complete list of the shows and when they are taping at the SPEED Stage during the race weekend. The SPEED Stage is located on the outside of Turn 4 are on the Frontstretch. Look for the SPEED Tower!
Stage Opens – 9:00 AM – SPEED games and activities all day!
TRACKSIDE LIVE
6:00 – 7:00 PM
Hosted by Steve Byrnes, Darrell Waltrip, Jeff Hammond, Rutledge Wood & Special Guests
Saturday, April 16th
Stage Opens - 9:30 AM – SPEED games and activities all day!
Sunday, April 17th
Stage Opens – 7:00 AM – SPEED games and activities all day!
NASCAR RaceDay - 9:00 – 11:00 AM – Hosted by John Roberts, Kenny Wallace, Kyle Petty, Wendy Venturini & Hermie Sadler
Concerts in The Campgrounds presented by Motor Racing Outreach
Friday, April 15 & Saturday, April 16 - 8:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Concerts in the campgrounds are open to the overnight park customers.
After some great days of racing action, fan can enjoy concerts at night from local bands in the following locations:
West Park B Reserved Park – Who So Ever
Reserved Family Park – The River
West Park C FREE Camping – Cross Country
North Park FREE Camping – Trackside
DRIVER APPEARANCES/AUTOGRAPH SESSIONS
Friday, April 15
ARCA Racing Series Autograph Session
The drivers from the 3 Amigos 250 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards will be having an autograph session on Friday, April 15 in the ARCA Series garage from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm. Drivers from the series will be available for autographs at their haulers during this time.
The garage will be open for all infield campers and any race fan with a Friday infield admission. Drinks will be permitted in the garage area, but no glass containers or coolers will be allowed. Race fans of all ages are welcome to attend.
Trams will transport guests from designated pick-up point on the infield road course and take them to the entrance of the ARCA garage. The same trams will return guest at the conclusion of the walkthrough.
1:00pm local time
Tim George & Ty Dillon
Scheduled to appear for a question-and-answer session with race fans on the Chevrolet Stage located in the midway at Talladega Superspeedway.
NASCAR Nationwide Series Autograph Session
The NASCAR Nationwide Series Autograph Session will be on Friday, April 15th from 2:00 – 3:00 pm in the concourse area behind O.V. Hill South Grandstand, Sections D & E.
Fans will need to have a Friday General Admission grandstand ticket to attend the autograph session.
Pick up your wristbands before the session at the main Guest Services Office located at O.V. Hill South Grandstand, Section L. Guests that do not have wristbands can still wait in line but are not guaranteed autographs due to time constraints.
PRE-RACE PIT PASS INFORMATION for Sunday, April 17
Pre-Race Pit Passes are $50 and anyone with Tower seating or in Gecko Frontrunner Club I and II can purchase the Pre-Race Pit Pass.
TALLADEGA HELP LINE
To access Talladega Superspeedway’s 24-hour Security Hotline in case of emergency or in need of service assistance, you can simply call 256-761-4877.
Text-message based communication system in the grandstands: Simply text: TSSFAN <space> your issue/need & your current location to: 69050 Text Service is 8am-8pm CST only.
Note: Standard SMS rates apply.
To purchase or for more information on tickets to Talladega Superspeedway, please visit www.talladegasuperspeedway.com or call 1-877-Go2-DEGA.