Talladega Superspeedway's backstretch, dubbed the Allison Grandstand, "has been eliminated as part of a facelift at the 44-year-old track," according to Mark McCarter of the BIRMINGHAM NEWS. Track Chair Grant Lynch said, "It's an opportunity for us to provide a new and better experience at Talladega." The grandstand, with a capacity of 18,000 seats, has "been one of the more economical options for race fans." But Lynch said that the "same price-points will be available as fans transition to the frontstretch grandstands for the spring race." Previous ticket holders in the grandstand "have been informed of the change and offered renewal of tickets elsewhere." Lynch said that seats in the frontstretch grandstands "provide the best view of pit road and the experience will be enhanced by new video boards that are much larger and in higher definition than the current SprintVision screens." Eliminating the grandstands named for the family of NASCAR HOFer Bobby Allison "could be controversial." However, Lynch said that he met with members of the family in October and "informed them of the move." Lynch: "We're going to have a good way in the coming years, maybe as early as next year, to get the Allisons in a more prominent place on a structure within the facility, and they're very comfortable with that" (AL.com, 12/5).
