NASCAR: Creek medicine man restores balance to Talladega Superspeedway

Ever since NASCAR’s longest track, Talladega Superspeedway opened 40-years ago there has been talk that the track is haunted whether for marketing purposes or it’s a fact.

The stories have even reached drivers as famous as Dale Earnhardt Jr., who said in a media teleconference years ago "I've heard that the airport previous to the track was built on an ancient Indian burial ground, which I don't know if that is true or not, but that would be quite a twist.” Earnhardt added that he heard that Bobby Isaac, the 1970 NASCAR champion heard voices while leading there and “parked it with 10 laps to go.”






When the track first opened speeds were so high the tires blew up starting a drivers’ strike. Pioneer driver, Tiny Lund died while racing at the track, and Davey Allison, son of NASCAR died in a helicopter crash there, so is it any wonder that track president, Rick Humphrey, had a Native American medicine man perform an ancient ceremony to bring harmony to the 2.66 track.

Creek Medicine Man Robert Thrower, whose family has a tradition in that role,  performed a traditional Native American blessing ritual on Thursday on the start-finish line and asked for balance to be restored to the land.

“Most everything in Native American belief is about keeping balance,” said Thrower.  “Sometimes people and places can get out of balance and that unbalance may be perceived as something bad.  What we did today was bless the track and ask for reconciliation so that balance can be restored. “

Thrower performed the ceremony in his native Muscogee language.  He then asked for reconciliation and the restoration of balance while burning a collection of ceremonial offerings in a small bowl.  The ceremony was then closed with another prayer.

"It was a very moving ceremony," said Humphrey.  "It’s like Mr. Thrower said, sometimes things just need to be brought back into balance.  With the controversy that surrounded Talladega when we first opened, it’s a possibility that there has always been some unbalance here.  I’m confident in saying that after this ceremony however, we don’t have to worry about that anymore and we are looking forward to a great AMP Energy 500 race weekend."