Talladega Days: Reaction From Sunday’s Record-Breaking NASCAR Race

The rivalry between Hendrick Motorsports teammates Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson heated up at Talladega on Sunday after a slowing Johnson forced Gordon to the bottom of the track just before Gordon was caught in a wreck.

Gordon was angry that Johnson slowed him down, and had harsher words than just saying he was “disappointed” in his teammate, as both drivers said about the other at Texas.

Joey Logano caused the Big One when he spun Ryan Newman on the first green-white-checkered attempt, resulting in a nine-car wreck.

So what was Logano thinking?

Dale Earnhardt Jr. climbed from his car, walked over to a step on his hauler and plopped down, exhausted.

He briefly held his head in his hands, as if he was replaying what had just happened in his mind: A day full of promise at Talladega had been thwarted as he faded to a 13th-place finish.

So many question heading into Talladega today:

Who will be in the Big One? Will the drivers race single-file or four-wide? How will the spoiler react in traffic?

With a tornado watch in effect and forecasters calling for severe weather around the Talladega area, NASCAR has postponed all on-track activity for Saturday.

Sprint Cup qualifying was supposed to take place this morning, followed by the Nationwide Series race.

Drivers often complain that Talladega Superspeedway is a dangerous place where there isn’t any “real” racing. After all, the lottery ball nature of restrictor-plate racing means virtually anyone could win if they’re in the right place at the right time.

But when the drivers gripe about ‘Dega, Denny Hamlin has some advice for the fans: Don’t listen.

One of the biggest criticisms of Dale Earnhardt Jr. during the course of his lengthy slump has been his perceived lack of aggressiveness.

Why doesn’t Dale Jr. get up on the wheel and drive that thing? Why doesn’t he race harder?

“If you’re going to quote a source, quote their name,” Harvick said Friday. “Otherwise, if they’re too chicken to give you their name, don’t put their quote in the paper. It’s that simple.

“Anonymous sources are crap. If you want real sources go talk to real people.”

This is it. This weekend is the reason “Boys, have at it” was created.

Last fall, drivers protested when NASCAR “changed the rules” on the day of the Talladega race by announcing the no bump-drafting rule would be strictly enforced.