Travel Log: Talladega

It's the fastest stop on the NASCAR tour. Talladega. The name alone presents images of speed, three- and four-wide racing on the high banks and historical stories of the Alabama Gang.

The fortunes of this stop: You may run into an actual member of NASCAR's Alabama Gang.

Talladega lists its population as a mere 15,000. On race weekend, that expands exponentially. A brief and severely unscientific polling of fans brought back one distinct area in which to have the most fun and entertainment at Talladega: the infield.

There are other places, of course, and venturing west to Birmingham presents a variety of city stops that the casual Talladega visitor can escape.

Birmingham Civil Rights Institute -- A dedication to the historical moments that changed the course of American history, this museum is worth the stop. It has the cell bars that Martin Luther King Jr. sat behind when he wrote his Letter from the Birmingham Jail. It chronicles the peak of the Civil Rights era in ways many have never seen or understood. Current special exhibitions include the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Chicago Freedom Movement gallery of photographs.
• For more information, click here

Kuntry20 -- Dang, the infield or the camping grounds are fun enough! But BHam is fun, too.

iluvhottony -- I am from Bham so that is where you need to go to have fun. You need to go to Southside and Five Points to all the bars and clubs. I haven't been out there recently but it looked like everything fun was still there. Look to see if there are any bands playing. Also, Atlanta is really fun, too!

ntimid88shun -- The place to be is at our campsite! By Friday evening we have 30 people that have confirmed they will be there! Hopefully a few more from this site. Aside from that, check out the dirt track Friday and Saturday nights. Make sure to bring plenty of beads.

DAGAFAN -- Went to the Comedy Club -- way fun! Have been wondering the same as to more places to go. Will be returning to 'Dega in October -- Can't wait. Like ntimid88shun says, the campgrounds are a great place to party.

1cup88 -- If you go through Birmingham, try Dreamland ribs. You'll have to look them up, can't remember the street. But they are delicious. Um-mm good.

Join the Talladega Superspeedway Crew

Thursday: Mostly cloudy with a high of 80 degrees, low of 60
Friday: Cloudy with a high of 80 degrees, low of 59
Saturday: Cloudy with a high of 81 degrees, low of 60
Sunday: Mostly cloudy with a high of 80 degrees, low of 50
Complete Forecast

More
• Let NASCAR.COM help book your last-minute travel.
• Directions and aerial map of Talladega

Another trip to the Commonwealth, but this time it's a slightly different area. Where do you like to go in Richmond? Share your personal favorites here.