City: Birmingham, AL

Category: Spectator Sports

Address: 3366 Speedway Blvd.

Description: Every year hundreds of thousands of race fans flock to the “Big One,” the Talladega Superspeedway. And although the track earned its nickname because of its tight turns, with a seating capacity of 175,000, it is indeed the “Big One.” Located approximately 30 miles east of Birmingham, the Talladega Superspeedway hosts a number of NASCAR and other auto-racing events each year. In addition to the Amp Energy 500, known to many as the Talladega 500, and the Aaron’s 499, both on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the superspeedway also hosts the Aaron’s 312 on the NASCAR Nationwide Series, the Mountain Dew 250 of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, and the Food World 250 on the ARCA RE/MAX Series. Designed by NASCAR pioneer Bill France Jr. in 1969, the Talladega Superspeedway quickly became one of the most popular tracks among race fans. Due to its tight, high-banked turns, races at the Superspeedway were often very competitive and featured a number of crashes. While this made the track popular among fans thinking in gladiatorial terms, many drivers came to fear Talladega. In fact, due to the unfortunate deaths of a number of drivers at Talladega, fans and drivers alike have begun to refer to the “Talladega Curse” as the reason for these unfortunate events. Explanations for the cause behind the curse vary and because the area was largely inhabited by Native Americans centuries ago, some have come to the conclusion that the track must have been built upon a Native America burial ground. Of course, this and other theories have never been substantiated, but it does make for amusing conversation and adds to the legend behind the track. While in Talladega be sure to stop by the International Motorsports Hall of Fame and Museum located right beside the Talladega Superspeedway. This fascinating facility not only covers NASCAR, but Formula One Racing, Sport Boat Racing, and other motorsports as well. Ticket prices vary according to the event.