Normally on this blog, the "Last Time We Were in" posts are pretty straightforward. After all, the tracks remain the same, most of the drivers remain the same, and the conditions by and large remain, if not the same, then close enough for us to draw conclusions about one race from the one previously run on this track.
But this time, things are different. And not just in the pseudo-marketing "This Is Talladega" sense. Things have changed significantly in the six months since the NASCAR drivers made their last visit to Talladega Superspeedway, the largest oval track on the circuit.
First, we have the Chase for the Sprint Cup. Six months ago, Jimmie Johnson won on this track. Last week, he walked away from a horrible wreck with his body intact, but not his Chase chances. Now, instead of fine-tuning his championship run, he needs to swing for the proverbial fences.
Second, we have the rule changes. The April race was dominated by the recently discovered two-by-two racing pattern, which got less than glowing reviews from everyone involved. Now, NASCAR has tweaked the cars to prevent drivers from partnering up like members of a bobsled team.
(Oh, and if you're worried about the rule changes turning Talladega into a short track, check out these practice speeds.)
Third, and most recently, we have Dan Wheldon. Even though he didn't race in a single stock car race, his death certainly has had an impact on the entire racing community. Even SI has noticed.
Oh, and as far as our performance in the April race in Talladega, the People's Pitstop scored an impressive 367 points, fueled by Johnson's aforementioned victory. Can we repeat that feat? That depends on you. The NASCAR lineup polls will stay open for a few more hours. But the qualifying session is Saturday, so you need to get your votes in now.
We'll be back with the results.
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