TALLADEGA COUNTY, Ala. (WIAT) -- Thousands of fans from around the world came to Talladega Superspeedway for the NASCAR playoffs.
From police officers to sanitation workers, it takes a lot to run race weekend at Talladega. Communities around the state come together to make sure everything runs smooth, on and off the track.
“It really helps make this thing possible. If we didn’t have that support from surrounding communities, it would be difficult,” said Lew Watson, the Mayor of Lincoln.
State representative Steve Hurst agrees, he says putting on the race is a team effort.
“People in this area, they concerned about the public. They want to know what they can give, not necessarily what they can receive,”
Many of the first responders at the track are volunteers. The Winterboro Fire Department had a truck in the infield manned by firefighters donating their time to make sure everyone was safe.
“We're pretty much watching out to make sure there’s no camper fires, or open fires or stuff like that,” said Assistant Chief Coley Ward.
Over race weekend, the track turns into a city with a population of over 100,000 people. Running that city takes a lot of effort.
“During this period of time, all of our garbage trucks are out here helping to deal with the trash,” said Watson.
The Mayor of Lincoln says seeing the state come together to help make the races a success is one of his favorite parts of the weekend.