NASCAR Cup Series

Talladega to add more SAFER barriers before May races

Published Mar. 19, 2015 5:44 p.m. ET

foxsports

As part of the continued march toward improving safety in NASCAR, Talladega Superspeedway announced Thursday it will add more SAFER barriers to its 2.66-mile facility ahead of this May's race weekend.

The decision comes following "an extensive track review" that included International Speedway Corporation (ISC), NASCAR, ARCA and track officials.

The additional SAFER barrier will be installed along the inside wall at entrances to pit road, Turn 1 and Turn 3.

"We are committed to making Talladega Superspeedway a safe environment for drivers as well as our fans," said track chairman Grant Lynch. "Safety is our top priority and we will continue to collaborate with ISC, NASCAR and ARCA on any future safety enhancments."

Talladega Superspeedway is the latest track on the NASCAR circuit to announce additional SAFER barriers will be installed.

NASCAR, ISC, Speedway Motorsports Inc., and the industry as a whole have made SAFER barriers a priority since Kyle Busch suffered a broken leg and foot when his car struck an unprotected concrete wall at Daytona International Speedway in February.

After Busch"s incident during the season-opening XFINITY Series race, NASCAR and DIS immediately announced plans to reevaluate the walls around the facility and increase safety measures. In the weeks that followed other racing facilities also announced plans to upgrade, with NASCAR leading the charge.

ISC president John Saunders initially announced the plan to install the SAFER barriers at Talladega Superspeedway on Feb. 24, when he said the organization would "utilize all available tools to ensure the safety of the drivers and our fans."