Talladega Versus A Day

tidefanblake

3rd Team
Aug 2, 2005
284
0
0
43
In discussing whether NASCAR or football is the "sport of the South," my dad was saying that he thought they moved the Talladega Spring race a year or two ago because the date would conflict with Alabama and Auburn's Spring games.

Does anyone else remember this? Or the exact dates, or can someone link me to an article for confirmation? I would be forever indebted.
 

Redwood Forrest

Hall of Fame
Sep 19, 2003
11,299
1,303
287
78
Boaz, AL USA
I don't know about that, but I do know a fellow I work with used to say if the 'Dega race in August was during football season they wouldn't have 100k. Well, then the Chase came along and 'Dega was moved to October ... and they had 150k+.

I have followed NASCAR from the 1950s, way-back, way-back when only the second half of the Daytona 500 was on TV and the rest I had to listen to on my trusty radio. But, nothing, nothing, nothing compares to College Football in my book. If I had to give up every sport and choose only one, it would most certainly be College Football. Roll Tide!
 

bamaga

Hall of Fame
Apr 29, 2002
14,924
10,443
282
JAWJA
I don't belive so. the race dates change to accomodate other tracks, not so much CFB. I used to double dip on weekends, A day on saturday, 'Dega on sunday. made for really tough accomodations however.
 

Black Warrior

Suspended
Mar 30, 2010
2,236
2
0
NASCAR is a sport? C'mon, it's a pastime, nothing more. When I was a kid, my brother and I rode back from a family reunion with my Uncle Joe. Halfway between York and Livingston he shut off the lights and floored his old Oldsmobile and straddled the white line in the highway. "This is how we used to outrun the cops in the old days when we were carrying a load (moonshine)", he said. Holy crap! we screamed. What a ride!! Anyway, those are the guys, my Uncle Joe and his Brother Enos, and guys like them who invented stock car racing and it's eventual offspring, NASCAR. It's not a sport. It was a way of life for adrenaline junkies who saw a way out of the Great Depression by running liquor. To think it has come so far as to almost be a national pastime would amaze Joe and Enos. They'd probably laugh themselves silly at the whole idea of it...
 

Rattlehead82

1st Team
Feb 3, 2008
948
0
0
42
Pace, FL
"I wanna be a race car passenger - just a guy who bugs the driver. "Say man, can I turn on the radio? You should slow down. Why we gotta keep going in circles? Can I put my feet out the window? Man, you really like Tide."" - Mitch Hedberg

A-Day all the way. NASCAR is boring to me.
 

bama2112

All-American
Nov 19, 2006
2,037
299
107
Cobb County, Ga.
When the Alabama Gang was racing in the 80's the stands were packed. With the new pretty boy drivers and cars that look the same. Not one part is actual stock car parts its became what the France family did not want.

A newer sweeter driver, I have all of Daveys Allisons races on tape even though he was a Aubarn fan. His dad was one of the best to ever drive a car.

Have you watched any of the races. The only one the stands have been full in the last several year 5 plus is Daytona and Bristol. Talledega this year had maybe 90K, both ends of the main grandstand were empty. TV doesnt show it much or talk about attendance at all since they have this fat contract.

Neither do the talk shows or Nascar on sirius. The sport is in sirius problem , attendence is down 20% or more and the 18 y/o's are watching it but the sport had lost alll excitement for many of the legions of fans.
 

bnhonest

All-SEC
May 28, 2003
1,087
4
0
Vestavia Hills, Al, USA
Talladega's spring race has always been the last Sunday in April, at least since I have been going to it over the past 15 years. I also go to the fall race, which is much better than the summer race, IMHO. But I will say this...in the stands on Sunday's in the fall, you will see a speckling of Bama gear, a little Auburn gear, some UT and even some LSU gear. But I would say 95% of the people in the stands couldn't care less about football.

I do love going to the race up there, but have to agree that the sport is not what it used to be.
 

RamJamHam

Suspended
Jan 28, 2009
845
0
0
Talladega's spring race has always been the last Sunday in April, at least since I have been going to it over the past 15 years. I also go to the fall race, which is much better than the summer race, IMHO. But I will say this...in the stands on Sunday's in the fall, you will see a speckling of Bama gear, a little Auburn gear, some UT and even some LSU gear. But I would say 95% of the people in the stands couldn't care less about football.

I do love going to the race up there, but have to agree that the sport is not what it used to be.
I'm not sure you can extrapolate a lack of caring about football from the fact that there's not a lot of football gear on display at the race. I'm not sure any sport is as highly merchandised as NASCAR, and most folks that I've seen at the races I have been to had on NASCAR gear. But I bet they could tell you what happened in all the games yesterday.
 

bnhonest

All-SEC
May 28, 2003
1,087
4
0
Vestavia Hills, Al, USA
I have run your sentence through all kinds of statistical analysis and evaluational models and it simply does not compute.
LOL! OK, ok, ok! Let me restate my position, smart aleks!:rolleyes:

I have oft tried to talk football with race fans on fall Sunday's at Talladega. In most of my personal experiences and exchanges, all I have gotten is blank stares and some kind of comment about not really paying attention to football.

So, based on my personal experiences, I have come to the conclusion that many race fans do not follow football.
 

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