Remember When a NASCAR Pace Car Was Stolen?

Talladega Superspeedway is known for big crashes, high speeds and wild crowds. But did you know that it was also the scene of one of NASCAR's wildest stories?

Back in 1986, Talladega was packed with more than 105,000 fans ready to watch racers such as Dale Earnhardt, Michael Waltrip and Richard Petty battle on the 2.66 mile-long track as they chased down points in the Winston Cup Series.

Bill Elliott was on the pole after clocking in at more than 209 miles per hour in qualifying. As he and the other drivers were getting into their cars, making last minute checks and adjustments, awaiting the call of "Gentlemen, start your engines," our story comes into focus.

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That is when 20-year-old Darion Crowder of Birmingham, Ala., leapt into action. According to witnesses, Crowder — who was not wearing a shirt at the time — climbed over two fences separating the infield crowd and the racetrack and made his way toward the pits.

He then entered the 1986 Pontiac Trans-Am pace car that was sitting empty on the track and found that the keys were left inside. Crowder didn't let this opportunity slip through his fingers — he fired up the car and took off, topping 100 miles per hour in the back stretch.

It was at this point in time that officials noticed that there was something amiss and alerted the broadcast team.

Once Crowder stopped the car, authorities tried to enter the vehicle with a spare set of keys, something that Crowder was fighting off by using the car's power door locks. His stalling tactic didn't last long, and he was pulled from the car by his hair shortly after stopping.

He was taken to jail and held on a $10,000 bond and was faced with a litany of charges including unauthorized use of a vehicle, resisting arrest and others. But DUI was not one of the charges.

It is often told that Crowder was drunk during this escapade, but that has never been proven. In fact, many believe that Crowder had actually entered the Speedway without a ticket, didn't have anything to drink at all and was in fact test-driving a motorcycle he was thinking of purchasing when he made the detour into the race.

History is a bit unclear on what happened with Crowder in this case, with most records pointing to a plea deal reached out of court.

Wood is host of Taste of Country Mornings with Wood and Nicole, which can be heard every morning from 6-10AM CT on the Taste of Country app, on local affiliates where available and online at tasteofcountry.com.