2006 Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway

For the second time in 2006 the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup drivers will race on a superspeedway. The massive 2.6 mile Talladega Superspeedway is the only other track (besides Daytona) that forces drivers to race with the horsepower-limiting restrictor plates. The plates make aerodynamics more important than anything else. This causes big drafting packs and a small mistake by any one driver can cause "The Big One," the big multi-car wreck that too often characterizes racing at Talladega.

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Talladega Superspeedway is the longest track on the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup circuit measuring 2.66 miles. A steep 33 degrees of banking in the corners and 18 degrees in the front tri-oval make handling a secondary consideration. Talladega is big, fast, and all about horsepower and drafting.

188 laps = 499 miles

This is race number nine of the 36 race NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season. The top five drivers have separated themselves from the pack a little bit.

Talladega is unpredictable and any driver can get caught up in someone else's wreck and drop like a stone in the points.

The current points top ten are:

1. Matt Kenseth -0
2. Jimmie Johnson -9
3. Kasey Kahne -51
4. Mark Martin -66
5. Tony Stewart -77
6. Jeff Gordon -173
7. Dale Earnhardt Jr. -173
8. Kevin Harvick -174
9. Kyle Busch -208
10. Casey Mears -273

This week is all about "The Big One" and how NASCAR hopes to avoid it. NASCAR has mandated "soft" front bumpers to try to reduce the violent bump drafting that characterized the Daytona 500.

In the past drivers would run a big steel plate just under the front bumper. This would allow drivers to use it like a battering ram for bump drafting. NASCAR has forced teams to use a much smaller reinforcing bar. This will force drivers to hit more gently to avoid damaging their own cars.

TV: FOX Sunday, April 30th, 1:30PM Eastern.

Radio: MRN and XM Satellite

Actual Race: 2:10PM Eastern

$5,901,372

The 2005 Aaron's 499 saw Jeff Gordon win his second Aaron's 499 in a row. Jeff dominated this race. He lead 139 of the race's 194 laps.

The Big One came on lap 132 when Dale Earnhardt Jr, Mike Wallace, Jimmie Johnson and Scott Riggs combined to start a 25 car pileup. Fortunately no one was injured but after the smoke cleared only 17 cars were left without damage. There was a 43 minute red flag while crews worked to clean up the mess left down in the bottom of turn one.

Jeff Gordon has won half of the last eight restrictor plate races including three out of four in 2005. Jeff Gordon has been the master of the plates lately so he must be the top pick this week.

If Jeff does manage to win this will be his third consecutive Aaron's 499 victory. It will be the first time a driver won three in a row at Talladega since David Pearson did it in the early 70s.

My backup pick is pretty easy this week. Jeff's teammate Jimmie Johnson won the only restrictor plate race so far in 2006. He won the 2006 Daytona 500. Jimmie Johnson has smoking fast Hendrick Motorsports engines. He also proved that he knows how to win a restrictor plate race. Since plate races tend to run in streaks he makes a very solid backup pick.