Truth be told, Corvettes and race tracks just naturally go together. So any opportunity to get America’s Only True Sports Car on a professional course will bring out the fiberglass faithful.
This well-organized Talladega Superspeedway charity event was no exception.
Proceeds of this DEGA Drive event benefited the Boys and Girls Club of Central Alabama and the Boys and Girls Club of East Central Alabama. “DEGA Gives” is a donor-advised fund of The NASCAR Foundation.
To give this track experience a fresh perspective, we asked veteran track driver Bob Rio to get behind the wheel and give us his thoughts. While this would be Bob’s first time on the 33-degree banked beast, we’ve experienced it before.
You’ll recall our article, Vettes4Vets Gets Your Heart Pumping At Talladega Superspeedway. For the record, rocketing down the superspeedway in the passenger seat is not for the faint of heart.
An edited transcript of our discussion with Bob Rio from Amazing Corvettes Club after the event follows.
The Banking Is Out Of This World!
Rod Worley – Editor – Bob, now that you’ve experienced the 33-degree banking firsthand, what are your initial thoughts? Any surprises?
Bob Rio – What a great racetrack! A length of 2.66-mile tri-oval with 33-degree of banking.
The 16.5-degree straightaways are long, and the banking is out of this world. The faster you are traveling, the easier it is to keep your car on the track.
The change from banking to straightaway is very fast, so you have to be ready when that happens. What I found surprising is how long you are on the banking during a lap.
75 MPH is too slow. I felt as if the car was going to fall down the banking, and had to keep steering to the right to keep the car up there.
Rod Worley – Editor – You’ve been fortunate to have driven other prominent tracks. Which ones have you been on, and how did they compare to Talladega?
Bob Rio – I have driven on many road circuits. Mt. Tremblant St Jovite in the Canadian Laurentians, the Formula-1 Track, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Bridgehampton Raceway in Bridgehampton, New York, and Canadian Tire Motorsport Track in Bowmanville, Ontario.
Road circuits tend to have minimal banking, right and left turns, and long straightaways.
Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Florida, is a mile-and-a-half oval track. It has 18 to 20 degrees of progressive banking with 3 degrees on the straights, so you are into the banked turns sooner, but you don’t have the feel of banking as you do in Talladega.
Don’t Hesitate. Just Do It
Rod Worley – Editor – What advice would you give someone coming to Talladega to take part in the driving experience for the first time?
Bob Rio – If you have the opportunity, DO IT!! It is a lot of fun.
Having a car that can handle this track is also helpful. At 95 MPH, you start to feel the car settle into the track. I can only imagine what it would be like at 200 MPH.
Rod Worley – Editor – Since it was your first trip to the Talladega Superspeedway, what are your thoughts on the facilities? Did anything stand out to you?
Bob Rio – Everything seems to be easily accessible, and there is a lot of space. The grandstands seem to have a perfect view of the track, which is always great to have.
You have “Big Bill’s” garage area, which allows you to view the NASCAR teams working on their cars while in the garage. There seemed to be a lot of camping spaces all around the track and its location.
Rod Worley – Editor – After experiencing so much of what Talladega Superspeed offers, the obvious question is, “Would you drive the Talladega Superspeedway again?”
Bob Rio – In a heartbeat. I’m working on getting some of my Corvette club members to come along and make an event. I can’t wait to do this again.
Talladega Garage Experience
Talladega Superspeedway excitement isn’t limited to the action on the track. In 2019 Phase II, the $50 million Talladega Garage Experience infield project, was completed for the track’s 50th anniversary.
The project’s centerpiece was named Big Bill’s, in honor of the visionary founder of NASCAR, Bill France Sr. Without a doubt; this facility is unlike anything else in NASCAR.
This facility is a 35,000 square-foot, 268 feet wide by 300 feet deep building, which is both an open-air social club and garage stalls for the top 22 NASCAR Cup Series teams. As a result, fans have an unprecedented, up-close vantage point to watch the top teams prepping for the race.
In addition, the social club features an impressive 74 feet long bar and a monstrous 41-foot diagonal video screen, additional TVs, lounge areas, and dining tables.
The Talladega Garage Experience costs extra, but the ticket also provides access to the Kids Zone and Watch Zone. It also includes the Clyde May’s Courtyard, Iron Alley (Historic Race Cars), new restrooms, concession, and souvenir stands.
Hit the play button above to ride along with Bob at Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Delivers
Talladega Superspeedway has come a long way from the days of being the Air Force’s nearly abandoned Eastaboga Airfield.
So much has changed since Bill France broke ground on May 23rd, 1968, for the new 2.66-mile, 33-degree banked venue.
In many ways, though, the excitement of NASCAR’s biggest track has remained the same since the first race on September 14th, 1969.
In keeping with NASCAR tradition, track days like this DEGA Drive event keep the thrills coming our way.
Articles We Recommend
“Landspeed Louise” – One Night Only At The Savoy Automobile Museum
Savoy Museum Celebrates The Artistic Expression Of The Automobile
Chattanooga’s Best Secret – Honest Charley’s And The Coker Museum
- More “Exploring Atlanta & Beyond” articles.
Go Full Throttle
Grab Our FREE Newsletter