Halloween at Talladega brings out the dogs

It's a bird. It's a plane. No wait a minute ...

It's Super Tundra! Yes, Angie and Mike Skinner's Doberman is dressed as Superman.

The NASCAR couple's four-legged family member is preparing for the annual doggie Halloween costume party at Talladega Superspeedway, where more than a dozen driver-owned canines dress to impress for a spooky and spectacular grand prize.

Tundra looks to repeat as costume champion.

"Last year Tundra was the grand prize winner," Angie Skinner, wife of Camping World Truck Series driver Mike Skinner said. "He was a dinosaur -- actually he was Tundrasaurus Rex."

And so the madness begins.

Kyle Busch's two Westies were dressed as a bumblebee and a lobster. Clint Bowyer's Australian Shepherd was a jailbird and Lynne Allmendiger's Labrador was a pumpkin.

Those were just a few, said Lynne Allmendinger, wife of Sprint Cup Series driver A.J. Allmendinger, who plays host to the event.

"When we did this last year we never expected 15 dogs to show up in the driver's lot dressed in full costume. But it was a blast so we had to do it again this year," Lynne Allmendinger said.

As if racing at Talladega wasn't wild and crazy enough, Halloween falling on Talladega weekend is bringing out the best in its drivers along with their families. Miles from their traditional neighborhoods where conventional trick-or-treating and other festivities take place, they have to make the most of their traveling quarters.

Eva Busch, Kurt Busch's wife, is planning to dress her dogs; as is Sherry Pollex, Martin Truex Jr.'s girlfriend. This is an event not to be missed and will take place at 6 p.m. local time Friday after the trucks qualify.

Upon arrival, dogs are treated to bags of dog-friendly goodies and treats while the parents are handed free poo bags in case of an emergency.

"It's all very organized," said Allmendinger, who made sure the event wouldn't poach on the two-legged human trick-or-treaters knocking on motorhome doors Saturday night. "You know, we do what we can. NASCAR is a unique sport in that we all live together from Thursday to Sunday and most drivers travel with their families and that includes the dog. We've adapted and we do fun things like dress our dogs in Halloween costumes."

Doesn't everyone?

If you're Tundra, you have multiple costumes, but he's one spoiled pooch. At deadline for this report, Tundra was going to dress as Superman but rumors where swirling around the garage that he might surprise everyone and come as a ghost. Gasp!

These dogs better come prepared to compete.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.