They Don't Just Love Football in Alabama!

Contrary to public belief, the only game in town these days is not football as the state of Alabama revs up for this weekend’s Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway! A ridiculous crowd of 200,000 is expected to take in the race live and the local merchants are taking advantage of NASCAR popularity to gouge these crazed racing fans.

I thought the whole idea with having one of those humongous “Recreational Vehicles” was to save a whack of money by not having to pay for an expensive hotel room. With gas hovering around the $2.20 for a gallon mark, these guys will fork out $325-$570 just to park their apartment on wheels for three days. Don’t even bother making the last-minute call to the newly-opened 101 room Hampton Inn & Suites in Oxford, Alabama or the nearby 62-room Comfort Inn. They’re booked on race weekend for the next five years! America’s Best Value Inn of Anniston raises its price for a double room from $42 to $125 this weekend and a normally $60-$85 room at the Comfort will cost you $225.

Now if it’s package deals you are into, why not stay in nearby Atlanta, where for $800 you can grab yourself a room, seats in the tower section and transportation to and from the Speedway, so that you can wash down a couple of dozen Budweiser’s.