A Fan at the Track: Talladega Spring Weekend 2022 is from Fan4Racing contributor Michael Orzel after attending his favorite track.
Since moving to Eastern Mississippi a few years ago, the two-hour trip east to Talladega Superspeedway is a must for NASCAR events. Every season, I enjoy going to several races at various tracks. And while I enjoy the unique personality of every track, nothing comes close to the Talladega ‘experience.’
Due to work, I missed Friday’s activities. There were just a few practice and qualifying sessions for the ARCA and Xfinity Series. So, I didn’t miss too much. Arriving at the track on Saturday morning, I spent some time taking in all the sights and sounds. Since there are several race recaps available from the weekend, I won’t add any race information here. Instead, my focus is on the track experience.
A Fan at the Track: Talladega Spring Weekend 2022 Emerges from the Pandemic Era
As with most tracks, the attendance at Talladega has been sparse over the past two years due to pandemic-related restrictions. Fans were absent at the track for the spring 2020 event, and it was fairly restricted for the fall event. 2021 spring race was a bit better, but the track was still in a ‘recovery mode.’ The fall race was back to business as usual. However, the poor weather during the entire weekend held back the fan experience from its true potential.
After this weekend, I can enthusiastically say that Talladega is back with a vengeance!
The Midway Continues to Languish
Before the pandemic, it seems as though there was a lot more activity on the outside of the track. Between the fourth turn and the trioval, there were various exhibits by vendors. Ford, Chevrolet, and Toyota had large display areas showcasing their products. And many other sponsors and partners had similar displays. While the exhibit area is still present, it does seem somewhat neglected as it is smaller and less active than in the past. Although there are still some displays and merchandise trailers, it is nowhere close to the same scale as before the pandemic. I’m not sure if it is from a lingering effect of the pandemic or the result of a shift in focus for the venue. Given the amount of investment in the infield, I believe it’s the latter.
The New Infield Experience Delivers, BIG TIME
Before the pandemic, Talladega announced plans for a major renovation to the infield garage and fan experience areas. Construction was slower due to the pandemic but, is now complete. This is the first race weekend that the infield was open and fully accessible for fans. All the time, effort, and expense of creating this new fan experience have a payoff. The new garage area and infield are a huge improvement and give fans a great new way to experience the race.
The new garage area gives fans unprecedented access to see the cars up close. Fans can now watch teams working on their cars, and get amazing photos next to their favorite car. You never know who might be walking by at any time.
Big Bills is a giant open-air bar and grill. It is a massive area and fits right in with Talladega. The price of admission into the infield subsidizes a bit of the food and drink prices. If the ticket package includes access to the infield, that is the cheapest place on the property to grab a bite to eat while taking in the rest of the sights and sounds.
One perplexing note on the new infield. There is a large sitting area with couches next to one of the big-screen TVs. This led to the odd dynamic of people taking all the time and the expense of traveling to the track, just to sit on a couch and watch the race on TV. If that works for them to enjoy the race, more power to them. It just seems odd.
Talladega is Back!
One sight I noticed more than anything this weekend, was the crowd. I haven’t seen any firm numbers on actual attendance, but subjectively, it felt like the track was more packed than I can ever remember. While there were open seats, particularly on Saturday, it looked as though the track was nearly sold out. Everywhere on the property, there were tons of people. The crowd could be a bit annoying if you’re waiting in line for concessions or the bathroom. However, it’s a great sign of the overall health of the sport. Hopefully, other tracks are experiencing a similar rebound. The growth of the sport is a welcome sight and an encouraging sign of the future.
Please, with Tears in My Eyes—Make the Trip!
Talladega’s tagline is, ‘This is more than a race, this is Talladega.’ The slogan is featured on marketing materials and is even painted on the walls of the track. I’ve never seen a more accurate marketing catchphrase. It’s my good fortune to go to a lot of races at a lot of tracks. But in my opinion, nothing comes close to the experience of Talladega. If you’re a NASCAR fan, you owe it to yourself to make the trip to Talladega Superspeedway. You won’t regret the decision to go.
As a fan of the track, I can’t wait to go back!