Talladega Superspeedway President Rick Humphrey said Tuesday that based on the recommendations of an engineering firm, track officials decided to raise the height of Talladega's frontstretch catch fence from 14 feet to 22 feet.

An accident that sent Carl Edwards’ No. 99 car sailing into the fence at last April’s Aaron’s 499 sprayed debris into the frontstretch stands, injuring eight spectators and raising concerns over safety at the 2.66-mile oval.

Humphrey said that the improvements to the fence were not in reaction to a part of the fence not functioning properly, and noted that the fence has been “enhanced” since Edwards’ wreck.

“What was in its place certainly did its job,” Humphrey said. “What we said that night and the weeks after…we needed to see if any changes should be made to improve the fence.”

According to Humphrey, NASCAR approved of all changes made.

“NASCAR was involved when we engaged with the outside engineering firm,” Humphrey said. “Both NASCAR and we were presented with the proposed changes.”

The original fence construction held up to the force of Edwards’ car but needed reconstruction.

Humphrey said some other changes made to the fence were being finalized for Talladega’s upcoming race weekend, which kicks off Friday, Oct. 30 and concludes with the Sprint Cup Series Amp Energy 500 on Nov. 1, but that he wasn’t at liberty to discuss the exact adjustments or which firm was doing the work.

Following Edwards’ airborne collision with the fence, owner Jack Roush said that type of accident is an unavoidable consequence of restrictor-plate racing.

“Everything worked the way it was supposed to,” Roush said. “If they were building race tracks from scratch today, they would not be configured like this. I’m sure neither Daytona or Talladega would be configured as they are, but they’re such pillars and such anchors to the sport and set such an expectation of the fans, I don’t know if they can ever be changed.”

According to Brad Keselowski, who won the Aaron’s 499, the horrific wreck was a product of NASCAR’s rules, which state that cars cannot dip below the yellow “out of bounds” line to improve their position at restrictor-plate tracks Daytona and Talladega.

“So we all know the rules, and we know how to take advantage of them,” Keselowski said. “I guess we all have to look in the mirror and decide what we are going to do when we are faced with those decisions.”