Pressure, Tension, Anxiety Await Chase Drivers in Elimination Races – Alabama 500 & fred’s 250

Nerves will be aplenty this weekend during the highly anticipated, first-ever NASCAR Chase Double Elimination Weekend at Talladega Superspeedway as virtually any driver who has yet to win in the Chase’s Round of 12 isn’t guaranteed to advance. One thing for certain, however, is that six drivers will depart the mammoth 2.66-mile venue disappointed as their championship hopes will come to an end – four at the conclusion of the Alabama 500 and two at race’s end in the fred’s 250 Powered by Coca-Cola.

Sunday’s Alabama 500, which has an incredible Chamber of Commerce weather forecast with a high in the upper 70s and no chance of rain, will serve as the final race in the Round of 12 in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup where the field of 12 eligible drivers for the championship will be trimmed to eight at the checkered flag. After this past Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) race at Kansas Speedway, only Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick are locked into the Round of 8. The remaining drivers are in a tightly contested battle with Kyle Busch leading the way 27 points above the cutline while Carl Edwards is just three points behind his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate. From fifth through 11^th, a mere 24 points is the separation, with Kurt Busch (+17), Martin Truex Jr. (+13), Joey Logano (+0), Austin Dillon (-0) (Logano owns the tie-breaker), Denny Hamlin (-6 out of 8^th place) and Brad Keselowski (-7). Chase Elliott (-25) is in 12^th, and is in an almost “must win” situation.

Brad Keselowski, who was involved in an accident in Kansas and wound up a disappointing 38^th, is the driver that sits 11^th in the standings. He’s been in this situation before – sort of. Two years ago, he came into the Alabama 500 and had to win to advance in the Chase. He did just that, not caving under the pressure. His outlook following Sunday’s race?

“I don’t think it is a must-win situation,” said Keselowski, who has four triumphs at Talladega, including the GEICO 500 earlier this year. “I am not worried about it. I am going to go there and bust my butt to try to win but I don’t think it is a must win yet.”

Elliott, son of two-time Talladega Superspeedway winner Bill Elliott, was a fast learner at Talladega in May’s GEICO 500, winning the pole position, running near the front most of the day and then claiming a fifth-place finish – all as a rookie in his first NSCS race at Talladega. He, unlike Keselowski’s outlook, will probably need to finish four spots better with a victory Sunday in order to advance in the Chase.

“I just will go there, and race our hearts out and try to win I guess,” said Elliott, who finished 31^st Sunday after two brushes with the wall in Kansas. “That’s about all we can do I guess. We have something to be proud of in the way we have been running. There are just some things we can’t control. I don’t know how to fix that stuff, but I appreciate it so hard. These guys deserve better.  We are bummed, but what do you do. You just have to move on.”

Hamlin, who won at Talladega in the spring of 2014, was optimistic about his chances at NASCAR’s Most Competitive track this upcoming weekend.

“We knew going into Talladega that we would probably have to have a win to get in. At this point right now, we probably need that, but honestly if we go run top-three, things can fall our way. It’s not going to stop us from doing the best we can and our speedway program is pretty good for us, so I’m actually okay with going there and looking forward to it.”

Meanwhile, the fred’s 250 Powered by Coca-Cola – also expecting picture-perfect weather with a high in the mid 70s and clear skies – will have a contested battle for the title as it serves as a cut-off race in the inaugural NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Chase. At the checkered flag, six of eight eligible drivers will move on in the Round of 6. William Byron is the only driver who has guaranteed a spot in the Round of 6 while others vying for the championship include: Christopher Bell (-18 points behind Byron), Matt Crafton (-19), Ben Kennedy (-25), Talladega Superspeedway’s defending two-time fred’s 250 Powered by Coca-Cola winner, Timothy Peters (-27) and Johnny Sauter (-28). Daniel Hemric (-43) and John Hunter Nemechek (-43) sit below the cut-off line. 

Peters has an opportunity to pull off a feat that has never been accomplished in the first 10 years the NCWTS has been at Talladega. He will seek to become the only driver to win three consecutive NCWTS races in the fred’s 250 Powered by Coca-Cola.

Talladega Superspeedway’s action-packed weekend kicks off Friday (Oct. 21) with practice sessions for both the fred’s 250 Powered by Coca-Cola and the Alabama 500. Saturday’s schedule includes qualifying for the NCWTS (9:30 a.m. CDT), Foodland/Food Giant Qualifying for the NSCS (3:00 p.m. CDT) and the fred’s 250 Powered by Coca-Cola, which gets the green flag at 12 Noon CDT. The Alabama 500 is set for Sunday at 1:00 p.m. CDT.

The exciting elimination racing action on the track at Talladega will be the main event for what promises to be an incredible weekend with an array of other exciting amenities and opportunities fans won’t want to miss that include:

Epic Music Entertainment: The infamous Saturday Night Infield Concert, which takes place near the intersection of Eastaboga and Talladega Boulevards, will be headlined by Nashville country star Jerrod Niemann with Tim Dugger and DJ Michaelis also there to rock the house! The popular concert will begin at 7:15 p.m. CDT and it’s FREE to all infield guests, as well as anyone who has purchased an Alabama 500 ticket.

Alabama 500 National Anthem: In what has become a tradition at TSS, our military – the “Brass Quintet” of the 313^th United States Army Band – will perform its rendition of the National Anthem before the Alabama 500. The “Brass Quintet” is comprised of eight individual citizen-soldiers – Terry Binion, Luigi Baccala, Philip Green, Tim Harris, Danteus Brown, Cory Wills, Zack Miller and Paul Tucker – who train and perform as army musicians.

Military Flyover/Semi Truck Ride Around: Continuing an incredible tradition of flyovers, a B-1 Bomber will fly high above NASCAR’s biggest and baddest track in the clear blue sky at the conclusion of Sunday’s National Anthem. The B-1 Bomber will be flying out of Dyess Air Force Base, located just outside Abilene, Texas. The tradition of Johnny Ray’s Semi Truck – sporting a giant American Flag – will also speed around the track during the National Anthem.

Freedom Trophy: The Freedom Trophy, one of Talladega Superspeedway’s unique patriotic traditions, will be presented to the winner of the Alabama 500 by United States Coast Guard representatives – MK2 Ruben D. Cabrera-Matos and Seaman Casey Raines. Since its inception in spring of 2014, all military branches will have presented the five-side trophy in Gatorade Victory Lane at the conclusion of Sunday’s event.

Jimmie Johnson Family Ticket Package: Two-time Talladega Superspeedway winner Jimmie Johnson will host a special Kids Question and Answer Session prior to the start of the Alabama 500. In addition to the Kids Q&A session, the youngsters will participate in hands-on activities during a special learning program, led by NASA trained educators. The family ticket package includes a $48 ticket(s) for adults and $24 ticket(s) for children (ages 12 and under) that will be in the Gadsden Grandstands for the Alabama 500. Families will also receive 10% off of merchandise purchased at the Fanatics NASCAR Trackside Superstore located in the Fan Zone outside the frontstretch.

Kids Programming: The New Kids VIP Experience provides behind-the-scenes access for kids at NASCAR’s biggest track. Kids will have the option to choose one experience on a first-come-first-served basis. Options include:

• Reserved Kids VIP area at the Driver’s Meeting Red Carpet Entrance
• VIP Hot Lap Rides around the mammoth 2.66, 33 degree high banks in a Grand Marshal Vehicle
• Reserved Kids VIP Area at Driver Introductions
• Kids VIP NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Guided Garage Tour (three different scheduled tour times)
• Kids Photo Opportunity in Gatorade Victory Lane Prior to the Race

Families who have purchased the “Pre-Race Pit Pass Upgrade” for $75, along with a Sunday admission ticket, will now be able to sign up their kids (2 kids per 1 adult limit) for the exclusive VIP opportunities at no extra cost! To be a part of the Kids VIP Experience, all parents need to do is stop by and sign up at the Kids Station, which opens at 8:00 a.m. CDT Sunday morning, located behind pit road near the GOODYEAR Building.

Kids Pricing: Kids 12-and-under receive $50 off all regular adult ticket pricing throughout the grandstands and towers for the Alabama 500. In GADSDEN and TALLADEGA Grandstands 2-day sections, kids 12-and-under can sit for FREE, when accompanied by an adult. Kids Grandstand and Tower seats for the fred’s 250 Powered by Coca-Cola are FREE as well.

‘Chase University’ College Student Program: Chase Elliott is scheduled to take a stroll through Talladega Superspeedway’s special “Chase U College Zone” in the North Park Campground to mix and mingle (and hand out special TSS & Chase U goodies) with college students prior to the start of the Alabama 500. The special college ticket is just $24 and includes admission to the Saturday Night Concert, headlined by Jerrod Niemann.

Pit Pass Upgrades: Fans that purchase Talladega’s “Pit Pass Upgrade,” along with a Sunday admission ticket to the Alabama 500, will have access to the special Fan Q&A session, which is tentatively set from 9:15-10:45 a.m. CDT, at the pre-race stage on the start/finish line. Scheduled drivers include:

• 9:15 a.m. – Rusty Wallace
• 9:30 a.m. – Michael Annett
• 9:45 a.m. – Joey Logano
• 10:00 a.m. – Brian Scott
• 10:15 a.m. – Carl Edwards
• 10:30 a.m. – Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Not only can fans get an up-close look at NASCAR’s finest with the “Pre-Race Pit Pass Upgrade”, but they can also take in all the festive pre-race activities, which include: Driver Introductions, Red Carpet Entry into the Drivers Meeting and a firsthand look at the cars lined up on pit road. The “Pre-Race Pit Pass Upgrade” is $75. To obtain, call 1-877-Go2-DEGA.

Unrestricted VIP:  The very-limited quantity behind-the-scenes package will provide fans exclusive, up-close and personal accessibility to garages, pits and exciting activities during all three race days. Packages are limited and require a Sunday ticket purchase. Included are: 

• NASCAR Sprint Cup and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Garage and Pit access
• Friday Night Infield Access (The Big One on the Blvd)
• Hot Lap in Grand Marshal Car
• Weekend Parking Passes
• Gatorade Victory Lane Photo Opportunity prior to race
• Saturday Garage Tour
• Saturday NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Driver Intros
• VIP Access to the Saturday Night Infield Concert
• Reserved area at Sunday Alabama 500 Driver Intros
• Reserved area at Red Carpet to Sunday Drivers Meeting

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Autograph Session: The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Autograph Session will take place on Friday from 4:00-4:45 p.m. in Legends Village. Guests will need to pick up wristbands before the session at the main Guest Services Office located at the O.V. Hill South Grandstand Section L. Each guest who has a wristband will be guaranteed an autograph. Drivers scheduled to appear include: Byron, Bell, Sauter, Nemechek, Hemric, Korbin Forrister, Jennifer Jo Cobb, Tyler Reddick, Cameron Hayley, Ben Rhodes and Rico Abreu.

Alabama Gang Autograph Session: Members of the famed Alabama Gang – two-time Talladega Superspeedway winner Donnie Allison and four-time Talladega Superspeedway winner Bobby Allison – will be on hand Sunday morning (10:45 -11:45 a.m. CDT) behind pit road near the Sprint Photo Tower, for an autograph session.

Fanatics Trackside Superstore: The re-imagined Fanatics NASCAR Trackside Superstore will be located in the Fan Zone, outside the frontstretch near turn four. The incredible one-stop shop has the largest selection of in-store NASCAR memorabilia in the world. New improved selections offer an array of choices for fans including t-shirts, tanks, cups and more across 70 drivers, and 10,000 hats in the New Era headwear shop alone. Just look for the huge white tent, and once you enter, there will be large photos of your favorite driver to show you where their collectibles are located.

TallaTaxi: The TallaTaxi golf cart service, from Patron Transportation, will make its Talladega debut during this week, starting as early as Tuesday and will run through Sunday. For only $5 a seat per ride, TallaTaxi will provide 24-hour transportation to take fans wherever they need to go, nearly anywhere on speedway property (excluding only West C campground).

The Big One on the Blvd: The premier NASCAR party of the year, Talladega Superspeedway’s “The Big One on the Blvd,” is ready to take center stage in the infield on Talladega Blvd. This year’s one-of-a-kind party will kick off at 6:30 p.m. CDT. Overseen by an array of NASCAR’s top drivers after they are paraded down legendary Talladega Blvd., the event will feature four new, outrageous original “fan challenges” such as the Egg-Streme Scramble Slip-n-Slide race, Dirty ‘Dega Eating Contest, Crazy “Human Hamster” Balls obstacle course and The Great Sausage Hunt Pumpkin Puree Wrestling battle. “The Big One on the Blvd” event is open to all Renewal Guest Pink Ticket holders and infield camping guests.

Camp for Free!: Talladega Superspeedway offers over 15,000 free camping sites in three conveniently located parks that opened this week. All-day parking on Talladega Superspeedway property remains free.

Campground Concerts:  “A Band Called River” will be featured in Talladega Superspeedway’s South Park campground. “House of Thomas” will be the featured band in North Park. All programming is scheduled to start after 8:00 pm on Friday and Saturday night.

SMOKE FREE: Throughout the grandstands, designated smoking areas will be set up under the grandstands and towers.

TSS PR