Soft walls being explored for Talladega

LOUDON, N.H. (AP) -- NASCAR is considering using energy-absorbing walls at Talladega Superspeedway, but installation is not likely to occur before the series races there in October.

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"There are a couple issues there, one is the high banking," NASCAR president Mike Helton said Sunday before the New England 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway.

"We need to continue researching it and looking at it, but I don't know that's its a possibility to get them in for October."

A committee of NASCAR officials went to Talladega earlier this week to meet with the developers of the SAFER barriers and discuss the viability of using them at the 2.66-mile track.

The barriers will be used next month at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the only track on the Winston Cup track that has them installed.

NASCAR is open to using them at more facilities, and the interest in Talladega indicates it could be the next one to get the barriers.

Winston Cup director John Darby said the sanctioning body wants the walls in Talladega's turns but must first figure out how to overcome the 33-degree banking at the track during the installation process.

"That's a whole challenge in itself because how do you get up there to put them in?" Darby said. "It's not a flat track, you have to climb up there and figure out how to stay up there while you try to do heavy construction. It's not an easy job."