Forged in fire
- Updated: October 23, 2016
Track notes: Talladega Superspeedway officials unveil Vulcan Trophy they call “our Oscar”
Kody and Danae Bray came all the way from Cincinnati to get married in the Talladega infield.
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
TALLADEGA — The largest Vulcan sits on a mountaintop overlooking downtown Birmingham. It’s Talladega Superspeedway chairman Grant Lynch’s vision that mini versions of the iconic statue will be the desired artwork in Sprint Cup race shops for years to come.
Talladega officials put on display Sunday the 80-pound Vulcan trophy that a few hours later went to Joey Logano for winning the Hellmann’s 500. It made quite a party favor for Speedway chairman Grant Lynch’s birthday celebration right after the unveiling.
“This is iconic to our area; it’s our Oscar,” Lynch said. “We’re hoping people will be talking about ‘I got a Vulcan’ as we go forward.”
The idea for the trophy came to track publicist Russell Branham about a month ago and local artisans were commissioned for the piece. It normally takes months to produce such a work, but this one was done at what artist Marshall Christie called “white flag lap speed.”
The 30-pound base was built Tuesday and delivered to the track the next day – four days before the green flag dropped on the race. With the rubber mold safely in the vault, it will be possible to recreate the trophy for race winners in the future. Christie said they would probably start on the spring race trophy around the first of the year.
“We want to get a head start on this one,” he said. “We were a little sleep deprived on that one.”
“I truly believe it is an iconic trophy and something as we go forward the drivers and everybody will want to win when they come to Talladega,” Lynch said.
Pit crews work to get their drivers back on the track as quickly as possible. (Photos by B.J. Franklin/GungHo Photos)
HOW TO PLAY IT: It was pretty easy to pick up a race team’s strategy during Sunday’s race. The guys who needed to make something happen pushed the envelope and ran up front as much as they could. The guys who were just about guaranteed a spot in the next round of the Sprint Cup chase enjoyed a leisurely ride in the back of the pack, looking to stay as far away from any Big One as possible.
Brad Keselowski, Chase Elliott and Kurt Busch all ran toward the front; Keselowski even led the most laps before blowing an engine. Jimmie Johnson and Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch were content to hang towards the back. In fact, the JGR cars finished 28th, 29th and 30th, protecting their spots in the next stage.
“Any time you have an elimination race what happens in those first two races sets the tone for what the guys are gonna do in the third race,” said Denny Hamlin, who finished third to earn a spot in the next round. “They built their cushion, done their jobs well the first two, and had the liberty to do (ride in the back). They played it smart. It’s all about championships, it’s not about coming out here and winning Talladega for those guys.”
You might not be able to get away with that here next year. The last two years the Talladega fall race was an eliminator race. Next year, it will be the second race in the stage, forcing drivers to race for points.
Hellmann’s 500 winner Joey Logano said it’s “definitely going to change” the way teams approach what is often an unpredictable race anyway in the future.
“It will change the dynamic a little bit,” Hamlin continued. “Being the second race will entice those guys to race all day, I think. … Being the second race there are no guarantees so I think it will change the dynamic, for sure. There are going to be people who are going to run in the back and be safe and conservative. Everyone can play it how they want; you just have to get to the checkered flag in time and if you don’t you’re going to find yourself out.”
THE FAN ZONE: Thousands of race fans walked along pit road before the race, checking out the pre-race activity in the pit boxes and the cars lined up on the other side of the wall, but in that river of humanity it was easy find to Kody and Danae Rae Bray.
Just follow the wedding veil.
The Cincinnati couple got married in the Talladega Superspeedway infield Saturday night. They hadn’t heard from any race teams yet, but were offered congratulations from hundreds of race fans as they made their way to see the cars of their favorite drivers, Tony Stewart (his) and Kyle Busch (hers).
Actually, the happy couple did all the legal stuff back home, but had the ceremony for a dozen of their closest friends and family and assorted on-lookers.
“People showed up just to cheer,” said Danae, a psychology student at the University of Kentucky.
Kody, a mechanic in his dad’s muffler shop, has been a NASCAR fan a long time and introduced the sport to his future bride. They’ve been to Kentucky Speedway three times.
It was actually Danae’s idea they tie the knot at Talladega. It’s Kody’s favorite track and one he had always wanted to visit but had never been to before.
“It was an amazing idea, just to have fun,” Danae said. “All the people out here are amazing.”
Jeff and Joy Johnson of Kaufman, Texas, have been to the last three race weekends at Talladega. They have signed the start-finish line the same way every time.
SIGN IN, PLEASE: Jeff and Joy Johnson live about an hour from Texas Motor Speedway, but there’s only one race they want to see – Talladega.
Their trip to the Hellmann’s 500 was their third straight to TSS. They made sure they signed the start-finish line, where in a couple hours they expected either Austin Dillon or Chase Elliott to leave a skid mark on their little heart after winning the race.
Both drivers gave them something to cheer about as they made runs to join the Elite 8 in the next round of the Sprint Cup chase, but in the end Dillon finished ninth and Elliott 12th and neither advanced.
Why here and no other?
“The race, man; this is the big time, man,” Jeff said. “What does that sign say? ‘This is not a race. This is Talladega.’ That’s why we come back. And don’t forget about the party. It’s like the biggest party in the United States, used to be any way; it’s kind of lean this weekend.”
UP IN SMOKE: Martin Truex Jr. had bigger things to worry about impacting his Chase hopes Sunday than any points penalty from Saturday’s pre-qualifying controversy. The Hellmann’s 500 polesitter blew an engine a quarter way into the race and went behind the wall effectively ending his chances to advance.
His team went through some anxious moments Saturday when NASCAR confiscated some improper jack bolts on the left side of the car. NASCAR officials said Saturday it was unlikely a points penalty would be assessed.
Truex went into the race sixth in the Chase standings, 13 points to the good.
“It’s definitely disappointing, what else can you say,” Truex said. “We had a team capable of competing for the championship and unfortunately we aren’t going to be able to show that.”
Brad Keselowski faced a similar fate. He needed to win to advance and led for 90 laps, but he caught a piece of debris on the front and blew an engine as well.
Martin Truex Jr. takes a lonely ride back to the garage after a blown engine ended his chance to stay in contention for the Sprint Cup championship.
Pit workers clear Tony Stewart’s windshield during the driver’s final race at Talladega Superspeedway Sunday. The crowd saluted Stewart as he passed the grandstands on Lap 14.
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