FYI WIRZ: NASCAR's Top Point Aces Talk Race Eight at Talladega

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) goes into Talladega, Alabama this Sunday for race eight of 36 in the Sprint Cup Series 2011 season. The Aaron’s 499 on the 2.66 tri-oval with 33 degree banking in corners at Talladega Superspeedway will air at 1 p.m. ET on FOX.

Talladega is one the two longest racetracks on the NASCAR circuit and the widest.  Daytona is the other long track and both have distinct rules to control high speed--the restrictor plate.   

NASCAR media guide glossary of terms defines a restrictor plate as: a thin metal plate with four holes that restrict air flow from the carburetor into the engine. Used to reduce horsepower and keep speeds down.

The reason for the restrictor plate was that superspeedway speeds were on the rise and so where big crashes.     

The fastest speed for a NASCAR stock car during a sanctioned event was 212.809 mph by Bill Elliott in 1987. 

The “big one” at Talladega refers to the frequent multi-car crash that changes results in dramatic ways.

NASCAR’s top drivers carry momentum and optimism into “Dega” knowing that one crash can derail this week’s consistency. Their descriptive words tell much about the superspeedway event.  
 
FYI WIRZ is the select presentation of motorsports topics by Dwight Drum @ Racetake.com. Quotes derived from motorsports industry press releases. 

Carl Edwards [No. 99 Ford]

“It’s great to go into Talladega with a point lead and a little cushion because anything can happen there,” Edwards said. “The Fords finished 1-2-3 in Daytona and I don’t know why we can’t do that again this weekend in Talladega. I just have to find a good drafting partner to run with all day and avoid the trouble that tends to happen there.”

Kyle Busch [No. 18 Toyota]

“It’s going to be a crapshoot,” Busch said. “You have no idea what’s going to happen or how it’s going to happen. For us, what do we worry about going there? We just worry about surviving. I expect speeds to be higher because we’ll be pushing all the way around. Other than that, it’s just Talladega.

“The push draft will still be there. Essentially, the dynamic of the race like it was in Daytona will be the same in Talladega.”

Matt Kenseth [No. 17 Ford]

“Racing at Talladega is challenging,” Kenseth said. “You never truly know what to expect, but I don’t see it being a lot different this weekend since there aren’t any rule changes or changes to the cars. People compare Daytona and Talladega and I think that Talladega is a little more forgiving, but we’ll see what happens this weekend. You never know what’s going to happen as far as wrecks are concerned, but certainly Talladega always has the potential to be an accident waiting to happen. You never know where it’s going to occur, when it’s going to happen, or who it’s going to take out, so that’s one race that you’re never sure where everybody is going to end up finishing until the race is over.”

Jimmie Johnson [No. 48 Chevrolet]

"A driver goes to a plate track and qualifies and practices - it's pretty easy for the driver and there's no pressure on the driver so it's nice to go to the track and be relaxed," Johnson said. "You don't have to get inside your head and drive your line or worry about your reference points.

“Plate races are pretty easy to prepare for from a driver's standpoint, but on the flip side, especially in qualifying, that's all the speed depends on the work that's done at the shop. It's somewhat of an off weekend for the drivers from a work standpoint, but for the crews it's one of the most difficult weeks."

 “We're all learning a lot about the push drafting and how it works. It just depends on how close together we can all stay. If we're all in a big pack, regardless of the tandem pushing or not, your chances of a big crash are there.”

Kurt Busch [No. 22 Dodge]

“We have a championship car,” Busch said. “We have a championship team. We just need to continue to do that.

“We definitely have changed our program around 180 degrees for restrictor plate races.  And I hope that maybe one day I can crack Victory Lane in a points-paying restrictor plate race. We're going to see that same style of draft. The two-car draft is just so potent.  I mean, anytime you can tell a race car driver he can go four seconds faster a lap and give him the recipe on how to do it, he's going to go and put it into play, that two-car draft.”

Photo credit: Dwight Drum @ Racetake.com