NEWSFEED
Statistical Advance: Analyzing the YellaWood 500
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (September 26, 2023) – Below is a look at the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff contenders’ statistical performances at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama, going into the YellaWood 500 on October 1 at 2 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).
NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Outlook Following Race No. 30 Rank Driver Points Race Wins Stage Wins Playoff Pts + / – Cutoff 1 William Byron (P) 3,083 6 8 41 In On Wins 2 Denny Hamlin (P) 3,074 3 7 32 37 3 Chris Buescher (P) 3,059 3 1 21 22 4 Christopher Bell (P) 3,057 1 4 16 20 5 Martin Truex Jr. (P) 3,056 3 6 36 19 6 Ross Chastain (P) 3,049 1 5 11 12 7 Brad Keselowski (P) 3,045 0 5 11 8 8 Kyle Larson (P) 3,039 3 5 24 2 9 Bubba Wallace (P) 3,037 0 0 0 -2 10 Tyler Reddick (P) 3,036 2 5 15 -3 11 Ryan Blaney (P) 3,028 1 3 8 -11 12 Kyle Busch (P) 3,022 3 2 19 -17 13 Kevin Harvick 2,102 0 1 4 Eliminated from the Playoffs 14 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 2,096 1 0 5 15 Joey Logano 2,087 1 3 8 16 Michael McDowell 2,087 1 2 7
TALLADEGA-SPECIFIC STATISTICS
(Following statistics are Loop Data from 2005 – Present)
1 – William Byron (No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 97.5, second-best
2023 Rundown:
· Six wins, 11 top fives, 16 top 10s, three poles
· Led 883 laps
· Average Finish of 12.1
Talladega Superspeedway Outlook:
· Two top fives, three top 10s
· Average Finish of 17.273, 13th-best
· Average Running Position of 13.137, third-best
· Driver Rating of 84.9, sixth-best
· 45 Fastest Laps Run, 22nd-best
· 1,259 Laps in the Top 15 (62.1%), 15th-most
· 2,109 Quality Passes, 18th-most
2 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 99.4, series-best
2023 Rundown:
· Three wins, 12 top fives, 15 top 10s, four poles
· Led 771 laps
· Average Finish of 11.8
Talladega Superspeedway Outlook:
· Two wins, 10 top fives, 15 top 10s, one pole
· Average Finish of 16.514, 11th-best
· Average Running Position of 16.937, ninth-best
· Driver Rating of 83.7, eighth-best
· 135 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-best
· 3,369 Laps in the Top 15 (51.1%), fifth-most
· 6,630 Quality Passes, fifth-most
3 – Chris Buescher (No. 17 RFK Racing Ford)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 84.8, seventh-best
2023 Rundown:
· Three wins, eight top fives, 14 top 10s
· Led 234 laps
· Average Finish of 12.2
Talladega Superspeedway Outlook:
· One top five, three top 10s
· Average Finish of 18.875, 21st-best
· Average Running Position of 20.454, 27th-best
· Driver Rating of 66.7, 29th-best
· 46 Fastest Laps Run, 21st-best
· 971 Laps in the Top 15 (32.6%), 18th-most
· 1,962 Quality Passes, 19th-most
4 – Christopher Bell (No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 90.8, fifth-best
2023 Rundown:
· One win, eight top fives, 16 top 10s, five poles
· Led 501 laps
· Average Finish of 13.0
Talladega Superspeedway Outlook:
· One top five, two top 10s, two poles
· Average Finish of 19.571, 22nd-best
· Average Running Position of 17.316, 11th-best
· Driver Rating of 72.9, 19th-best
· 10 Fastest Laps Run, 38th-best
· 684 Laps in the Top 15 (53.8%), 24th-most
· 1,237 Quality Passes, 24th-most
5 – Martin Truex Jr. (No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 93.7, fourth-most
2023 Rundown:
· Three wins, nine top fives, 15 top 10s, one pole
· Led 832 laps
· Average Finish of 12.9
Talladega Superspeedway Outlook:
· Three top fives, nine top 10s, one pole
· Average finish of 21.351, 29th-best
· Average Running Position of 18.299, 16th-best
· Driver Rating of 76.5, 15th-best
· 106 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-best
· 3,333 Laps in the Top 15 (47.8%), sixth-most
· 6,957 Quality Passes, second-most
6 – Ross Chastain (No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 82.4, ninth-best
2023 Rundown:
· One win, eight top fives, 11 top 10s, one pole
· Led 483 laps
· Average Finish of 14.7
Talladega Superspeedway Outlook:
· One win, two top fives, two top 10s
· Average Finish of 18.111, 16th-best
· Average Running Position of 21.460, 29th-best
· Driver Rating of 67.3, 27th-best
· 25 Fastest Laps Run, 28th-best
· 596 Laps in the Top 15 (36.4%), 25th-most
· 994 Quality Passes, 28th-most
7 – Brad Keselowski (No. 6 RFK Racing Ford)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 81.6, 10th-best
2023 Rundown:
· Six top fives, 15 top 10s
· Led 282 laps
· Average Finish of 13.0
Talladega Superspeedway Outlook:
· Six wins, 10 top fives, 14 top 10s
· Average Finish of 15.310, sixth-best
· Average Running Position of 14.913, fifth-best
· Driver Rating of 88.4, third-best
· 116 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-best
· 3,245 Laps in the Top 15 (59.4%), seventh-most
· 6,099 Quality Passes, seventh-most
8 – Kyle Larson (No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.0, third-best
2023 Rundown:
· Three wins, 13 top fives, 15 top 10s, two poles
· Led 897 laps
· Average Finish of 15.2
Talladega Superspeedway Outlook:
· One top five, three top 10s
· Average Finish of 23.412, 35th-best
· Average Running Position of 18.809, 21st-best
· Driver Rating of 76.1, 17th-best
· 42 Fastest Laps Run, 24th-best
· 1,580 Laps in the Top 15 (50.0%), 12th-most
· 3,296 Quality Passes, 13th-most
9 – Bubba Wallace (No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 79.5, 13th-best
2023 Rundown:
· Five top fives, eight top 10s, one pole
· Led 273 laps
· Average Finish of 16.4
Talladega Superspeedway Outlook:
· One win, one top five, one top 10
· Average Finish of 19.727, 24th-best
· Average Running Position of 17.833, 14th-best
· Driver Rating of 76.2, 16th-best
· 59 Fastest Laps Run, 14th-best
· 900 Laps in the Top 15 (44.4%), 21st-most
· 1,677 Quality Passes, 21st-most
10 – Tyler Reddick (No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 89.8, sixth-best
2023 Rundown:
· Two wins, nine top fives, 13 top 10s, one pole
· Led 440 laps
· Average Finish of 16.1
Talladega Superspeedway Outlook:
· Two top 10s
· Average Finish of 21.857, 31st-best
· Average Running Position of 19.589, 24th-best
· Driver Rating of 63.6, 32nd-best
· 23 Fastest Laps Run, 30th-best
· 537 Laps in the Top 15 (42.3%), 26th-most
· 1,115 Quality Passes, 27th-most
11 – Ryan Blaney (No. 12 Team Penske Ford)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 84.6, eighth-best
2023 Rundown:
· One win, four top fives, 13 top 10s
· Led 348 laps
· Average Finish of 16.1
Talladega Superspeedway Outlook:
· Two wins, five top fives, seven top 10s
· Average Finish of 15.222, fifth-best
· Average Running Position of 12.031, second-best
· Driver Rating of 92.8, series-best
· 54 Fastest Laps Run, 17th-best
· 2,359 Laps in the Top 15 (70.1%), eighth-most
· 4,078 Quality Passes, ninth-most
12 – Kyle Busch (No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 80.6, 12th-best
2023 Rundown:
· Three wins, eight top fives, 15 top 10s, one pole
· Led 233 laps
· Average Finish of 14.6
Talladega Superspeedway Outlook:
· Two wins, eight top fives, 10 top 10s
· Average Finish of 19.889, 25th-best
· Average Running Position of 17.044, 10th-best
· Driver Rating of 81.7, 10th-best
· 161 Fastest Laps Run, series-best
· 3,759 Laps in the Top 15 (55.4), series-most
· 7,495 Quality Passes, series-most
NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Fast Facts – Race No. 5 (Talladega Superspeedway)
· The 2023 season marks the seventh consecutive year Talladega Superspeedway has hosted the fifth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs (2017-2023) – Race No. 31 of the season.
· Talladega Superspeedway is the third different track to host the fifth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs; joining Charlotte Motor Speedway (2004 – 2014) and Kansas Speedway (2015 – 2016).
· Talladega Superspeedway has participated in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs since its inception into the series in 2004 and has occupied five different spots on the postseason schedule; including the third race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs (2004 – 2005); the fourth race (2006 – 2008 and 2012); the fifth race (2017-2023); the sixth race (2011, 2013 – 2016); and the seventh race (2009 – 2010).
· A total of 15 different drivers have won the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff races at Talladega Superspeedway.
· Brad Keselowski (2017, 2014), Clint Bowyer (2010-2011), Jamie McMurray (2009, 2013) and Joey Logano (2015-2016) lead the NASCAR Cup Series in Playoff wins at Talladega Superspeedway with two victories each.
· Seven of the 15 Talladega Playoff race winners are active this weekend and four of the seven are Playoff contenders this year – Bubba Wallace (2021), Denny Hamlin (2020), Ryan Blaney (2019), Brad Keselowski (2014, 2017).
Talladega Superspeedway Playoff Race Winners Track Race Winner Date Talladega Chase Elliott Sunday, October 2, 2022 Talladega Bubba Wallace Monday, October 4, 2021 Talladega Denny Hamlin Sunday, October 4, 2020 Talladega Ryan Blaney Sunday, October 13, 2019 Talladega Aric Almirola Sunday, October 14, 2018 Talladega Brad Keselowski Sunday, October 15, 2017 Talladega Joey Logano Sunday, October 23, 2016 Talladega Joey Logano Sunday, October 25, 2015 Talladega Brad Keselowski Sunday, October 19, 2014 Talladega Jamie McMurray Sunday, October 20, 2013 Talladega Matt Kenseth Sunday, October 7, 2012 Talladega Clint Bowyer Sunday, October 23, 2011 Talladega Clint Bowyer Sunday, October 31, 2010 Talladega Jamie McMurray Sunday, November 1, 2009 Talladega Tony Stewart Sunday, October 5, 2008 Talladega Jeff Gordon Sunday, October 7, 2007 Talladega Brian Vickers Sunday, October 8, 2006 Talladega Dale Jarrett Sunday, October 2, 2005 Talladega Dale Earnhardt Jr Sunday, October 3, 2004
· During the Playoffs Era (2004-Present), the winner of the Talladega Superspeedway Playoff race has never gone on to win the title in the same season.
· Twice the Talladega Playoff race winner has finished runner-up in the championship standings at the end of the season: Jeff Gordon (2007) and Joey Logano (2016). Last season’s Talladega Playoff race winner – Chase Elliott finished the season fourth in the final standings.
· The worst finish in a NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Talladega Superspeedway by a driver that went on to win the title that same season was 37th by Kyle Larson in 2021.
· A total of 15 different drivers have won the NASCAR Cup Series fifth race in the Playoffs; nine of the 15 are active this weekend and four are currently in the Playoffs – Bubba Wallace (2022 Talladega), Denny Hamlin (2021 Talladega), Ryan Blaney (2019 Talladega) and Brad Keselowski (2017 Talladega and 2013 Charlotte).
· Jimmie Johnson leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins in the fifth race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with three victories (2004, 2005, 2009 – all at Charlotte Motor Speedway).
· Brad Keselowski (2013 Charlotte and 2017 Talladega) and Kevin Harvick (2014 Charlotte and 2016 Kansas) lead all active drivers in wins in the fifth race of the NASCAR Cup Serries Playoffs with two each.
Playoff Race No. 5 – Race Winners (Race No. 31 of 36) Track Race Winner Date Talladega Chase Elliott Sunday, October 2, 2022 Talladega Bubba Wallace Monday, October 4, 2021 Talladega Denny Hamlin Sunday, October 4, 2020 Talladega Ryan Blaney Sunday, October 13, 2019 Talladega Aric Almirola Sunday, October 14, 2018 Talladega Brad Keselowski Sunday, October 15, 2017 Kansas Kevin Harvick Sunday, October 16, 2016 Kansas Joey Logano Sunday, October 18, 2015 Charlotte Kevin Harvick Saturday, October 11, 2014 Charlotte Brad Keselowski Saturday, October 12, 2013 Charlotte Clint Bowyer Saturday, October 13, 2012 Charlotte Matt Kenseth Saturday, October 15, 2011 Charlotte Jamie McMurray Saturday, October 16, 2010 Charlotte Jimmie Johnson Saturday, October 17, 2009 Charlotte Jeff Burton Saturday, October 11, 2008 Charlotte Jeff Gordon Saturday, October 13, 2007 Charlotte Kasey Kahne Saturday, October 14, 2006 Charlotte Jimmie Johnson Saturday, October 15, 2005 Charlotte Jimmie Johnson Saturday, October 16, 2004
· Twice the winner of the fifth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs has gone on to win the championship later that season; both times it occurred at Charlotte Motor Speedway (2004-2014):
1. In 2009, Jimmie Johnson won the fifth race in the Playoffs from the pole at Charlotte Motor Speedway and then went on to win his fourth consecutive NASCAR Cup Series title – it was his third of four wins in the 2009 postseason.
2. In 2014, Kevin Harvick won the fifth race in the Playoffs from the seventh starting position at Charlotte Motor Speedway and went on to win his first career NASCAR Cup Series title – it was his first of three wins during the 2014 postseason.
· Three times a non-Playoff driver has won the fifth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs:
o In 2010, Jamie McMurray won the fifth race in the Playoffs at Charlotte; he was 14th in points.
o In 2013, Brad Keselowski won the fifth race in Playoffs at Charlotte; he was 16th in points.
o In 2021, Bubba Wallace won the Playoff race at Talladega; he was 21st in points
· Six times a non-Playoff driver has won the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Talladega Superspeedway:
1. In 2005, Dale Jarrett won the Playoff race at Talladega; he was 14th in points.
2. In 2006, Brian Vickers won the Playoff race at Talladega; he was 16th in points.
3. In 2009, Jamie McMurray won the Playoff race at Talladega; he was 22nd in points.
4. In 2011, Clint Bowyer won the Playoff race at Talladega; he was 13th in points.
5. In 2013, Jamie McMurray won the Playoff race at Talladega; he was 14th in points.
6. In 2021, Bubba Wallace won the Playoff race at Talladega; he was 21st in points
NASCAR Cup Series 2023 Top 12 in the Playoff Standings at Talladega
Rank Driver Races Poles Wins Top Fives Top 10s DNFs Average Finish Driver Rating 1 William Byron 11 0 0 2 3 3 17.3 84.9 2 Denny Hamlin 35 1 2 10 15 5 16.6 83.7 3 Chris Buescher 16 0 0 1 3 5 19.9 66.7 4 Christopher Bell 7 2 0 1 2 1 19.6 72.9 5 Martin Truex Jr 37 1 0 3 9 13 21.4 76.5 6 Ross Chastain 9 0 1 2 2 0 18.2 67.3 7 Brad Keselowski 29 0 6 10 14 4 15.3 88.4 8 Kyle Larson 17 0 0 1 3 6 23.4 76.1 9 Bubba Wallace 11 0 1 1 1 3 19.7 76.2 10 Tyler Reddick 7 0 0 0 2 2 22.3 63.6 11 Ryan Blaney 18 0 2 5 7 4 15.2 92.8 12 Kyle Busch 36 0 2 8 10 7 19.9 81.7
* – Based on last 37 races at Talladega Superspeedway (2005 – 2023).
Talladega Superspeedway Stats & Tidbits:
TRACK DATA
Season Race #: 31 of 36 (10-01-23)
The Purse: $8,806,315
Track Size: 2.66-miles
Banking/Turn 1 & 2: 33 degrees
Banking/Turn 3 & 4: 33 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 16.5 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 2 degrees
Frontstretch Length: 4,300 feet
Backstretch Length: 4,000 feet
Race Length: 188 laps / 500.08 miles
Stage 1 & 2 Length: 60 laps (each)
Final Stage Length: 68 laps
QUALIFYING & RACE DATA
Track Qualifying Record:
Bill Elliott, Melling Racing Ford, 212.809 mph, 44.998 secs., April 30, 1987
2022 Playoff Pole Winner:
Christpher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, 180.591 mph, 53.026 secs., September 1, 2022
Track Race Record:
Mark Martin, RFK Racing Ford, 188.354 mph, (02:39:18), May 10, 1997
2022 Playoff Race Winner:
Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, 153.569 mph, (03:15:23), October 2, 2022
HISTORY
· Construction began on what was then known as the Alabama International Motor Speedway on May 23, 1968.
· The first NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway was held on September 14, 1969; the event was won by Richard Brickhouse (Dodge).
· The first NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Talladega Superspeedway was held on July 25, 1992; the event was won by Ernie Irvan (Chevrolet).
· The first NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Talladega Superspeedway was held on October 7, 2006; the event was won by Mark Martin (Ford).
· The name of the track changed to Talladega Superspeedway in 1989.
· The track completed its fourth repaving on September 19, 2006.
· In 2019, the track underwent a $50 million renovation, updating the tunnels and infield amenities.
· There have been 108 NASCAR Cup Series races at Talladega Superspeedway, one Cup event in 1969, and two races per year since 1970.
STARTS
· A total of 489 different drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway; 343 have competed in more than one.
· Dave Marcis and Terry Labonte lead the NASCAR Cup Series in starts at Talladega with 61 starts each.
· Kevin Harvick leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in starts at Talladega with 45.
· A total of 72 different drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series have made their first career start at Talladega Superspeedway.
· The most recent driver to make their first Cup start at Talladega was Harrison Burton on April 25, 2021.
· Justin Haley (4/28/19) is the only other active driver to make his first career Cup start at Talladega.
· Of the 72 drivers to make their first career Cup start at Talladega Superspeedway, Dick Simon had the best finish with a seventh-place result after starting in 52nd-place on May 6, 1973.
Rank Drivers Date Rank Drivers Date Rank Drivers Date 1 Harrison Burton 4/25/2021 25 Harry Dinwiddie 8/3/1980 49 Harry Gailey 8/22/1971 2 Justin Haley 4/28/2019 26 Gary Baker 5/4/1980 50 Johnny Barnes 8/22/1971 3 Timothy Peters 4/29/2018 27 Kyle Petty 8/5/1979 51 Rolf Stommelen 8/22/1971 4 Ryan Reed 10/23/2016 28 Kevin Housby 5/6/1979 52 David Sisco 5/16/1971 5 Robert Richardson 11/1/2009 29 Wayne Broome 5/6/1979 53 Doc Faustina 5/16/1971 6 Jacques Villeneuve 10/7/2007 30 Frank Hill 5/14/1978 54 George Altheide 5/16/1971 7 Eric McClure 4/25/2004 31 Jim Raptis 8/7/1977 55 Roy Mulligan 5/16/1971 8 Jason Jarrett 9/28/2003 32 Steve Moore 8/7/1977 56 Alton Jones 4/12/1970 9 Jamie McMurray 10/6/2002 33 Peter Knab 5/1/1977 57 Al Straub 9/14/1969 10 Dennis Setzer 4/26/1998 34 Jeff Handy 8/17/1975 58 Amos Johnson 9/14/1969 11 Ritchie Petty 5/2/1993 35 Harold Miller 5/4/1975 59 Bill Ward 9/14/1969 12 Stan Fox 7/26/1992 36 Tom Williams 5/4/1975 60 Billy Hagan 9/14/1969 13 T.W. Taylor 7/26/1992 37 A.J. Reno 8/11/1974 61 Bobby Brewer 9/14/1969 14 Stanley Smith 7/29/1990 38 Jerry Hansen 8/11/1974 62 Bobby Fleming 9/14/1969 15 Bill Ingram 7/30/1989 39 Jerry Schild 5/5/1974 63 C.B. Gwynn 9/14/1969 16 Ed Pimm 5/3/1987 40 Johnny Ray 5/5/1974 64 Dick Lawrence 9/14/1969 17 Davey Allison 7/28/1985 41 Neil Bonnett 5/5/1974 65 Doug Easton 9/14/1969 18 Phil Barkdoll 5/6/1984 42 Terry Link 5/5/1974 66 Earle Canavan 9/14/1969 19 Bob Slawinski 8/1/1982 43 Bob Davis 8/12/1973 67 Ernie Shaw 9/14/1969 20 Bill Scott 5/2/1982 44 Dick Simon 5/6/1973 68 J.W. King 9/14/1969 21 David Simko 5/2/1982 45 Slick Gardner 5/6/1973 69 Larry Bock 9/14/1969 22 L.W. Wright 5/2/1982 46 Clarence Lovell 5/7/1972 70 Richard Childress 9/14/1969 23 Philip Duffie 5/2/1982 47 Darrell Waltrip 5/7/1972 71 Stan Starr 9/14/1969 24 Terry Herman 8/2/1981 48 Robert Wales 5/7/1972 72 Wilbur Pickett 9/14/1969
· Bobby Isaac (eight starts) leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Talladega with a 3.625.
· Chase Elliott (13 starts) leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Talladega with a 7.462.
Top 10 in Average Starting Position at Talladega Superspeedway (All-Time & Active)
Rank All-Time Drivers Avg Start Races Rank Active Drivers Avg Start Races 1 Bobby Isaac 3.625 8 1 Ty Gibbs 6.500 2 2 Davey Allison 5.267 15 2 Chase Elliott 9.467 15 3 Pete Hamilton 5.400 5 3 Christopher Bell 11.857 7 4 Sam Sommers 6.333 3 4 Ryan Blaney 12.000 18 5 David Pearson 6.400 25 5 Brad Keselowski 12.345 29 6 Ty Gibbs 6.500 2 6 William Byron 12.909 11 7 Gordon Johncock 7.500 2 7 Chase Briscoe 13.600 5 8 Cale Yarborough 8.088 34 8 Denny Hamlin 14.857 35 9 Chase Elliott 9.467 15 9 Austin Dillon 15.400 20 10 Rob Moroso 9.500 2 10 Tyler Reddick 15.714 7
POLES
· A total of 46 different drivers have qualified on the pole at Talladega Superspeedway, 24 of the 46 have multiple poles at Talladega.
· Seven of the 46 NASCAR Cup Series pole winners at Talladega Superspeedway are active this weekend.
Active Talladega Pole Winners Poles Seasons Christopher Bell 2 2022 sweep Chase Elliott 2 2019, ’16 Kevin Harvick 2 2018, ’05 Denny Hamlin 1 2023 Austin Dillon 1 2019 Ricky Stenhouse Jr 1 2017 Martin Truex Jr 1 2016
· NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott leads the NASCAR Cup Series in poles at Talladega Superspeedway with eight poles (1985 sweep, 1986 sweep, 1987 sweep, spring 1990 and fall 1993).
· Christopher Bell (2022 sweep), Kevin Harvick (2005, 2018) and Chase Elliott (2016, 2019) lead all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in poles at Talladega Superspeedway with two each.
· Bobby Isaac won the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series pole at Talladega Superspeedway in 1969 with a speed of 199.466 mph. In fact, Isaac won the first three poles at the 2.66-mile superspeedway (1969 and 1970 sweep).
· A total of 12 different drivers have won consecutive poles at Talladega in the NASCAR Cup Series; Christopher Bell (2022 sweep) is the only of the 12 that is currently active.
· Bill Elliott holds the record for most consecutive Cup poles at Talladega with six-straight from 1985 – 1987.
· Six drivers have posted their first NASCAR Cup Series pole at Talladega:
o Brian Scott (May 4, 2014)
o Juan Pablo Montoya (April 26, 2009)
o Travis Kvapil (October 5, 2008)
o David Gilliland (October 8, 2006)
o Stacy Compton (April 22, 2001)
o Jeremy Mayfield (September 28, 1996)
· Youngest series Talladega pole winner: Chase Elliott (May 1, 2016 – 20 years, 5 months, 3 days).
· Oldest series Talladega pole winner: Mark Martin (October 23, 2011 – 52 years, 9 months, 14 days).
· Hendrick Motorsports leads the series in poles at Talladega Superspeedway with 13 among eight different drivers – Darrell Waltrip (1988), Terry Labonte (1995), Jimmie Johnson (2002), Jeff Gordon (2007, 2011, 2012, 2015 sweep), Mark Martin (2011), Kasey Kahne (2012), Chase Elliott (2016, 2019) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2017).
· Eight different manufacturers have won at least one pole in the NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega Superspeedway; led by Chevrolet with 37 and followed by Ford (29), Dodge (12), Toyota (six), Mercury (five), Oldsmobile (five), Pontiac (three), and Buick (two).
WINS
· A total of 51 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won at Talladega Superspeedway; 25 of the 51 NASCAR Cup Series winners at Talladega have won multiple times at the 2.66-mile track.
· Eleven of the 51 NASCAR Cup Series race winners at Talladega Superspeedway are active this weekend.
Active Talladega Race Winners Wins Seasons Brad Keselowski 6 2021, ’17, ’16, ’14, ’12, ’09 Joey Logano 3 2018, ’16, ’15 Kyle Busch 2 2023, ’08 Chase Elliott 2 2022, ’19 Denny Hamlin 2 2020, ’14 Ryan Blaney 2 2020, ’19 Ross Chastain 1 2022 Bubba Wallace 1 2021 Aric Almirola 1 2018 Ricky Stenhouse Jr 1 2017 Kevin Harvick 1 2010
· NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Talladega Superspeedway with 10 victories (1983, 1984, 1990 sweep, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1999 sweep and 2000).
· Brad Keselowski leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in wins at Talladega Superspeedway with six victories (2009, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2021); followed by Joey Logano with three wins (2015, 2016, 2018).
· Nine different drivers have won consecutive series races at Talladega; led by Dale Earnhardt Jr. with four-straight victories from 2001-2003. Ryan Blaney is the most recent driver to win consecutive races at Talladega (2019-2020).
· Youngest series Talladega winner is Bobby Hillin Jr. (July 27, 1986) at the age of 22 years, 1 month, 22 days.
· Oldest series Talladega winner is Harry Gant (May 6, 1991) at the age of 51 years, 3 months, 26 days.
· A total of 25 different starting positions have produced race winners in the NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega Superspeedway.
· 15 of the 108 NASCAR Cup Series races (13.8%) at Talladega Superspeedway have been won from the pole or first starting position – the most recent driver to accomplish the feat was Denny Hamlin on October 4, 2020.
· A total of 13 different drivers have won a NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway from the pole or first starting position.
Drivers Wins From Pole or First Starting Position Seasons Bill Elliott 2 1987, ’85 Cale Yarborough 2 1984, ’78 Denny Hamlin 1 2020 Ricky Stenhouse Jr 1 2017 Jeff Gordon 1 2007 Bobby Labonte 1 1998 Sterling Marlin 1 1995 Dale Earnhardt 1 1990 Bobby Allison 1 1981 Dave Marcis 1 1976 Buddy Baker 1 1975 David Pearson 1 1974 Donnie Allison 1 1971
· The outside front row (second starting position) is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (20) than any other starting position at Talladega Superspeedway in the NASCAR Cup Series. The most recent driver to win from the second starting position was Jimmie Johnson in 2011.
NASCAR Cup Series Wins by Starting Positions at Talladega Superspeedway
Starting Position Wins Winning % Starting Position Wins Winning % 1 15 13.89% 14 1 0.93% 2 20 18.52% 15 2 1.85% 3 7 6.48% 16 4 3.70% 4 9 8.33% 17 2 1.85% 5 5 4.63% 18 2 1.85% 6 4 3.70% 19 3 2.78% 7 3 2.78% 20 1 0.93% 8 1 0.93% 22 2 1.85% 9 6 5.56% 24 1 0.93% 10 4 3.70% 27 1 0.93% 11 4 3.70% 34 3 2.78% 12 3 2.78% 36 1 0.93% 13 4 3.70% Stats Winning % Wins Winning from the First Starting Position: 14.15% 15 Winning from the Front Row: 33.02% 35 Winning from a top-five Starting Position: 52.83% 56 Winning from a top-10 Starting Position: 69.81% 74 Winning After Starting Outside the top 20: 8.49% 9
· The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Talladega is 36th, by Jeff Gordon in the 2000 spring race.
· The deepest in the field that an active race winner has started at Talladega is 34th, by Denny Hamlin in the 2014 spring race.
· A total of 12 drivers have won their first NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway:
First-Time Race Winners Date Bubba Wallace Monday, October 4, 2021 Ricky Stenhouse Jr Sunday, May 7, 2017 Brad Keselowski Sunday, April 26, 2009 Brian Vickers Sunday, October 8, 2006 Ken Schrader Sunday, July 31, 1988 Phil Parsons Sunday, May 1, 1988 Davey Allison Sunday, May 3, 1987 Bobby Hillin Jr Sunday, July 27, 1986 Ron Bouchard Sunday, August 2, 1981 Lennie Pond Sunday, August 6, 1978 Dick Brooks Sunday, August 12, 1973 Richard Brickhouse Sunday, September 14, 1969
· Martin Truex Jr. leads the NASCAR Cup Series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Cup Series starts at Talladega Superspeedway without visiting Victory Lane at 37; followed by Michael McDowell with 25.
· A total of 31 different organizations have won in the NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega Superspeedway, nine of the 31 are active this weekend:
Active Winning Organizations at Talladega Wins Hendrick Motorsports 14 Richard Childress Racing 13 Team Penske 10 Joe Gibbs Racing 5 Wood Brothers Racing 5 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing 5 Stewart-Haas Racing 1 23XI Racing 1 Trackhouse Racing 1
· Hendrick Motorsports leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Talladega Superspeedway with 14 victories among seven different drivers – Ken Schrader (1988), Jeff Gordon (1996, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2007 sweep), Terry Labonte (1997), Jimmie Johnson (2006, 2011), Brian Vickers (2006), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2015) and Chase Elliott (2019, 2022).
· Nine different manufacturers have won in the NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega; led by Chevrolet with 44 victories; followed by Ford (31), Mercury (seven), Buick (six), Oldsmobile (six), Toyota (five), Dodge (four), Plymouth (three) and Pontiac (two).
ADDITIONAL FINISHING POSITIONS
Runner-Up Finishes:
· A total of 54 different drivers have finished runner-up at Talladega Superspeedway in the NASCAR Cup Series.
· Buddy Baker and Tony Stewart lead the NASCAR Cup Series in runner-up finishes at Talladega Superspeedway with six second-place finishes each.
· Kevin Harvick leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers with three runners-up finishes at Talladega Superspeedway.
Top Five in Runner-Up Finishes at Talladega Superspeedway (All-Time & Active)
Rank All-Time Drivers Runner-Ups Rank Active Drivers Runner-Ups 1 Buddy Baker 6 1 Kevin Harvick 3 2 Tony Stewart 6 2 Kyle Busch 2 3 Dale Earnhardt Jr 5 3 Ryan Blaney 2 4 Dale Jarrett 5 4 Alex Bowman 1 5 Darrell Waltrip 5 Austin Dillon 1 Brad Keselowski 1 Erik Jones 1 Ricky Stenhouse Jr 1 William Byron 1
Top-Five Finishes:
· A total of 125 different drivers have finished in the top-five at Talladega Superspeedway in the NASCAR Cup Series.
· NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt leads the NASCAR Cup Series in top fives with 23 top-five finishes.
· Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski lead all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in top fives at Talladega with 10 each.
Top Five in Top-Five Finishes at Talladega Superspeedway (All-Time & Active)
Rank All-Time Drivers Top Fives Rank Active Drivers Top Fives 1 Dale Earnhardt 23 1 Brad Keselowski 10 2 Jeff Gordon 16 Denny Hamlin 10 3 Buddy Baker 15 3 Joey Logano 9 4 Cale Yarborough 14 4 Kevin Harvick 8 Darrell Waltrip 14 Kyle Busch 8 Terry Labonte 14
Top-10 Finishes:
· A total of 211 different drivers have finished in the top-10 at Talladega in the NASCAR Cup Series.
· NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt leads the NASCAR Cup Series in top 10s with 27 top-10 finishes.
· Kevin Harvick leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in top 10s at Talladega with 19.
Top Five in Top-10 Finishes at Talladega Superspeedway (All-Time & Active)
Rank All-Time Drivers Top 10s Rank Active Drivers Top 10s 1 Dale Earnhardt 27 1 Kevin Harvick 19 2 Mark Martin 24 2 Denny Hamlin 15 3 Terry Labonte 23 3 Brad Keselowski 14 4 Bill Elliott 22 4 Joey Logano 11 5 Kurt Busch 21 5 Kyle Busch 10
Average Finish:
· Pete Hamilton (five starts) leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average finishing position at Talladega with a 5.6.
· Chase Elliott (15 starts) leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in average finishing position at Talladega with a 14.067.
Top 10 in Average Finishing Position at Talladega Superspeedway (All-Time & Active)
| Rank | All-Time Drivers | Avg Finish | Races | Rank | Active Drivers | Avg Finish | Races |
| 1 | Pete Hamilton | 5.600 | 5 | 1 | Chase Elliott | 14.067 | 15 |
| 2 | John H. Nemechek | 8.000 | 2 | 2 | Ty Dillon | 15.091 | 11 |
| 3 | Bruce Jacobi | 10.000 | 2 | 3 | Chase Briscoe | 15.200 | 5 |
| 4 | Anthony Alfredo | 11.000 | 2 | 4 | Ryan Blaney | 15.222 | 18 |
| 5 | Bobby Isaac | 12.375 | 8 | 5 | Brad Keselowski | 15.310 | 29 |
| 6 | Dale Earnhardt | 12.409 | 44 | 6 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr | 15.350 | 20 |
| 7 | David Ray Boggs | 12.500 | 2 | 7 | Kevin Harvick | 15.867 | 45 |
| 8 | Davey Allison | 12.667 | 15 | 8 | Aric Almirola | 16.185 | 27 |
| 9 | Billy Hagan | 13.500 | 2 | 9 | Denny Hamlin | 16.571 | 35 |
| 10 | Chase Elliott | 14.067 | 15 | 10 | William Byron | 17.273 | 11 |
LAP LEADERS
· A total of 210 different drivers in series history have led at least one lap at Talladega Superspeedway in the NASCAR Cup Series.
· NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt leads the series in laps led at Talladega with 1,377 in 44 starts.
· Denny Hamlin leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in laps led at Talladega with 431 in 35 starts.
Top 10 Lap Leaders at Talladega Superspeedway (All-Time & Active)
| Rank | All-Time Drivers | Led | Completed | % Led | Rank | Active Drivers | Led | Completed | % Led |
| 1 | Dale Earnhardt | 1377 | 7199 | 19% | 1 | Denny Hamlin | 431 | 6221 | 9% |
| 2 | Buddy Baker | 1137 | 6161 | 18% | 2 | Joey Logano | 420 | 5095 | 6% |
| 3 | Dale Earnhardt Jr | 967 | 6134 | 16% | 3 | Brad Keselowski | 315 | 5306 | 4% |
| 4 | Jeff Gordon | 902 | 7963 | 11% | 4 | Kevin Harvick | 303 | 8044 | 4% |
| 5 | Bobby Allison | 703 | 5267 | 13% | 5 | Ryan Blaney | 275 | 3203 | 7% |
| 6 | Darrell Waltrip | 666 | 8071 | 8% | 6 | Kyle Busch | 269 | 6347 | 7% |
| 7 | Cale Yarborough | 593 | 4731 | 13% | 7 | Chase Elliott | 201 | 2701 | 3% |
| 8 | Bill Elliott | 526 | 9594 | 5% | 8 | Aric Almirola | 118 | 4857 | 6% |
| 9 | Matt Kenseth | 524 | 6836 | 8% | 9 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr | 104 | 3431 | 1% |
| 10 | Jimmie Johnson | 474 | 6777 | 7% | 10 | William Byron | 96 | 1977 | 2% |
· The most laps led in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway by the race winner was 153 of the scheduled 188 laps (81.4%) by Pete Hamilton on August 23, 1970 – he started the race in the fourth position.
· The most laps led in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway by a driver that did not win the race was 142 of the scheduled 192 laps (73.9%) by Matt Kenseth on May 5, 2013 – he started the race in the sixth position and finished eighth.
· Three times the winner of the NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway has led only one lap – the final lap:
o Jeff Gordon in 2007, started 34th and led just the final lap to win the race beating his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson to the line by 0.66-second.
o Brad Keselowski in 2009, started ninth and led just the final lap to win the race beating Dale Earnhardt Jr. to the line by 0.175-second.
o Aric Almirola in 2018, started fourth and led just the final lap to win the race beating his Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Clint Bowyer by 0.105-second.
o Brad Keselowski earlier this season, started 10th and led just the final lap to win the race beating William Byron to the line by 0.102-second.
TRACK / EVENT SPECIFIC STATS
· There have been 18 NASCAR Cup Series races resulting in NASCAR Overtime at Talladega (the most of any track):
Date Scheduled Actual Overtime Race Winners Sunday, April 23, 2023 188 196 8 Kyle Busch Sunday, April 25, 2021 188 191 3 Brad Keselowski Sunday, October 4, 2020 188 200 12 Denny Hamlin Monday, June 22, 2020 188 191 3 Ryan Blaney Sunday, October 14, 2018 188 193 5 Aric Almirola Sunday, May 7, 2017 188 191 3 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Sunday, October 23, 2016 188 192 4 Joey Logano Sunday, October 25, 2015 188 196 8 Joey Logano Sunday, October 19, 2014 188 194 6 Brad Keselowski Sunday, May 5, 2013 188 192 4 David Ragan Sunday, October 7, 2012 188 189 1 Matt Kenseth Sunday, May 6, 2012 188 194 6 Brad Keselowski Sunday, April 25, 2010 188 200 12 Kevin Harvick Sunday, November 1, 2009 188 191 3 Jamie McMurray Sunday, October 5, 2008 188 190 2 Tony Stewart Sunday, April 29, 2007 188 192 4 Jeff Gordon Sunday, October 2, 2005 188 190 2 Dale Jarrett Sunday, May 1, 2005 188 194 6 Jeff Gordon
· Three of the 108 NASCAR Cup Series races at Talladega Superspeedway have been shortened due to weather conditions:
| Date | Scheduled | Actual | Fewer | Race Winners |
| Sunday, July 28, 1996 | 188 | 129 | -59 | Jeff Gordon |
| Thursday, April 30, 1987 | 188 | 178 | -10 | Davey Allison |
| Monday, October 4, 2021 | 188 | 117 | -71 | Bubba Wallace |
· Qualifying has been cancelled in the NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega Superspeedway eight times: 2002 (Fall), 2009 (Fall), 2010 (Spring), 2013 (Spring & Fall), 2020 (Playoffs – Metric Qualifying), 2021 (April – Metric Qualifying) and 2021 (Playoffs – Metric Qualifying).
· Three times the NASCAR Cup Series race held at Talladega Superspeedway was not run on its originally scheduled date:
o The April 27, 1997 race was postponed due to inclement weather to May 10, 1997 – Mark Martin won the event.
o The April 26, 2020 race was postponed to June 22, 2020 due to the stoppage in sports as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic – Ryan Blaney won the event.
o The October 3, 2021 race was postponed to Oct. 4, 2021 (Monday) due to weather.
· Since the advent of electronic scoring in 1993, the closest margin of victory in the NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega Superspeedway is the April 17, 2011 race won by Jimmie Johnson over second-place Clint Bowyer with a Margin of Victory of 0.002 second – the MOV is tied with the 2003 Darlington race as the closest finishes in the NASCAR Cup Series using electronic scoring.
Top Five NASCAR Cup Series Margins of Victory at Talladega Superspeedway
Rank Race Winner Runner-Up Margin of Victory Date 1 Jimmie Johnson Clint Bowyer 0.002 Sunday, April 17, 2011 2 Dale Earnhardt Ernie Irvan 0.005 Sunday, July 25, 1993 3 Ryan Blaney Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 0.007 Monday, June 22, 2020 4 Ryan Blaney Ryan Newman 0.007 Sunday, October 13, 2019 5 Kevin Harvick Jamie McMurray 0.011 Sunday, April 25, 2010
FEMALE COMPETITOR STATS
· Three female drivers have competed at Talladega in the NASCAR Cup Series: Janet Guthrie, Patty Moise and Danica Patrick.
Driver Starting Position Finishing Position Date Danica Patrick 13 21 Sunday, October 15, 2017 Danica Patrick 31 38 Sunday, May 7, 2017 Danica Patrick 30 20 Sunday, October 23, 2016 Danica Patrick 37 24 Sunday, May 1, 2016 Danica Patrick 20 27 Sunday, October 25, 2015 Danica Patrick 25 21 Sunday, May 3, 2015 Danica Patrick 27 19 Sunday, October 19, 2014 Danica Patrick 7 22 Sunday, May 4, 2014 Danica Patrick 23 33 Sunday, October 20, 2013 Danica Patrick 23 33 Sunday, May 5, 2013 Driver Starting Position Finishing Position Date Patty Moise 36 33 Sunday, July 30, 1989 Driver Starting Position Finishing Position Date Janet Guthrie 12 29 Sunday, August 6, 1978 Janet Guthrie 9 34 Sunday, August 7, 1977 Janet Guthrie 13 32 Sunday, May 1, 1977
NASCAR IN ALABAMA
· There have been 179 NASCAR national series races held in the state of Alabama among seven different tracks:
NASCAR Tracks In Alabama City Cup Xfinity Truck Combined Years Talladega Superspeedway Talladega 108 35 17 160 1969 Birmingham International Raceway Birmingham 8 0 0 8 1958 Chisholm Speedway Montgomery 1 0 0 1 1956 Dixie Speedway Birmingham 1 0 0 1 1960 Huntsville Speedway Huntsville 1 0 0 1 1962 Lakeview Speedway Mobile 2 0 0 2 1951 Montgomery Motor Speedway Montgomery 6 0 0 6 1955 Totals 127 35 17 179
· The very first NASCAR national series race held in the state of Alabama was a NASCAR Cup Series event held at Lakeview Speedway (Mobile) in 1951 – the race was won by Tim Flock (Oldsmobile).
· The first race held at Talladega Superspeedway was in 1969 – the event was won by Richard Brickhouse(Dodge).
ALABAMA DRIVERS IN NASCAR
· A total of 76 different drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Alabama.
· 11 drivers from Alabama have won at least one race in NASCAR’s three national series; seven have won in the NASCAR Cup Series.
· NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison (Hueytown) is the winningest driver from Alabama posting the fourth most NASCAR Cup Series wins all-time at 84.
Race Winners From Alabama Cup Xfinity Truck Combined Bobby Allison 84 2 0 86 Tim Flock 39 0 0 39 Davey Allison 19 0 0 19 Neil Bonnett 18 1 0 19 Donnie Allison 10 0 0 10 Red Byron 2 0 0 2 Bubba Wallace 2 0 6 8 Steve Grissom 0 11 0 11 Grant Enfinger 0 0 10 10 Rick Crawford 0 0 5 5 Cale Gale 0 0 1 1 Totals 174 14 22 210