Observe: Talladega SuperspeedwayLocation: Talladega, AlabamaTrack size: 2.66 milesWhen: Sunday, 3 p.m. ETWhere to tune in: FOX, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR RadioRace purse: $11,055,250Race distance: 188 laps | 500.08 milesStages: 60 | 120 | 188Defending winner:Tyler Reddick, April 2024Starting lineup:Zane Smith claims Busch Gentle Pole
Ten races, ten faces?
At a monitor the place the surprising recurrently takes place, the one factor to rely on lately at Talladega Superspeedway is new faces in Victory Lane.
The final 9 races on the Alabama velocity palace have produced 9 totally different winners, and the specter of one other no-repeat consequence looms massive in Sunday’s Jack Hyperlink’s 500 (3 p.m. ET FOX, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). That nine-race Talladega span precedes the arrival of the Subsequent Gen automotive in 2022.
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Denny Hamlin started that string in October 2020, and since then (in chronological order) the winners’ record has welcomed Brad Keselowski, Bubba Wallace, Ross Chastain, Chase Elliott, Kyle Busch, Ryan Blaney, Tyler Reddick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Can somebody new add their title to the report books Sunday? The prospects for the Cup Collection going 10 for 10 with one other totally different winner are excessive.
“The sphere is so shut, proper, that it simply opens up lots of alternatives,” stated Josh Berry, driver of the Wooden Brothers’ No. 21 Ford. “Plenty of these races simply form of come all the way down to circumstance, and you discover the identical gamers up entrance lots, however finally, it form of is left as much as destiny somewhat bit on how clearly lacking the wrecks and executing and it simply opens the door for alternative. So it’s positively a little bit of a wild card, I feel, from a driver’s standpoint.”
There’s some historic relevance for Talladega’s success smiling on an array of winners. The monitor’s “fall” race was historically known as the Talladega 500, and the primary 13 runnings have been received by 13 totally different drivers. That selection and the monitor’s rising status as a spot the place something can occur fed into the speedway’s promotions, the place entrepreneurs touted “13 races, 13 faces” as a promoting level.
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Corridor of Famer Darrell Waltrip was a type of 13 faces, etching his title in Victory Lane in 1979. He almost broke the streak in 1981, however Ron Bouchard slipped by him for an upset win within reach of the checkered flag. The subsequent yr, Waltrip sealed the deal as a Talladega 500 repeater, then confirmed up for a promotional occasion for the 1983 race carrying a shirt that learn: “14 races, 13 faces. Sorry about that.”
The opposite frequent thread to the unpredictable nature: the motive force main probably the most laps has did not win every of the final 9 Talladega races. In each races right here final yr, that hard-luck chief was Michael McDowell, who crashed out in multi-car tangles — one other Talladega trademark — every time.
That included a melee on this race final spring when McDowell was knocked out whereas main on the ultimate lap by means of the trioval. Final fall introduced one other large stack-up, one which thinned 20-plus vehicles from the herd of contenders.
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From atop the pit field …
What do crew chiefs have in focus to win Sunday’s race?
Superspeedway technique is as a lot pushed by how drivers work the aerodynamic draft as how groups work in tandem throughout producer strains. Automakers usually maintain pre-race conferences to formulate a sport plan for attacking Talladega, creating the very best course for learn how to stick collectively, pit collectively and transfer ahead — additionally collectively.
That spirit of teamwork — amongst organizations and the OEMs (unique tools producers) — ought to permeate Sunday’s 500-miler, the primary of two stops this season on the large 2.66-mile circuit.
“It’s not likely set in stone what the plan or path is for the way we method the race set by the OEM, however we do talk with the opposite Chevrolet guys throughout the race, and greater than the rest, we simply attempt to be aware of one another’s state of affairs,” says Luke Lambert, crew chief for the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevy pushed by Carson Hocevar. “Chevrolet has so many vehicles that they form of cut up it up into two totally different teams of vehicles that work extra intently collectively, however as , the way in which these races are, vehicles get eradicated, these numbers can dwindle down after which the plans form of change in the midst of the race.
“Primarily, we’ll be working shut with the Spire guys, that’s our intentions, after which attempt to work and cooperate with the Chevrolets. When we have now the chance to do issues that profit one another, so far as working collectively in strains, after which additionally how we pit, we strive to try this as a lot as attainable.”
Chevrolet’s contingent makes up 18 vehicles within the discipline of 39 starters, probably the most of any producer; Ford has 12, Toyota 9. Managing that quantity is difficult, however to Lambert’s level, the power to name audibles and have some quantity of flex or give within the technique is important.
“The larger the group, the more durable it turns into to execute these items, as a result of all people’s operating their very own race and has various things that pop up because the race goes on, primarily based on how a lot gas they’re utilizing, or how the automotive is dealing with, or probably having a brief fill at one time limit, they get out of sync with the opposite vehicles,” Lambert stated. “So you’ll be able to’t actually be too locked in. You need to form of be fluid in how we method the race. However primarily for us, our method is to run our race actually aware of what’s happening round us and the way we are able to work with different guys and what we are able to count on for them to do so far as working with us when the chance arises.”
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Toyota groups could not have the energy in numbers, however the dimension of their group — 4 vehicles from Joe Gibbs Racing, three from 23XI Racing and two from Legacy Motor Membership — could also be extra manageable. Charles Denike, first-year crew chief of the No. 23 Toyota for 23XI’s Bubba Wallace, stated that their technique wasn’t essentially manufacturer-mandated, however that collaboration stemmed principally from a group stage — save for attempting to stack their numbers when executing green-flag pit stops collectively.
Chevrolet has prevailed in 4 of the final six races right here, however Toyota’s capability to shift up technique in successful this race final yr was key.
“Very a lot, it’s a must to stay versatile,” Denike instructed NASCAR.com. “So there’s form of two issues: You all the time keep prepared for if a warning comes out, after which when you’ll be able to pit below inexperienced varies primarily based off of how briskly the tempo goes and the way a lot gas you’re burning. So it’s a little bit of a shifting goal there on what you wish to be ready for if you could put below inexperienced, and then you definitely all the time keep prepared together with your reply of, ‘if the warning comes out, now, what would I do?””
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Historical past tells us …
Count on Penske fingerprints on the entrance. Simply two drafting-style tracks have hosted races this yr (Daytona and Atlanta in February), however Workforce Penske and its affiliated Wooden Brothers Racing group have zoned in on the entrance of the pack. The Penske/Wooden Brothers energy combo has run 175 laps in first and second place this season. The subsequent closest on that record is Trackhouse Racing, a distant second with 14 laps operating 1-2.
He will not be the favourite to win, however be careful for …
RICKY STENHOUSE JR. The Hyak Motorsports veteran has only one top-five consequence this season, however that whole may develop after Sunday’s showdown. Stenhouse received right here to play playoff spoiler final fall, and two of his 4 profession Cup Collection victories have come at Talladega. The 37-year-old has eight top-five finishes right here — probably the most of any monitor in his Cup profession.
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Velocity reads
Our greatest items of the week — get coated for race day from all angles.• NASCAR at Talladega: Key data, hyperlinks, outcomes by means of the weekend | Learn extra• Keselowski ‘clawing’: RFK driver/proprietor goals to maximise No. 6 group’s potential | Learn extra• Crew chief change-up: Spire, Rodney Childers go separate methods | Learn extra• Racing Insights: Full ending order projections for Sunday’s Jack Hyperlink’s 500 | Learn extra• Turning Level to Talladega: Forecasting a Championship 4 … already? | Learn extra• At-track pictures: Greatest photographs, scenes from a full weekend at Talladega | View gallery• NASCAR Classics: Rewind with full-race replays from the ‘Dega video vault | Watch races• Paint Scheme Preview: Contemporary designs able to deal with Talladega | View gallery
