On Sunday, the 1000Bulbs.com 500 will be long-time Talladega Superspeedway chairman Grant Lynch’s last race in his role.
As the outgoing chairman, he will have overseen “Transformation,” an approximate $50 million redevelopment of Talladega Superspeedway, which is part of ISC’s long-term capital allocation plan and reinvestment into its major motorsports complexes.
Long before the decades of success that Talladega Superspeedway has had hosting events sanctioned by NASCAR, the first race in 1969 did not go quite as smoothly.
In the lead-up to the first events after the track’s opening, a number of the drivers protested the new track based on safety concerns and did not participate in the race. However, some did, including current NASCAR team owner Richard Childress.
During an appearance on “The Jeff Poor Show” on Huntsville radio’s WVNN, Lynch recounted how Childress was able to take prize money to launch his business.
“He stayed behind and said he would run those two races,” Lynch said. “Mr. France had to have some races because he sold tickets to races and so he knew he had to put on a race and when the Professional Drivers Association formed a union, then struck — most of them left. About 11 or 12 stayed, and Richard stayed, and he got $5,000 from Mr. France to take home with him. He had never had $500. He went home with $5,000, and that’s how he started Richard Childress Enterprises.”
Childress would go on to prosper as a race team owner, including during his employment of Dale Earnhardt, who drove the iconic #3 Chevrolet for Childress.
On Sunday, Childress will take a few laps around the superspeedway in the same car Earnhardt earned his final victory, which came at Talladega’s 2000 Winston 500 before his untimely death in an accident at the 2001 Daytona 500. Earnhardt came through the field from 17th place with just a few laps remaining to secure the win.
For ticket information for the 1000Bulbs.com 500 and Sugarlands Shine 250 doubleheader NASCAR Playoffs this weekend, visit www.talladegasuperspeedway.com or call 855-518-RACE (7223).
@Jeff_Poor is a graduate of Auburn University, the editor of Breitbart TV and host of “The Jeff Poor Show” from 2-5 p.m. on WVNN in Huntsville.
