From bizarre races to breath-taking wrecks, Talladega has seen some of NASCAR's strangest moments

As NASCAR’s Cup Series moves to Talladega Superspeedway this weekend, Hurricane Ian will certainly become one of the storylines.

Throughout the track’s 53-year history, many strange and bizarre occurrences have made headlines, dating back to the day the 2.66-mile track opened in September 1969. Here’s a look back at some of those incredible stories.

Inaugural race

Sept. 22, 1969 — When the track opened for its inaugural NASCAR Grand National race, known today as the Cup Series, tires were not equipped to handle the 200 mph speeds. NASCAR’s top drivers boycotted the race as members of the short-lived Professional Drivers Association.

Some Cup drivers remained. NASCAR’s founder Bill France Sr. also called on Grand American drivers there for a preliminary event to fill the vacant spots in the Cup Series field. The race was won by Richard Brickhouse of Rocky Point, North Carolina.

KING TAKES LEAVE:Why Richard Petty left early and missed No. 43 winning at Darlington for first time in 55 years

SEEN THAT LOOK BEFORE:Why Kyle Busch going to Richard Childress Racing is drawing Dale Earnhart comparisons

DRIVING AWAY:Jimmie Johnson announces retirement from full-time racing, will focus on bucket-list events

Worst crash in Talladega history

May 6, 1973 — On the 10^th lap of the 188-lap Winston 500, 21 of the 60 drivers in the starting field were involved in the worst multi-car crash in the track’s history, then known as the Alabama International Motor Speedway. As the drivers came off the second turn at over 195 mph, the engine in Ramo Stott’s Mercury failed, sending oil over a section of the track’s backstretch. Stott was about to be lapped as the leaders were quickly approaching, led by pole position winner Buddy Baker.

Baker suddenly felt his Dodge breaking loose with no way to stop it.

“In an instant, it seems, there were cars spinning and slamming out of control,” Baker said in the July 1992 issue of American Racing Classics. “The smoke from the skidding tires was incredible. There was also a lot of dust. It hadn’t rained for quite a while in Alabama, so the grassy area along the back straight was quite dry. When cars got off the pavement, they created big rooster tails of dust.”

Baker didn’t find the hole he was looking for. He joined a garage area of badly mangled cars eliminated from the race. Some drivers were injured, the worst being Wendell Scott of Danville, Virginia, with broken ribs and a broken pelvis.

Most bizarre

August 12, 1973 — The Talladega 500 of 1973 is still known as possibly the most bizarre in the track’s five-decade history. Team owner Jimmy Crawford, a pilot for Eastern Airlines, bought a 1972 Plymouth and planned to race it without any driving experience until NASCAR officials said no. A deal was put together for veteran racer Dick Brooks to drive the car. After dealing with overheating problems, a pit road collision and coming back from two laps down, Brooks came from the 24th starting position to win the race, sporting a Mickey Mouse decal on his black No. 22 Plymouth.

Sadly, Larry Smith, NASCAR’s 1972 Rookie of the Year, died during the 14th lap after a single-car crash. His crew chief John Green stated, “I couldn’t believe it. I already started working on the car. I thought we could get back in the race.”

Smith was running only on the right front tire's inner liner and hit the first-turn wall with the right front of the car and ran along the wall for more than 100 yards before rolling down to the apron. The impact was hard enough to break the headrest that the shoulder belts were attached to. With no restraints, it is believed Smith hit the dashboard of the car with his forehead and died of "massive head injuries."

Also, 1970 NASCAR Grand National champion Bobby Isaac was leading the race in the Bud Moore Engineering No. 15 Ford when he suddenly pulled into the pits and told Moore he quit. Stories were written that Isaac heard voices saying that he should immediately drive into the pits and park his car. Close friend David Pearson stated, “I'll tell you something about Bobby: When he decides to do something, he does it on the spot,” according to an article posted on the Racing Reference.com website.

Clifton “Coo Coo” Marlin got into Moore’s car after falling out with engine problems in his own Chevrolet and finished 13th. It was later revealed that passing by Smith’s crash site was disturbing to Isaac.

“I wasn't afraid I was going to wreck," Isaac later told reporters. “I don’t have anything to prove to myself or anyone else. I know how it feels to drive and I know how it feels to win and lose. I know how it feels to be a champion and now I know how it feels to quit.”

Isaac returned to the Cup Series for 19 starts through 1976 but did not win. He passed away on Aug. 14, 1977 of a heart attack while racing at Hickory (NC) Speedway.

Fan takes pace car for a spin

May 4, 1986 — After seeing a shiny red Pontiac Trans Am pace car with keys in the ignition and no driver, an Alabama resident decided to take the car for a spin on the high banks just minutes before the start of the 1986 Winston 500. Track officials had just solved a major power outage at the 2.66-mile speedway when the fan decided to take off for a lap that left track and law enforcement officials scrambling.

A high-speed chase ensued with police car blue lights and police motorcycles chasing the 20-year old driver. The brave wanna-be racing star reached estimated speeds topping more than 100 mph on the 3,000-foot backstretch before he was stopped after safety and maintenance trucks formed a blockade across the track’s fourth-turn area.

When stopped, the car was swarmed by track personnel and police and sheriff’s deputies before a game of lock and unlock the car's doors began to be played. Some 125,000 onlookers watched the episode unfold before he was escorted off to the Talladega County jail.

Talladega Superspeedway has always had its share of interesting races and interesting facts.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: NASCAR Talladega race wrecks just part of track's bizarre history