Local Look: Talladega

Event: EA Sports 500

Local papers covering: Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Huntsville Times, Birmingham News

The deal: Neal Sims of the Birmingham News says with Jeff Gordon coasting to victory, behind a pace car and ahead of Dale Earnhardt Jr., fans frustrated with a finish under caution littered Talladega Superspeedway with debris after the race in April.

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This time, if NASCAR's new rule aiming for a green-flag finish kicks in, the debris on the track may be the race cars.

"It's nothing but trouble," Gordon said to the paper of the prospect of a two-lap shootout to decide Sunday's EA Sports 500. "We certainly didn't need to add to it."

Why we care: The "green-white-checkered" rule, introduced largely because of that Talladega finish, sets up the possibility. The procedure stops just short of guaranteeing a fight to the finish at every Nextel Cup race. Had it been in effect this spring, that Talladega race would have been restarted.

For more NASCAR news on Gordon, click here.

The deal: Al Levine of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution says Jeremy Mayfield is having the time of his life, running with the big dogs in the Chase for the Nextel Cup.

Jeremy Mayfield

But this might be the weekend all the laughter hits the wall at Talladega.

Why we care: Mayfield did score a Talladega pole in 2003 for Evernham, proof that its superspeedway program is making gains. But in five races at the track in the familiar red Dodge, his average start has been 23.6, his average finish 26.6.

He can't hope to move up from 10th place with a similar performance Sunday.

"We've run good at seven of the next nine," Evernham said before last weekend's run at Dover, where Mayfield placed seventh.

For more news about Mayfield, click here.

The deal: The staff of the Huntsville Times says The Nextel Cup championship will be won at Homestead in late November.

Michael Waltrip

But there's very good chance, considering the sadistic nature of the place, that it will be lost this Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway.

Why we care: Talladega Superspeedway is the most precarious of the tracks in this stretch, with the 2.6-mile trioval's close-quarter, high-speed racing frequently leading to what the sport groaningly calls "The Big One,'' a massive pileup that eliminates innocent bystanders -- and throws a wrench into title plans.

"There are several races that anything can happen and Talladega is one of those places for sure," defending champ Michael Waltrip said earlier in the week.

"At the same time, the fast guys usually wind up in the front and some of the guys that get shuffled back will wind up in a crash. You understand what you are faced with when you head there, and everyone knows this is a track that can put a wrench in your plans."

For more NASCAR news on Waltrip, click here.

The deal: Neal Sims of The Birmingham News says the search continues by Talladega Superspeedway officials for a title sponsor for the race that will run for the last time Sunday as the EA Sports 500.

Credit: Autostock

"We're still hunting," track Vice President and General Manager Rick Humphrey told the paper earlier this week. "We had hoped to have something in place by now. Nobody appears at this time to be a front-runner. We have some proposals out there."

Why we care: This will be the fourth and final running of the EA Sports 500, as sponsor Electronic Arts has declined to extend its contract for naming rights to the NASCAR Nextel Cup race. The interactive software company, which markets numerous electronic sports games, has used the Talladega race to promote annual editions of its NASCAR racing game.

"While the event launched their game and moved their product," Humphrey told the paper, "they concluded sponsorship of a single event was not as necessary as other elements to market their game successfully."

For more NASCAR news from around the nation, click here.