The Last Time We Were in Talladega

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.

Learning from Dan Wheldon

Chances are you've heard and read far more in the past few days about a handshake than about a death.

Most of the injuries that take place in sports are the type than can ruin games, but not lives. Dan Wheldon's death Sunday in Las Vegas could ruin an entire sport.

Auto racing has always been and probably always will be a dangerous sport. But as technology advances, there are things the people who run auto racing can do to reduce the risks. Unfortunately, it took Dale Earnhardt's death to get NASCAR to require things like the Hans device and the Safer barrier. These measures, though imperfectly implemented, have been shown to save lives. For evidence, we need look no further than Saturday night's race in Charlotte, where Jimmie Johnson walked away from the type of wreck that could just as easily have taken his life.

Wheldon's death took place at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which has implemented the safety features mandated by NASCAR. None of those features could save Wheldon once his car went airborne over a track already strewn with wreckage. If the folks who run open-wheel racing want to memorialize Wheldon in something other than a chassis, they will ask themselves some hard questions. Was the field for this season-ending race too big for a track that small? Did a $5 million incentive persuade a driver to risk his life needlessly and recklessly? Are there things that can be done to the cars themselves to keep them on the ground in an accident? After all, that's why NASCAR drivers will be using restrictor plates Sunday at Talladega.

Meanwhile, there's something you can do to make sure Wheldon didn't die in vain. From time to time, you might hear somebody say "These safety measures are taking all the fun out of racing." The next time you hear someone say that, hit him.

Very, very hard.

Remember that we are taking votes on the free agent wide receiver poll through Wednesday night. The People's Pigskin needs someone to take the roster spot being vacated by the recently released Mike Sims-Walker. Thanks for voting, and encourage a friend to do the same.

We'll be back with the results of that poll.