The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series travels to Talladega Superspeedway, the circuit’s biggest track. The 2.66-mile tri-oval, where speeds reach 200 miles per hour, often produces multi-car accidents. With drivers and cars running mere inches apart one slight bobble can spell trouble for several competitors at a time.
The chain reaction has come to be known as —The Big One.
Clint Bowyer brings his No. 15 Peak Commercial and Industrial Toyota to the superspeedway hoping to avoid the Big One. However, the race is a big one for the Kansas native as he is considered one of the favorites to win this weekend.
Not only does he have two wins (October 2011 and 2010) and 10 top-10 finishes in 18 starts at the track, but he nearly won the first restrictor plate race of 2015, the season opening Daytona 500. Bowyer was second behind Joey Logano coming to the white flag, eventually helping push him to the win.
Bowyer jokingly says the keys to winning at Talladega are simple, “1. Don’t get in a wreck 2. Have a fast car 3. Beat everyone around the track.” Simple but true. If he happens to pull it off, the celebration will certainly be a big one.
What’s a good run at Talladega?
“There’s so much that goes into a good run at Talladega. You have to have a fast car, first and foremost. But you have to put it in the right situation. Even if you don’t have the fastest car, if you have the fastest car behind you, you can still win the race. There’s a lot of chess going on. There’s a lot of situational awareness—knowing where you’re at, putting yourself in that situation.”
What are the keys to running well at Talladega?
“There’s so many things that go into staying out of that wreck. Holy cow! Don’t cause the darn wreck. That’s the number one thing you have to worry about. Where there is a wreck at Talladega it’s big and you darn sure don’t want to be the guy who caused it. It’s a fun place. And if you’re enjoying yourself at any racetrack you are going to have success.”
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