By Lonnie Hugh Skinner
NASCAR Cup Series
Next Race: YellaWood 500
The Place: Talladega Superspeedway
Track Length: 2.66 Mile Asphalt Oval
The Date: Sunday, October 19
The Time: 2 p.m. ET
The Purse: $9,797,935
TV: NBC, 1:30 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)
Distance: 500.08 miles (188 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 60),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 120), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 188)
Where To Watch NASCAR This Week:
Sunday, Oct. 19
NCS Race: YellaWood 500 (NBC, MRN, SiriusXM at 2 p.m. ET)
NASCAR Cup Series
Talladega Superspeedway Storylines and Insights:
· This weekend marks the 113th running of a NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway, the 34th of 2025 and the second of the three races in the Round of 8.
· Talladega hosted a Playoff race in all 22 years of the Playoffs, but this is the first season it was in the Round of 8.
· The April Talladega race started a 28 straight week (189 days) stretch of races to end the season (includes the All-Star race); the longest stretch of consecutive weeks raced in series history.
· Qualifying at Talladega consists of two rounds with the fastest 10 from Round 1 moving to Round 2 to compete for the top-10 starting positions.
· Ford drivers won the pole for the last four races at Talladega; Front Row Motorsports won the pole for the last three.
· Ford drivers account for 63% of the top-10 starting positions at Talladega in the last four races.
· Each of the last 10 Talladega races was won by a different driver, the longest streak of races there without a repeat winner.
· Only two of the last nine races at Talladega was won by a current Playoff driver: Ryan Blaney (10/23), Chase Elliott (10/22).
· The eventual winner led 19 laps or less in each of the last nine Talladega races.
· The driver leading the most laps failed to win each of the last 10 Talladega races.
· The final green flag stretch at Talladega in April was 62 laps, the second longest green flag stretch to end a race there in the last 45 races.
· Each of the last four races at Talladega had only four cautions.
· Four of the 12 races with the most lead changes in Cup all-time came in the last four Talladega races.
· Only twice has the Stage 1 winner at Talladega gone on to win the race, only three times has the Stage 2 winner won.
· The Talladega pole winner finished 17th or worse in each of the seven races there in the Next Gen car.
· Austin Cindric won at Talladega in April after starting seventh, the best starting position of a Talladega race winner in the last nine races.
· 14 drivers earned their final Cup Series win at Talladega, the most among all tracks.
· Stage 2 was caution free in each of the last six Talladega races.
· Brad Keselowski leads all active drivers with six Talladega wins; he finished runner-up there three times since his last win in April 2021.
· Four of the five drafting track races in 2025 were won by active playoff drivers.
· The last 10 drafting track races were each won by a different driver.
· Joey Logano leads all drivers with 228 laps led on drafting tracks in 2025 but has a best finish of 12th.
· Since 2017, two of the six previous drivers that DNF in the opening race of the Round of 8 moved on to the Championship Four (Bell 2022, Reddick 2024).
· 11 of the 12 Playoff drivers had an issue at Talladega in the 2024 Playoff race.
· Seven of the last 11 Talladega races ended with a last lap pass, 33 total in 112 races.
· The seven last lap passes for the win in 2025 is the most in a single season, second most was 6 in 2024.
· Kyle Larson gained 31 points to the cutline at Las Vegas – the largest gain ever by any driver in the opening race of the Round of 8.
· Ryan Blaney lost 37 points to the cutline at Las Vegas – he also lost 43 points in that race in 2024 but went on to win at Martinsville to advance the Championship 4 Round.
· Ryan Blaney was 47 points below the cutline when he won at Martinsville to advance to the Championship last season – the largest deficit ever overcome in the Round of 8.
· The four drivers below the cutline have a combined 17 wins at Talladega and Martinsville, including 3 of the last 4 at Martinsville.
· The Talladega playoff race was won by a playoff driver in nine of 11 seasons of the elimination format.
· Seven of the nine playoff winners of the Talladega playoff race were at or below the cutline entering the race.
· Kyle Larson won three of the last seven drafting track stages, his only drafting track stage wins.
· Kyle Larson is making his 400th Cup start this weekend at Talladega.
· Denny Hamlin (two) and Ryan Blaney (two) combined won four of the last eight races of 2025.
· Hendrick Motorsports and Team Penske have combined to win 13 races at drafting tracks in the Next Gen car, more than all other teams combined.
· Team Penske/Wood Brothers have spent 249 laps running together in first and second place at drafting tracks this year – more than double the laps of all other teams combined.
· Denny Hamlin made the Championship Four for the fifth time and the first since 2021, his crew chief Chris Gayle is making his first appearance in the Championship 4.
· Joe Gibbs Racing won four of the last seven races of 2025 with three different drivers: Denny Hamlin-2, Christopher Bell-1, Chase Briscoe-1.
· Kyle Larson leads all drivers with 1100 laps led, it’s his third straight season leading over 1,000 laps and his fourth in five seasons with Hendrick Motorsports.
NCS Clinch Scenarios for Talladega Superspeedway (Playoff Race #8):
Already Clinched
· The following driver has clinched a spot in the 4-driver field of the next round: Denny Hamlin.
Can Clinch Via Points
· If there is a repeat winner or a win by a driver who cannot advance to the next round, the following drivers could clinch by being 57 points above the 3rd winless driver in the standings. The same point requirements listed below would hold true if a new win comes from among Kyle Larson or Christopher Bell.
• Kyle Larson: Could only clinch with help
• Christopher Bell: Could only clinch with help
· If there is a new winner from Chase Briscoe or another winless driver lower in the standings but still eligible to advance to the next round, the following drivers could clinch by being 57 points above the 2nd winless driver in the standings.
• Kyle Larson: Could only clinch with help
Can Clinch Via Win
· The following drivers would clinch on their win alone: Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, Chase Briscoe, William Byron, Chase Elliott, Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney.
NASCAR & Talladega, Etc.
Historical & Significant Events at Talladega Superspeedway:
· Dream Big: Anniston, AL race car driver and insurance sales associate Bill Ward has a casual conversation at Daytona with International Speedway Corporation and NASCAR founder William H.G. (Bill) France about the possibility of building a speedway in Alabama.
· The 1968 Meeting of the Minds: Bill Ward orchestrates a meeting between then-Talladega Mayor James Hardwick and other city officials to consider the idea of building a major race track on land owned by the City of Talladega. After a trip to Daytona, the men were convinced.
· May 23, 1968 – Construction begins on what will become the Alabama International Motor Speedway (AIMS).
· Sept. 14, 1969 – Alabama International Motor Speedway (AIMS) opens with its first race, the Talladega 500, named in honor of the local people who helped bring the track from vision to reality. Richard Brickhouse won the inaugural event. Richard Childress makes his first NASCAR Cup Series career start and later credits his winnings with getting the ball rolling on forming Richard Childress Racing. The day before, Ken Rush won the first race ever run at AIMS in the BAMA 400 NASCAR Grand Touring event in a Chevrolet Camaro.
· In late 1969 and early 1970, Talladega Super Speedway undergoes its first repave.
· In 1970, Don Naman becomes the first general manager of Alabama International Motor Speedway.
· March 24, 1970 – Buddy Baker becomes the first driver to officially eclipse the 200 mph mark on a closed course while testing at AIMS driving the blue No. 88 winged Dodge Charger Daytona. His speed of 200.447 mph was a world record at the time.
· April 12, 1970 – The second NASCAR Cup Series race – the Alabama 500 – is held at AIMS, marking the beginning of twice-a-year visits by the sanctioning body’s top series.
· May 16, 1971 – Donnie and Bobby Allison, famed “Alabama Gang” brothers finish 1st and 2nd, respectively, in the 1st Winston 500 at AIMS. Winston begins a race sponsorship at AIMS that endures until 2000.
· May 5, 1974 – Energy Crisis: Neil Bonnett makes his first Talladega start in the 1974 Winston 500. The race is stopped twice by rain but is shortened in laps because of the international energy crisis. Although it is scored as a 188-lap race, only 170 are run because it is one of 15 events NASCAR voluntarily cut short for the sake of fuel conservation in cooperation with the energy council. David Pearson ended that day the winner, capturing his 3rd career Winston 500 victory.
· August 9, 1975 – Mark Donohue replaces A.J. Foyt as the world record holder for speed on a closed course by driving a Porsche 917-30 owned by Roger Penske around AIMS at 221.160 mph. Donohue’s world record stood for four years until it was broken in Italy. His national record stood until 1986 when it was broken by Rick Mears at Michigan International Speedway.
· May 2, 1976 – Buddy Baker takes a third consecutive Talladega win, a streak that goes unbroken until 2003 when Dale Earnhardt Jr. racks up four straight wins.
· In 1979, the 2.66-mile Talladega tri-oval is paved for the third time since the track was constructed (including initial construction and then repaving in late 1969-early 1970).
· April 29, 1982 – Benny Parsons becomes the first NASCAR Cup Series driver to break the 200 mph mark in qualifying at a speed of 200.176 mph.
· July 31, 1983 – Dale Earnhardt posts his first NASCAR Cup Series win at Talladega in the Talladega 500. Earnhardt had the momentum, with the lapped Bobby Allison in tow, to shoot past Darrell Waltrip on the final lap to win. Waltrip was 2nd, Allison was 9th. Earnhardt will go on to become the track’s winningest driver with 10 premier series victories.
· May 6, 1984 – The Winston 500 firmly establishes AIMS as NASCAR’s Most Competitive Track, setting the all-time NASCAR record for lead changes with 75 that stands until 2011 when the track breaks its own record in the Aaron’s 499 with 88 lead changes. After starting the race on pole, Cale Yarborough passed Harry Gant on the last lap to win the race.
· May 5, 1986 – Miraculous Win: In one of the greatest comebacks NASCAR has ever seen, Bill Elliott comes from nearly 2 laps down under green after a lengthy pit stop to repair a loose oil line to spectacularly take the 1985 Winston 500 win, turning an average speed of 186.288 mph.
· November 26, 1985 – Lyn St. James sets the record as the first woman to exceed 200 mph, driving a Ford Mustang Probe Prototype at Talladega Superspeedway.
· May 4, 1986 – All but one of the 42 starters in the May 4, 1986 Winston 500 qualified at more than 200 mph. Positions 41 and 42 made the field on provisionals, thus the event technically became the first “All-200” field in stock car history.
· July 27, 1986 – Record Leaders: 26 drivers lead laps in the Talladega 500, setting an all-time series record that will stand until the Talladega fans again see 26 different leaders in the 2001 Aaron’s 499.
· May 1, 1987 – Bill Elliott sets an all-time series qualifying record by winning the pole for the 1987 Winston 500 at a blazing speed of 212.809 mph, which still stands to this day.
· May 3, 1987 – High Speeds: Alabama native Davey Allison celebrates his first career NASCAR Cup Series in front of his hometown fans. The average qualifying speed of the field was 207.049 mph, the fastest field in stock car history.
· In early 1988, Mike Helton becomes the new General Manager of AIMS and in less than one year becomes president of the facility. Don Naman becomes Executive Director of the International Motorsports Hall of Fame.
· Early 1989, AIMS becomes officially known as “Talladega Superspeedway.” The announcement is made at the Talladega Country Club, where members of the media have gathered for an “unveiling” but see nothing within the room to unveil. However, the darkness outside the room’s large windows successfully cloak a large-scale rendering of the track’s new name and logo, until spotlights illuminate it for all to see.
· January 23, 1990 – Patty Moise breaks the women’s speed record again by going 217.498 mph around Talladega Superspeedway in a Buick.
· In February 1993, Grant Lynch becomes the third GM of Talladega Superspeedway and is promoted to President in November of that year. Mike Helton relocates to Daytona Beach, FL at the start of the next year to become NASCAR’s VP of Competition.
· April 23, 1999 – When teams and fans arrive for the first Talladega race of the year, they are greeted by a new entrance to the track’s tunnel and main parking areas, the first of several facility improvements that have occurred in the off season. In the infield, a new NASCAR Cup Series garage awaits to accommodate up to 62 cars, as well as a new care center. Also, a big announcement is made to herald even more facility improvements. Track officials announce that a new and improved grandstand will replace the one existing out of Turn 2 and will be named “Allison Grandstand” after the legendary Alabama racing family of Bobby, Donnie, Davey and Clifford Allison.
· January 2001 – Rick Humphrey is promoted from Director of Operations to become the fifth VP/GM of Talladega Superspeedway after having joined the staff in 1997 as the Director of Public Relations.
· October 2002 – Recording artist Sheryl Crow and her band perform for fans just before the start of the race in support of her “C’mon C’mon Tour.” Legendary quarterback Ken Stabler serves as Grand Marshal, and the musical group Little Big Town performs the National Anthem. Jamie McMurray fills in for the injured Sterling Marlin in the EA SPORTS 500, making his NASCAR Cup Series debut.
· October 3, 2004 – Talladega Superspeedway officially celebrates its 35th anniversary with the running of the EA SPORTS 500. Grand Marshals of the event, Paul Teutul Sr. and Paul Teutul Jr. of Orange County Choppers unveil a custom motorcycle commissioned by the track to commemorate the occasion. The bike is later auctioned on eBay, with proceeds benefiting Victory Junction Gang Camp in Randleman, NC. Dale Earnhardt Jr. grabs his fifth Talladega victory that day.
· July 12, 2005 – Amazing Race Coms To Talladega: Eight families competing in the three-time Emmy Award winning television show “The Amazing Race” found a clue at the world’s largest office chair in Anniston, AL that directed them to the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, and then inside Talladega Superspeedway to compete against one another acing multiple-rider “party bikes” around the track. The Bransen family of Park Ride, IL was the first family to successfully complete the challenge at TSS to earn the next clue. The “Think Like an Office Chair” episode aired October 18, 2005 on CBS.
· September 2005 – History was both made and remembered when David Donohue and NBC Television’s “The Tonight Show” host Jay Leno set a series of Grand American speed records at the track, driving a Porsche Carrera GT production car. David is the son of Mark Donohue, who set a similar series of records in a Porsche here three decades ago. The younger Donohue set three flying speed records in the production category, including a closed-course speed record here of 196.301 mph. Donohue also set records for the measured mile at 198.971 mph and the measured kilometer at 195.755 mph. Leno set three standing-start speed records in the same car, the fastest being 156.603 mph over the closed-course.
· November 2005 – Filming begins at Talladega Superspeedway for the movie Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby starring Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly, Sacha Baron Cohen, Amy Adams, Jane Lynch, Michael Clark Duncan, Gary Cole and Leslie Bibb.
· September 19, 2006 – TSS officials announce the official completion of the 2006 Paving Project. Repave #3.
· July 3, 2007 – Rick Humphrey is named President of Talladega Superspeedway. Former track president Grant Lynch to serve as Senior VP of Business Development for International Speedway Corporation.
· 2009 – Grant Lynch returns to Talladega Superspeedway as Chairman of the track.
· May 2, 2014 – The first “Big One on the Blvd” parade was held on Talladega Blvd in the track’s infamous infield. Four drivers- Clint Bowyer, Austin Dillon, Kevin Harvick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – were a major part of the Mardi Gras style event that featured a Moon Pie eating contest and BBQ Sauce Wrestling. The tradition continues each race weekend with different activities available for fan participation.
· October 20, 2016 – It takes nerves of steel to circle Talladega Superspeedway at nearly 200 mph. The now traditional Vulcan Trophy, introduced in fall 2016 and a miniature version of the famous cast-iron statue that overlooks nearby Birmingham, is the prize for the driver who outsmarts and outdrives his competitors to get to Gatorade Victory Lane. Standing approximately 3 feet tall and weighing more than 100 pounds, Vulcan is a force to be reckoned with.
· In 2018, NASCAR’s most competitive track — Talladega Superspeedway — announced at a press conference details of Transformation – The Talladega Superspeedway Infield Project. The approximate $50 million redevelopment endeavor is part of NASCAR’s long-term capital allocation plan and reinvestment into its major motorsports complexes. The project, highlighted by a one-of-a-kind Garage Fan Zone Experience, will feature “up-close” access, interactive attractions and enhanced amenities for fans, sponsors, teams and stakeholders in the iconic Talladega infield.
· In 2019, Brian Crichton, Vice President, Marketing and Sales at Talladega Superspeedway, has been promoted to President of Talladega Superspeedway, effective September 3rd. Crichton assumes his new role as Speedway Chairman Grant Lynch prepares for his previously announced November retirement with the completion of Transformation – The Talladega Superspeedway Infield Project Presented by Graybar.
· Today, Talladega Superspeedway covers about 3,000 acres – the most of any Cup track (Daytona is 482 acres).
· In total, there have been 112 NASCAR Cup Series races at Talladega Superspeedway, one series event in 1969, and two races per year since 1970.
COURTESY NASCAR COMMUNICATIONS
