TALLADEGA, Ala. — By no means earlier than has Talladega Superspeedway been held this late within the Cup playoffs.
Combine pack racing with a spot to the championship race and add a area of drivers trying to rating a win — or one other win this season — earlier than the 12 months ends and it may create a potent mixture.
NBC and Peacock could have the protection from the Alabama monitor. Pre-race protection begins at 1:30 p.m. ET. Race protection begins at 2 p.m. ET.
Right here’s what to observe for at the moment:
Playoff race
Denny Hamlin claimed one of many 4 spots within the championship race final weekend at Las Vegas. One other spot is out there at the moment.
Chase Elliott enters the race 23 factors beneath the cutline and begins twenty fifth — final among the many playoff drivers. Nonetheless, a victory would give him an opportunity to go for a second championship subsequent month.
The longest oval in NASCAR makes its Spherical of 8 debut.
“I really feel like we’ve acquired to go win, and if we don’t, we’ve acquired to have actually good alternatives to win to claw ourselves out of the place that we’re in,” Elliott stated. “I believe I discover extra reduction than something in simply our efficiency final week (at Las Vegas). I don’t assume our end result was a fantastic indication of simply the job we did all through the week and all through the whole weekend.”
Chase Briscoe has the most effective common end within the playoffs and begins second in Sunday’s Cup playoff race at Talladega.
Chase Briscoe holds the ultimate switch spot by 15 factors on William Byron, who seeks to maneuver on from final weekend’s disappointment when, unaware that Ty Dillon was pitting, Byron bumped into the again of Dillon’s automotive, ending his race. Byron admits he can’t be passive.
“I don’t assume enjoying it secure is ever the correct name within the Cup Collection,” Byron stated. “A minimum of for me right here, you’ve acquired to imagine a man beneath the cutline and even beneath you goes to win.
“… So no, I believe you have to go and attempt to rating as many factors as you’ll be able to. And clearly get a win would lock you in. So yeah, I might say we’re not approaching this race any in another way than we’d within the spring race right here. We’re making an attempt to attain as many factors we will and get a win, if potential.”
Chaos of the ultimate lap
There have been seven races this season that had a last-lap lead change, together with the spring Talladega race.
Additionally, seven of the final 11 Talladega races have ended with a last-lap move.
Within the chaos of the ultimate lap — or remaining laps — figuring out what transfer to make could be difficult.
“The troublesome half about speedway racing is that you just by no means know what the correct determination or mistaken determination is till after you make it,” stated Kyle Larson, who continues to hunt his first Cup win at a superspeedway. “You simply don’t know.”
Who’s subsequent?
The final 10 Talladega races have been gained by a unique driver. Austin Cindric was the newest winner, taking the checkered flag in April. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. gained final fall’s playoff race.
Hamlin, Elliott and Ryan Blaney are the Spherical of 8 playoff drivers who’ve gained throughout that stretch.
So, who may very well be subsequent?
Solely three of the eight playoff drivers certified within the prime 10 for Sunday’s Cup race on NBC and Peacock.
Byron has completed within the prime 10 in every of the final 5 Talladega races and has gained the previous two Daytona 500s.
Michael McDowell begins on the pole and ranks ninth on factors scored on drafting tracks this season.
Cole Custer was handed for the win on the final lap at Daytona in August in the newest drafting monitor race. Custer additionally was difficult for the win on the final lap of the Daytona 500 earlier than he was concerned in a crash. May he be an upset winner?
“It’s a fantastic shot for us to go attempt to get a trophy,” Custer stated of at the moment’s race. “We attempt to deliver all we acquired each weekend, however these weekends undoubtedly stand out as being slightly bit extra within the hunt.”
The Massive One
Final 12 months’s playoff race featured a 28-car crash close to the tip. It’s not if however when a crash with 10 or extra vehicles is prone to occur.
Then it’s a matter of who will get by way of and who has injury. It may well dramatically change the race.
