This dot on the map is Talladega, AL and home of the Talladega Superspeedway and home to the International Motorsports Hall Of Fame.
Just a short drive off of Inter- state 20 between Birmingham, AL and Atlanta, GA lies a well known hot spot of racing if you are into the NASCAR racing scene and home also to a museum full of motorsports history. This dot on the map is Talladega, AL and home of the Talladega Superspeedway and home to the International Motorsports Hall Of Fame. If you are a fan of stock car racing a tour of the race track is a big enough draw to make you hit the exit ramp for Talladega and if you are just an auto enthusiast the lure of the museum should be enough to get you off of Interstate 20 for some quality time with automotive history.The doors of the International Motorsports Hall of Fame first opened in 1983 as a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of the history of motorsports. One of the facilities highlights is the Motorsports Museum that spans three buildings and an enclosed courtyard. Over the years the museum has experienced tremendous growth with the ever-growing collection of racing vehicles and memorabilia that dates from 1902 to the present now valued at over $15 million. The International Motorsports Hall of Fame is also recognized for it's prestigious Induction Ceremony into the Hall of Fame that takes place prior to the spring Talladega race. This annual event that includes a blacktie ceremony, reception, banquet and awards ceremony takes place on the grounds of the museum to honor those men and women that are among the greatest names in motorsports. The International Motorsports Hall of Fame & Museum is open year round from 8:30am to 5:00pm except for Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and Easter morning. For more information on this great facility call 256-362-5002 or visit www.motorsportshalloffame.com Right next door to the 35 acre area that comprises the International Motorsports Hall of Fame & Museum is the Talladega Superspeedway also known as “the World's Fastest Superspeedway". NASCAR's most competitive race track started out life as nothing more than rolling hills of farm land but in 1966 a vision by Bill Ward and Bill France to build a major race track changed the lay of the land and made motorsports history. The ground was broken in May 1968 on the 2,000 acre area and in September 1969 the green flag waved on the 'Bama 400 Grand Touring race and Ken Rush drove his Camaro to victory lane at what was then known as the Alabama International Motor Speedway. The next day Richard Brickhouse won the Talladega 500 the first Grand National race to be held at the facility.A lot has changed around the racetrack since that first race and that first celebration in victory lane, but the competition between teams and d r i v e r s is still as intense as that very first lap back in 69'. The track was renamed in 1989 to the Talladega Superspeedway and is now located on over 3000 acres. Some of the numbers that might surprise you are that the track is 2.66 miles long, four lanes wide, banked 33 degrees on each end and has 18 degree banking in the tri-oval. If these numbers don't stun you how about the fact that it can accommodate over 143,00 seated guests in the grand stands and thousands more in the infield area of 212 acres. You have to see this racetrack up close and personal to truly be able to grasp how huge it is and Talladega Superspeedway offers tours that give you just that chance. The Speedway runs an 18 seat handicap accessible van tour every hour on days that the track is not closed for racing or testing activities. These tours begin at 9:00 am and run every hour until 4:00pm with the tour lasting approximately 20 minutes. For more information on the Speedway van tour you can call 256-761-4706 or visit www.motorsportshalloffame.com Thanks to Jim Freeman, Betty Carlan and staff of the International Motorsports Hall of Fame for making myself and Cruisin' Style Magazine feel at home while at their facility. Thanks also to the security department of Talladega Superspeedway for allowing myself and Cruisin' Style Magazine to shoot photos of the track and its facilities.
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