Talladega Superspeedway Tag

By David Morgan, Associate Editor TALLADEGA, Ala. – It appears the second round of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs will be full of wild card races. Following a chaotic race at Texas last week, the gauntlet continues this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway with Sunday’s running of the Yellawood 500. Since opening its doors in 1969, the 2.66-mile track just off Interstate 20 in Alabama has been a wild card on the schedule with the unpredictable nature of superspeedway racing on full display over the past half-century, leading to some of theRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor Alex Bowman will not be driving his No. 48 Chevrolet on Sunday at Talladega after Hendrick Motorsports announced Thursday that he has been dealing with concussion-like symptoms since a crash at Texas last weekend. In the closing laps of the second stage in last Sunday’s race, Bowman cut a tire and spun into the Turn 4 wall. Despite the damage sustained by the impact, he was able to limp the car to pit road, where his crew got it repaired enough to get him back inRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor TALLADEGA, Ala. – For the second day in a row, it was déjà vu for the No. 3 car. After Jeffrey Earnhardt piloted a Richard Childress Racing No. 3 Chevrolet to second-place in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race, Austin Dillon was dealt the same outcome when he climbed behind the wheel of his RCR No. 3 car in Sunday’s GEICO 500 at Talladega. Coming down to the checkered flag, Dillon appeared to be well on his way to a top-10 result, running fourth on the bottomRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor TALLADEGA, Ala. – Erik Jones had the checkered flag in sight Sunday at Talladega only to see it snatched from his grasp in the waning moments of the GEICO 500. Starting the day in 16th place, Jones worked his way to the front of the field and seemed to be in the catbird seat to score his first win since 2019 and the first win for Petty GMS Motorsports since Aric Almirola won at Daytona in 2014. Jones was the most consistent driver throughout the race,Read More

By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service One lap. That’s all it took for Ross Chastain to drop a watermelon and raise a trophy in celebration. The 29-year old Floridian led only the last – typically frantic – lap in the GEICO 500 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway on Sunday to take his second career NASCAR Cup Series victory. Chastain was running third behind Erik Jones and Kyle Larson with one lap remaining. Larson pulled out of line to the outside poised to make a pass for the lead. But, Jones pulledRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor TALLADEGA, Ala. – Echoing memories of his late grandfather, Jeffrey Earnhardt charged through the pack in his black No. 3 Chevrolet on the last lap at Talladega, falling one spot short of scoring a statement win in Saturday’s Ag-Pro 300. The journeyman driver, who has driven for lesser funded teams for the duration of his career, finally got his shot this weekend to show off his talent in a Richard Childress Racing car with veteran crew chief Larry McReynolds at the helm. Earnhardt got his weekendRead More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service It was an Earnhardt Saturday in Earnhardt country. Grabbing the lead on a restart in the third overtime, Noah Gragson—driving for Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s JR Motorsports—won the Ag-Pro 300 NASCAR Xfinity Series at Talladega Superspeedway. Gragson beat Jeffrey Earnhardt, grandson of seven-time NASCAR Cup champion Dale Earnhardt Sr., who was driving a black No. 3 Chevrolet in a special appearance for Richard Childress Racing, which fielded Dale Sr.’s car during his heyday.  On the mammoth 2.66-mile track where Dale Sr. won a record 10Read More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor TALLADEGA, Ala. – With no practice and only qualifying ahead of Sunday’s GEICO 500 at Talladega, the NASCAR Cup Series drivers had a light day on Saturday. Meeting with the media on Saturday morning, here are some of the storylines that came out of the session with the top-30 in points. RFK Racing Leaning on Keselowski’s Superspeedway Success at Talladega When it comes to superspeedway racing, RFK Racing has an ace in the hole with co-owner and driver Brad Keselowski in the fold. With six winsRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor TALLADEGA, Ala. – A pair of Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas will lead the field to the green in Sunday’s GEICO 500 at Talladega after flexing their muscles in qualifying on the 2.66-mile superspeedway. Christopher Bell led the way with a lap of 52.927 seconds (180.928 mph) to clinch his second career NASCAR Cup Series pole, edging out teammate Martin Truex Jr by .081 seconds. “There is not much to say about the lap, just a lot to say about Toyota, TRD, the engine package they broughtRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor TALLADEGA, Ala. – Bubba Wallace started the 2022 season on a high note, finishing second in the Daytona 500, but since then he and 23XI Racing have been on a downward trajectory. As the NASCAR Cup Series heads into Talladega, where Wallace was victorious last fall, the 28-year-old is hoping Sunday’s GEICO 500 will get the No. 23 team pointed back in the right direction. Wallace is no slouch on the superspeedways, with four top-five finishes at Daytona, including two runner-up finishes in the last twoRead More