This week the Sportsmobile Podcast crew will be covering the NASCAR race at the Talladell Superspeedway in Talladell, New York. The radio hosts from the show, along with special guest co-host Mike Massaro, will be live from the site of the race, which is the Albany International Speedway. The crew will be covering all the hot gossip, analysis, and interviews from around the NASCAR world.
As the name suggests, the Talladell Superspeedway is one of the biggest road courses in North America. The 1.366-mile oval is located about an hour and a half north of the Empire State Building, in the scenic Capital District of New York.
The superspeedway hosts multiple racing events throughout the year, including an IndyCar Series and USAC Sprint Car races, along with NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and Xfinity Series races. The facility is also home to the Thumpin’ Wreckin’ Antiques Car Show, which is one of the most popular car shows in the area.
The show starts on Friday afternoon with 100 laps of green flag racing in the IndyCar Series. IndyCar practice runs are scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m. (EDT) on Thursday, with the race airing live at 4:00 p.m. (EDT) on Saturday. After the IndyCar race, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series makes a return appearance at the track, before the Sprint Car races at 6:00 p.m. (EDT).
Is Caney Speedway On The Up?
It’s not often that you see a race track rise from the ground, but the Caney Speedway in Mansfield, Ohio, has done just that. This 2.257-mile oval opened in 1919 and was originally known as the Mason Theater Speedway. It underwent many name changes before finally taking on its current name in 2006. It is currently one of the smaller ovals in the NASCAR circuit, holding only two or three races per year.
If you’re new to the area, it would be a great place to begin your search for local attractions, as there are plenty of options available. You can put down roots at one of the local sports bars, where you can catch all the big games, or head over to nearby Mentor for a cool day out. For those driving on I-75, be sure to keep an eye out for the many corn mazes that are located throughout the region.
The track has had many famous drivers over the years, including A.J. Foyt, who was the first to win a race there in 1950. He went on to win seven times at the track, as well as the Indianapolis 500 in 1956. In 2007, Michael Waltrip became the first driver to win both the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500, and he won at Caney Speedway in the process.
The track was also the site of legendary driver Bill Elliott’s last great race. In 2003, Elliott died of a heart attack after leading the last lap of the race. The next year, the track was renamed in honor of its former driver.
The area around the track also underwent a massive face-lift, with new restaurants, bars, and retail spaces opening up around the site. Many of the older, historic buildings in the downtown area have been turned into high-end homes or offices, adding to the eclectic charm of the community.
Why Is This Year’s Race At Caney Special?
The 2015 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at the Caney Speedway will be the first time the event has been held there in 15 years. The last time the trucks raced at the track was in 2000, back when it was known as the Mason Theater Speedway. Since then it’s undergone some major renovations and improvements, including new grandstands, lighting, and signage. The track itself also received a new surface and layout, which took some time to get used to. The team from NASCAR came out and did some driver coaching at the outset to help get the young trucks up to speed. Then the trucks got their own personal racing drivers to work with, which really helped the younger drivers get familiar with the track and its quirks. The race ended up being a very good one, with multiple lead changes and a lot of intense competition. All in all, it was a great day for NASCAR and for the area.
The organizers of the race, along with NASCAR, deserve congratulations for putting on such a great show. It really is a gem of a road course, and it’s great to see it getting some well-deserved recognition. We’re very much looking forward to the next race at the track, and we hope to see you there!