EXCLUSIVE: How the Closest Town to Talladega Lost Its Connection With NASCAR Despite Heartwarming History With the Sport

Amidst the bland and dull NASCAR off-season, we at EssentiallySports have something that would certainly get any fans’ attention. Popular YouTuber Brian Harmon at Aviatealabama recently was in for a special session with our competitor, where he detailed his unforgettable memories of growing up in a racing town near the iconic Talladega Superspeedway.

Spending his childhood in the locality of the super arena, Brian Harmon revisited the epic moments when guys like the great Dale Earnhardt and Richard “The King” Petty dropped down to the town for some fascinating fan interaction. Going back in time, Brian Harmon, who is also a die-hard NASCAR fanatic, mentioned the “stand-out” moments after the town lost its prominence in the ever-changing times.

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During the height of its popularity, when NASCAR was in its full glory, the sport transcended itself into a racing giant, establishing its supremacy in North America as the one true motorsports king. Short tracks, speedways, and super speedways all popped up across the country owing to the sport’s popularity. People were enthralled to see stock cars zipping past them at mind-bending speeds, intrigued by the sport and its unique personalities.

Among these coveted tracks, Talladega, or as it is popularly known, “Dega,” stands out as NASCAR’s longest oval, stretching across 2.6 miles of banked pavement where drivers battle each other for the gold. In our exclusive interview with Brian Harmon, we were asked, “Having grown up so close to Talladega Speedway, can you share a personal or local tradition or quirk that might not be widely known but adds a special touch to the experience of race weekends in that area?”

To which he replied, “When I was a kid, my hometown was pretty much the closest town around to the track that had restaurants and hotels to support race fans, but over the last couple of decades, there’s been a lot of development between here and there. When I was growing up and it was race weekend, it was common to see a replica race car outside of the grocery store, local auto parts store, etc. It was a great way to build relationships with fans.”

Brian Harmon then shared the good old days when “The Intimidator” would visit the town just to thrill the fans with his presence. “Another standout moment when I was younger was when all of the most popular drivers came to a local park with their show cars and would let you sit in the car, get an autograph, and take a picture, and this is with drivers like Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, and Davey Allison. It created a spark for me getting to interact with these drivers at such a young age. 

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Brian Harmon then went on to share another beautiful memory of his—a time when he rode a Harley-Davidson around the track. While revisiting his old days, it was pretty much apparent that he missed his hometown and was deeply moved by the town’s current state, with Harley Davidson’s research and development facility closing down sometime back in 2010. 

MJ outguns Kyle Busch and Chase Elliott as Brian Harmon names him for his unique possession

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Brian Harmon, who is an avid aircraft enthusiast, has been active on YouTube, spotting airplanes. His channel is popular with aviation fanatics, with more than 700 videos showcasing aircraft, including those of NASCAR celebrities and others. During our exclusive session with him, he named the most impressive and unique private jet, and it was the NBA GOAT’s own Gulfstream G-IV draped in special Air Jordan livery.

MJ outright beat 2-time Cup Series champions Kyle Busch and Chase Elliott in the aviation game, with the enthusiast naming his $61 million prized possession. “Michael Jordan’s jet stands out as being impressive and unique. Not just because of the sheer size of it but the paint scheme is one of the most unique I’ve seen especially on the NASCAR circuit. Chase Elliott’s Cessna is sleek-looking with the all-black livery. Kyle Busch had a really great Citation Latitude that had a neat paint scheme too but he sold it recently. His livery even though it wasn’t crazy just definitely had a “fast” look to it.” 

READ MORE: “That’s What Racing Was Built on”- Veteran Insider Reveals Torn Feelings on NASCAR Cracking Down on Ingenious Hacks

What are your thoughts about our exclusive interview? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.