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Hellman’s 500 at Talladega: Takeaways and observations

By Ted Fleming

Oct 21, 2016; Talladega, AL, USA; Cars leave pit row and enter the track during the practice for the Alabama 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 21, 2016; Talladega, AL, USA; Cars leave pit row and enter the track during the practice for the Alabama 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports /
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Here are five things that stood out for the Hellman’s 500 in an elimination race at the longest track on the NASCAR circuit.

Talladega is an edge of your seat, nail biting, roller coaster ride from the first green flag to the checkers and that is just from a fan’s point of view. For drivers and crews, it is a pressure packed, close quarters, high speed game of roulette where the slightest mistake on pit row or in the race can end in disaster.

In other words, NASCAR needs to move the Hellman’s 500 from the final race of the Round of 12 to the final event before the season ending, champion crowning Ford Ecoboost 400 at Homestead Miami Speedway.

What better way to separate the survivors from those crushed under the pressure of racing at Talladega? It is man (or woman) versus a beast where only the strong, or lucky, make it to the Final Four. Phoenix International Speedway doesn’t come off as the kind of track that gets fans as excited as a final elimination at a place that has “super” in its name.

4. Does a second place finish give RPM hope for 2017?

One of the more established team in Sprint Cup has had a year they would like to forget, but after Sunday’s Hellman’s 500 things might be looking up for Richard Petty Motorsports with Brian Scott coming home with a second place finish.

Scott, in his first full Cup season, has waited an entire season for his first top-10 and he did it in style finishing just behind race winner Joey Logano.

“A good finish always helps,” he said.  “It helps with the team, it helps with the guys at the shop – the morale – just trying to get any bit of a bright spot in this year has been difficult and I think that this is by far the brightest spot that we’ve had in a really challenging year for Richard Petty Motorsports.  I guess the results and what this does for us going forward is yet to be determined, but I’m just proud.”

RPM is a two car team with Scott in the No. 44 Ford and Aric Almirola in the famed No. 43 and in a combined 62 events prior to Talladega, neither had a top-10. Both now have one with Scott’s runner-up and Almirola coming home in 8th place.

With just four races left in the season, RPM might have found something they can take into 2017.

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