If you’ve ever watched a NASCAR race at Talladega Superspeedway, you’ll often hear “The Big One.” Often the TV announcers before a superspeedway race will say not if the “Big One” will be when he wants.
“The Big One” is a common phrase used in NASCAR to describe any massive, multi-car crash. While the definition of “Big” is subjective, it is generally used to describe a crash of 10 or more cars.
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Since the bumper-to-bumper, rallying style of racing seen at superspeedways like Daytona and Talladega, the “Big One” is almost bound to happen because of how close the cars are running side by side and the high speeds.
Stories of the ‘Big One’ in NASCAR and where they are often seen
Lately Bob Jenkins was one of the first NASCAR announcers to use the term “The Big One”. As a huge pile-up was achieved in the 1998 Winston 500 at Talladega, Jenkins said:
“This is a big thing that we were hoping we wouldn’t have.”
NASCAR Hall of Famer and former color TV commentator Darrell Waltrip used the term as well. Of the many cars on the backstretch in the 2001 Daytona 500, Waltrip said:
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“It’s great, the band, it’s great. That’s what we all fear is going to happen in this race.”
One of the most notable “big” events in recent memory was the 2024 YellaWood 500 at Talladega. With five laps remaining, a 28-car lead was achieved in the final 2.66 yards of the track. In terms of the total number of cars involved, it was the largest crash in recent NASCAR seasons.
Another recent “Big One” in D met Jack Link at Talladega earlier this year. After Bubba Waleys spun out of the lead in turn 3, he caused a 26-car crash.
The events at Daytona and Talladega “The Big One” are right around the corner.
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Talladega could massively shake off the NASCAR Cup trophy
The NASCAR Cup Series circle heads to Talladega Superspeedway this weekend for the eighth race of the Chase. With Talladega’s unpredictability and the “Big One” looming at any moment, the championship battle could see a huge shakeup this Sunday.
Here’s a look at the Chase lineup before the YellaWood 500:
Christopher Bell – (-5)
Austin Cindric — (-130)
Carson Hocevar — (-158)
Christopher Buescher — (-204)
The YellaWood 500 is scheduled for Sunday, October 25 at 2 pm ET. It can be watched on NBC or heard on the Racing Network.