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![]() Tri-oval | |
Location | 3366 Speedway Boulevard, Lincoln, Alabama, 35096 |
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Time zone | UTC−6 (UTC−5 DST) |
Coordinates | 33°34′01.06″N 86°03′57.85″W / 33.5669611°N 86.0660694°W |
Capacity | 80,000 |
Owner | NASCAR (2019–present) International Speedway Corporation (1969–2019) |
Broke ground | 23 May 1968 |
Opened | 9 September 1969 |
Construction cost | $5 million USD |
Former names | Alabama International Motor Speedway (1969–1989) |
Major events | Current: NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500 (1970–present) YellaWood 500 (1969–present) Former: International Race of Champions (1984, 1986, 1990–1996, 1999–2001, 2003) AMA Superbike Championship (1980–1983) IMSA GT Championship (1971–1972, 1974–1976, 1978) |
Website | talladegasuperspeedway |
Tri-oval (1969–present) | |
Surface | Asphalt |
Length | 2.660 miles (4.281 km) |
Turns | 4 |
Banking | Turns: 33° Tri-oval: 16.5° Straights: 2° |
Race lap record | 0:46.530 (![]() |
Road Course (1969–1989) | |
Length | 4.000 miles (6.437 km) |
Turns | 11 |
Race lap record | 1:53.400 (![]() |
Talladega Superspeedway (formerly named Alabama International Motor Speedway from 1969 to 1989) is a 2.66-mile (4.28 km) tri-oval superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama. The track has hosted a variety of racing events since its inaugural season of racing in 1969; primarily races sanctioned by NASCAR. The track has been owned by NASCAR since 2019 with Brian Crichton serving as the track's president. Talladega Superspeedway is served by Interstate 20.
The track has a grandstand capacity of 80,000 as of 2022, down from its peak of 143,000 recorded in 2003. Along with the main track, the track complex also features a 4-mile (6.4 km) long roval-style road course. The track is one of the largest in both NASCAR's schedule and in the entirety of the United States, covering approximately 3,000 acres of land.
After a proposal in Spartanburg, South Carolina, fell through in the early 1960s, NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. opted to seek his proposal elsewhere, eventually landing on an area near Talladega, Alabama. Over the track's first couple decades, it gained a reputation for being a fast, wild, and chaotic track, with speeds of over 200 miles per hour (320 km/h), major accidents, and unusual occurrances being commonplace. NASCAR's introduction of the restrictor plate in the late 1980s exasperated its chaotic reputation, with "Big One" accidents occurring often due to the appearance of pack racing. Due to this, along with its vibrant party scene on race weekends, the track has become one of the most popular in the United States, frequently hosting races with over 100,000 attending.