Original members of the famed Alabama Gang, Bobby and Donnie Allison – both of whom enjoyed great success at Talladega Superspeedway over the years- will serve as Grand Marshal and Honorary Starter, respectively, for Sunday’s Hellmann’s 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, pivotal elimination event in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup where 12 eligible drivers for the season-ending championship will be trimmed to eight at the checkered flag.
Bobby, the 1983 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion and four-time Talladega Superspeedway winner, will deliver those most famous words in motorsports – “Drivers, Start Your Engines” – as 40 competitors will bring their cars to life, and prepare for the scheduled 188-lap event of intense battle around the 2.66-mile tri-oval. Donnie, a two-time Talladega winner will show the green flag to the field to kick off the final race of the Round of 12 at 1:00 p.m. CDT. Both are members of the International Motorsports Hall of Fame
The Allisons, along with Red Farmer, made Dale Earnhardt Jr. one of their own late last month. During a memorable day that featured history reborn, the trio of Bobby, Donnie and Red – who helped to not only put the state of Alabama on the map in the world of motorsports, but also became legends in the entire motorsports community – awarded the third-generation driver the prestigious position of “Honorary Member” into the iconic and esteemed Alabama Gang. While he won’t be competing in the Hellmann’s 500, Earnhardt Jr. will be interacting with fans as part of the track’s Fan Driver Question & Answer session on Sunday morning at the start-finish line.
Talladega Superspeedway’s action-packed weekend kicks off today with practice sessions for both the fred’s 250 Powered by Coca Cola NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) and Hellmann’s 500. Saturday’s schedule includes qualifying for the fred’s 250 Powered by Coca Cola (9:30 a.m. CDT) and Foodland/Food Giant Qualifying for the Hellmann’s 500 (3 p.m. CDT). The fred’s 250 Powered by Coca-Cola (the Round of 8 Elimination race in the NCWTS Chase) gets the green flag at noon CDT.
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