By David Morgan, Associate Editor
TALLADEGA, Ala. — The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series campaign rolls on as the series heads to Talladega Superspeedway for Sunday’s running of the Jack Link’s 500.
Since opening its doors in 1969, the 2.66-mile track just off Interstate 20 in Eastern 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 the most memorable moments in NASCAR history.
Anyone in the field has a chance at the win as long as they can be in the right place at the right time. Sunday’s race should be no different. While there will be favorites, any of the cars still running in the closing laps could pull off the win. There is a reason fans come from far and wide to witness racing at Talladega and that unpredictability is a big part of it.
In recent races at the track, that unpredictability has been front and center with 11 different winners in the last 11 races held here.
Will we make it 12 for 12? Or will a familiar face rise to the occasion? 500 miles will tell the tale.
Stage Shakeup
This time around, however, a new wrinkle has been thrown into the mix from the sanctioning body with the reshuffling of the stage lengths for the 188-lap race in an effort to curb the fuel mileage racing that has run rampant on the superspeedways since the dawn of the Next Gen era.
Instead of the final stage being the longest stage of the race, the first stage will now encompass the first 98 laps of the race, with two stages of 45 laps each to break up the final 90 laps of the event.
Previously, the stages had been laid out in a 60-60-68 format.
John Probst, NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer, explained the reasoning behind the change heading into this weekend’s race.
“Coming out of Daytona we have been working hand-in-hand with a lot of our race teams trying to largely break into two categories things we could do. One are sporting related things, things like rules around pit stops or stage lengths or things of that nature. The other being in a technical bucket, which would mean car changes: spoiler, power level, things of that nature,” said Probst.
“As we went through all of our options, not just with NASCAR but even with the teams, there’s a little bit of reluctance to just make wholesale changes to any of the technical stuff in the middle of the season for fear of the unintended consequences.
“If you look at generally how a lot of our speedways were laid out it was a short stage, a short stage and then a long stage to the end. Going into Talladega, we’re going to flip that and adjust the lengths of the final two stages such that we’re confident that the last two stages are short enough to be made without a fuel stop.
“It could be interesting, as well, in that first stage, the length of it, if there’s some that try to do it on one stop versus some that try to do it on two. We think that if there are some that try to do it on two, they may drag the group that tried to do it on one along with them to where they won’t be able to do it in one, so it’s got the potential there for some pretty interesting strategies.”
By the Numbers
What: Jack Links 500, NASCAR Cup Series Race No. 10 of 36
Where: Talladega Superspeedway – Talladega, Alabama (Opened: 1969)
TV/Radio: FOX, 3:00 pm ET / MRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Channel 90
Track Size: 2.66-mile tri-oval (Turns banked 33 degrees, Tri-oval banked 16.5 degrees)
Race Length: 188 laps, 500.08 miles
Stage Lengths: 98 laps (First stage); 45 laps each (Final two stages)
April 2025 Race Winner: Austin Cindric – No. 2 Ford (Started seventh, seven laps led)
October 2025 Race Winner: Chase Briscoe – No. 19 Toyota (Started second, 16 laps led)
Track Qualifying Record: Bill Elliott – 44.998 seconds, 212.809 mph – April 30, 1987
Top-10 Highest Driver Rating at Talladega:
- Joey Logano – No. 22 Team Penske Ford – 88.8
- Ryan Blaney – No. 12 Team Penske Ford – 88.0
- Brad Keselowski – No. 6 RFK Racing Ford – 87.2
- Chase Elliott – No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet – 85.9
- William Byron – No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet – 85.6
- Cole Custer – No. 41 Haas Factory Team Ford – 82.2
- Kyle Busch – No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet – 81.1
- Todd Gilliland – No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford – 80.6
- Denny Hamlin – No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota – 80.3
- Ryan Preece – No. 60 RFK Racing Ford – 80.0
From Atop the Pit Box
“Talladega’s always a place where a lot is out of your control, but the stage length changes should mix things up some,” said Justin Akexander, crew chief of the No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Toyota.
“We won’t have to save as much fuel, so guys can race harder and be more aggressive, especially in the second and third stages. That’ll change strategy quite a bit and hopefully make for a more straightforward race. For us, it’s about staying out of trouble, executing all day and being in position at the end to win. We had a shot in Daytona, and we plan to finish that off in Talladega.”
Last Time at Talladega
Joe Gibbs Racing went two-for-two in getting its drivers into the Championship 4 in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs after Chase Briscoe pulled off the overtime win in last October’s YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.
The driver of the No. 19 Toyota entered the day as the car on the bubble in the final transfer spot with his one hope being to leave Talladega not in that same position in danger of getting bumped out at Martinsville.
He would get his wish.
With the race pushed to overtime after a crash with two laps to go in regulation, Briscoe would line up in sixth place for the overtime restart behind Kyle Larson and Bubba Wallace.
On the final lap, Briscoe found himself behind Wallace as the two Toyotas looked to gang up on the Chevrolet in the lower lane. Wallace and Briscoe surged forward as the lower lane fell apart after Larson ran out of fuel.
Briscoe made his move entering Turn 3 for the final time, diving low on Wallace with help from his JGR teammate Ty Gibbs to push him into the lead as the field stormed off Turn 4 and into the tri-oval.
But it was still going to be a dogfight between the two Toyotas, Briscoe and Gibbs on the bottom and Wallace and Todd Gilliland on the top. Ultimately, the lower lane would prevail as Briscoe skated across the line in first, edging out Gilliland for the win by 0.145 seconds.
Gibbs would finish the race in third, followed by Wallace in fourth, and Cole Custer in fifth.
CHASE BRISCOE IS A @TALLADEGA WINNER! 🏁 pic.twitter.com/pwfiMdP9w1
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) October 19, 2025
“Ty Gibbs, incredible teammate there,” Briscoe said afterwards. “I mean, I honestly would not have won that race without Ty. An amazing team effort. I can’t believe I won a superspeedway race. I haven’t done it at any level.
“Thank you guys so much. Every time we come to Talladega, this place is sold out. Johnny Morris is here from Bass Pro Shops. It’s not hit me. We’re going to Phoenix.”
“So thankful that the Lord has blessed me opening doors, even closing doors at times. Opening an incredible door here with Joe Gibbs Racing.
“I say it all the time, even today, I had such a peace. Normally I’m scared to death, nervous wreck around this place. I had such a peace that regardless of the finish He was going to use it somehow for His glory. Ends up in Victory Lane.”
Weekend Schedule (All Times Eastern)
- Saturday, April 25
- NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying (10:30 am – Amazon Prime)
- Sunday, April 26
- Jack Link’s 500 at Talladega (3:00 pm – 188 laps, 500.08 miles – FOX)
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