Saturday, April 30, 2016

Final Talladega Geico 500 Driver Ratings following all practices and qualifying

The No. 88 team is pumped about using 'Amelia' this week at Talladega Superspeedway. The chassis won twice in 2015.
Micah Roberts' Top-10 Rated NASCAR Drivers
Geico 500
Talladega Superspeedway
Sunday, May 1, 2016 - 10:20 am (PT)  

 
Rating     Driver       Odds     Practice 1   Practice 2  Qualified    Daytona 500*
 1. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 4/1         32nd               7th             3rd               36th
Series leading 960 laps led and six wins, including last spring -- using same chassis (Amelia).
 2. Denny Hamlin 12/1               24th              15th             8th                1st
2014 spring winner; dominated Daytona speedweeks winning both Sprint Unlimited and 500.
 3. Jimmie Johnson 15/2            39th              DNP             5th              16th
Two-time winner, runner-up last spring; led 168 of 578 laps in past three Talladega starts.
 4. Matt Kenseth 12/1                 21st               18th             4th              14th 
The 2012 fall winner is still looking for his first top-five of 2016 -- this ideal spot for him.
 5. Kevin Harvick 10/1                 6th               DNP            29th              4th
2010 winner, 15.3 average finish; using chassis from past two Daytona races (fourth in each).
 6. Carl Edwards 12/1                 23rd              DNP             9th               5th
No wins in 46 career plate races, but has finished fifth in past two. Riding two-race win streak.
 7. Martin Truex Jr. 15/1            22nd             22nd           12th             2nd 
Career-best fifth, twice, including 2015 (seventh in fall). Lost Daytona 500 by 0.01 seconds.
 8. Joey Logano 12/1                    8th                 1st            22nd              6th 
Won first two plate races of career in 2015, including fall 'Dega race. Junior won other two.
 9. Kyle Busch 12/1                     15th              DNP            17th              3rd
Won two plates races in 2008, but none since; 21.8 average finish in 21 Talladega starts.
10. Brad Keselowski 12/1          31st               11th              7th              20th
Three-time winner using three different manufacturers. Yes, he likes this track very much.

* Results from Feb. 21, 2016 Daytona 500, the only race run this season using a restrictor-plate package like is used at Talladega.

Odds courtesy of the William Hill sports books.

Micah Roberts, a former Las Vegas sports book director, has been setting NASCAR odds since 1994. Follow him on twitter @MicahRoberts7




Dale Earnhardt Jr. always has edge at Talladega 

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has been runner-up three times through nine races, and despite no wins in 2016, he's got the fattest resume of any candidate to win Sunday's Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway which is why William Hill sports books have him as the 4-to-1 favorite. Only one other driver, Jimmie Johnson (+750), has odds posted in single digits.

Junior has a series leading six wins and 960 laps led in 32 Talladega starts. His father won a track record 10 times. From the moment (2000) the Intimidator's son stepped into a Cup car on the 2.66-mile monsterous layout, he's been one of the best at manuevering through the draft. It's in his blood. No one in the series got the type of teachings on how to work the air like he got from his father.

Those skills have helped him win three of the past nine restrictor-plate races. Another factor is that he has lots of friends on the track. He's respected by his collegaues and everyone wants the chance to follow him knowing he's going to get towards the front. They all want to beat him, but they know they have a better chance for success by hanging around the top of the food chain, kind of like the remora fish swimming with sharks.

What's amazing about him being such a big favorite for this race is that up to 35 drivers can win as opposed to only about 10 in the 32 races on other type of tracks. This is why the likes of Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards, who have combined to win the past four races on the schedule, are each at 12-to-1 odds. Talladega is volatile with more random wrecks wiping out unsuspecting drivers, which makes the ratings less true, with the exception of Earnhardt Jr.

Junior using 'Amelia'
When a team names a car, you know they're pretty happy with it and the No. 88 team beams with confidence anytime the chassis they're using this week comes off the hauler. Earnhardt Jr. drove "Amelia', named after trailblazing pilot Amelia Earhart, to two victories last season -- at Talladega in May and Daytona in July -- and she also won in the first Daytona Duel qualifying race in February. With no major changes to how the plate package runs since the start of the 2014 season, it's another reason to make Junior such a big favorite this week.

Hamlin offers best value
It's bizarre to see the sports books once again offer large odds on Denny Hamlin after he dominated Daytona speedweeks, when he won the Sprint Unlimited and Daytona 500 at 15-to-1 odds each. He's at 12-to-1 this week lumped next to several drivers that simply don't measure up to his plate racing statistics. In nine plate races since the beginning of 2014, he has a series-best ninth-place average finish with five top-fives and two wins. Junior has a 12.7 average over same span, if that gives any indication to how consistent the No. 11 has been. Should he win, it would be five straight wins for Joe Gibbs Racing.

Best long shot
Jamie McMurray has won seven races over his career and four of them came in plate races. He last won at Talladega in the fall of 2013 and has the ability and a good enough car to be right up front in the lead pack as the last lap comes around. At 40-to-1 odds with so many cars being almost equal, that's all you can for in this type of racing.

Stay away from driver match-ups
You may look at all the driver match-ups this week and wonder why there are no huge favorites like in the 32 other non-plate races, and it all stems from the randomness of plate racing. Driver ratings don't hold true like elsewhere. Practices are also meaningless, which is why a few drivers don't even bother running a lap in 'happy hour'. The best bet is to reduce your normal wagering bankroll by 40 percent and take your shot at a couple of drivers to win.

Start position surprisingly important at Talladega
It's been 17 races since the pole winner won a Talladega race and its happened only once (Jeff Gordon, 2007) in the past 35. Overall, 13 of the 93 winners have started on the pole. Chase Elliott (20/1) in the No. 24 will start from the front Sunday -- also on pole for Daytona 500. The No. 2 start position has been the most successful with 20 wins, or a 36 percent success rate which is very strong for just one slot among 40-plus positions. Austin Dillon (30/1) starts second and is a good long shot candidate. Despite being able to move through the field quickly on a single lap, only eight drivers (8.6%) have won from outside a top-20 starting position.

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Dale Earnhardt Jr. a prohibitive 9/2 favorite at Talladega

Earnhardt Jr. using winning  chassis from Talladega last year this week. 
LAS VEGAS -- Joe Gibbs Racing drivers have won the past four races on the Sprint Cup schedule, but for Sunday's Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, it's Dale Earnhardt Jr. who comes in as the prohibitive 9-to-2 favorite. Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson is 8-to-1 and all other drivers are 10-to-1 or higher for the second restrictor-plate race of the season.

All Junior has done at the high-banked 2.66-mile layout over his career is win six times, including this race last fall — he also finished second in the fall. His next win at Talladega will break a tie with Jeff Gordon for second most in track history. Dale Sr. is the track's all-time leader with 10 wins, including the last of his great career in 2000.

In addition to all of Junior's outstanding past history at Talladega, he's also got his favorite restrictor-plate package chassis going, a car that won in two of the four plate races last season.

“We’re going to have ‘Amelia.’ She is fixed and (crew chief) Greg (Ives) says she is going to be the primary," Earnhardt said. "He’s fired up his Twitter account recently … and he let all the fans know on Monday that Amelia is coming back. I’m excited about that — we know how she ran last year. We just have to run Talladega like we have to win it, just like we did the last time we were there. We did a good job. If we run it like that, we’ll be up front at the end.”

Anytime a crew names the car — this one after pilot Amelia Earhart — there is some serious confidence in it.

Here's a look at all the odds to win posted at the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook with a look at each drivers past Talladega history:

NASCAR at Talladega betting odds

Dale EARNHARDT JR 9/2
- He's the master of the draft, having led a series high 960 laps over 32 starts. The next Talladega win for Hendrick Motorsports will be their 13th which will break a tie with Richard Childress Racing for most owners win.

Jimmie JOHNSON 8/1 - A two-time winner with a 16.9 average finish in 28 starts. His last win came in 2011, finished second to Junior last spring. This team has the plate package figured out well and all four cars should be competitive helping push each other to the front.

Denny HAMLIN 10/1 - Beyond looking at past track history, you also want to take notice of what happened in the last plate race and Hamlin dominated during Daytona speedweeks this year, winning the Sprint Unlimited and Daytona 500. His winning Daytona 500 car is on display for the fans in Daytona, so he'll be using the winning Sprint Unlimited car. He won his first career plate race at Talladega in 2014. Expect the No. 11 to be Junior's main challenger.

Read More Here.....complete list of odds to win on TheLInemakers.com

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Notes heading into Talladega

Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch during fall 2015 Talladega race.
NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES

Horn Sounds On Thrilling First Quarter

Sunday’s Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway marked the conclusion of the first quarter of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.

The race featured 23 lead changes (most at RIR since 2007), 18 green flag passes for the lead (most at RIR since 2010) and 2,083 green flag passes (most at RIR since 2013).

Those impressive passing stats are the latest in a long line of statistical highlights generated from the first nine races.

Two of the highlights from the first quarter of the season include margin of victories at Daytona and Phoenix that ranked tied for the seventh closest of all time (.010 seconds). Seven of the first nine races have ended with a margin of victory under 1 second (one race ended under caution), the most since 2010 and tied for the most through nine races since the inception of electronic scoring in 1993.

Three races set records for green flag passes for the lead (lead changes all around the race track while under green flag conditions): Atlanta Motor Speedway (44); Auto Club Speedway (51); Bristol Motor Speedway (40).

Junior Dusts Off “Amelia” For Another Run At ’Dega Destiny
He’s a pretty popular guy already, but Dale Earnhardt Jr. will bring an old friend to Talladega Superspeedway (1 p.m. on FOX).

The No. 88 Chevrolet driver will travel to the 2.66-mile behemoth with Chassis No. 88-872, better known as “Amelia,” named after famous pilot Amelia Earhart.

Earnhardt took Amelia to Victory Lane in last year’s GEICO 500 as well as the July Daytona race. He navigated her to a third-place showing in the 2015 Daytona 500 and a runner-up finish in the Talladega Chase race.

Earnhardt damaged Amelia when he wrecked in this season’s Daytona 500 – finishing 36th – but she’ll be ready to go on Sunday.

A restrictor-plate ace, Earnhardt leads all active drivers with six Talladega wins (tied with Jeff Gordon for second all-time) and a 93.8 driver rating. His father, seven-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt, holds the track record with 10 wins.

Triple Threat: Edwards Eyes Third Straight Victory
Carl Edwards bumped teammate Kyle Busch on the final lap of Sunday’s Toyota Owners 400 to pass him for his second win in as many weeks.

Edwards will go for his third straight win in Sunday’s GEICO 500 joining Busch as the only other driver to attempt the feat this season.

Joey Logano was the last driver to win three straight races when he swept the Contender Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup in 2015. Busch also visited Victory Lane three straight times last year (Kentucky, New Hampshire and Indianapolis).

Edwards has been dominant the last three races, leading the most laps in each of them.

He ranks first on the Chase Grid on the strength of two wins, five top fives and eight top 10s.

The No. 19 Toyota driver has never won at Talladega. His best finish at the Alabama track was third in spring of 2013.

Party Of 5: Kahne Notches First Top-Five Finish Of 2016
Kasey Kahne produced his first top-five finish since the Kansas Chase race last year after he placed fourth at Richmond on Sunday.

The No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports driver is currently 14th on the Chase Grid – 18 points ahead of AJ Allmendinger on the cutoff line – on the strength of his Richmond finish and two other top 10s.

His last win came 56 races ago at Atlanta.

Kahne takes the track next at Talladega where he has yet to win, but has three top fives and 10 top 10s in 24 starts. He’s finished runner-up there twice.

Dillon To Sub For Stewart After First Talladega Caution
Tony Stewart will start his second race of the season on Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway, but will give his seat up to Ty Dillon following the first caution.

The maneuver permits Stewart to collect driver points as he hunts for a berth in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, while allowing him to not risk hurting his healing back. If Dillon takes the checkered flag at Talladega, it counts as a win for Stewart.

“We’ll start the Talladega race to get the points but, understanding the style of racing and the higher potential of getting involved in an incident, we thought it best to minimize the amount of time I’m in the car,” Stewart said. “I’ll return full-time at Kansas and enjoy every moment I can my final year of Sprint Cup.”

To qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Stewart must win a race, and finish the regular season in the top 30 in points. He is currently 40th in points (22), trailing 30th-place Matt DiBenedetto by 101. In comparison, Kyle Busch trailed 30th place by 179 points last year when he returned in the 12th race of the season. Stewart missed the first eight contests of 2016.

Stewart finished 22nd in his return at Richmond and completed all 400 laps.

Alabama Behemoth May Produce Surprise Winner
When restrictor-plate racing, anything can happen.

This has been true at Talladega where surprise winners sometimes emerge from the field. Most recently, David Ragan visited Victory Lane with Front Row Motorsports (spring 2013) and Brad Keselowski took the checkered flag with Phoenix Racing (spring 2009).

With the advent of the win-and-your-in Chase format, a surprise Talladega winner would get more than just the thrill of winning, he/she would earn a spot in NASCAR’s playoffs.

“That’s fun for us going to a place like that knowing we have a shot at winning and to say that is legitimate,” said Matt DiBenedetto, driver of the No. 83 BK Racing Toyota. “If things fall right you can win. So that’s neat. When we come to all the regular superspeedways, wins for us are if you finish in the top half of the field because we’re a smaller team, and if we finish in the top 20, that’s beating a lot of really good high quality cars. But when you go to the superspeedways, it throws a lot of that out the window.”

DiBenedetto, who finished a career-high sixth at Bristol recently is one of the dark horse candidates. Another is his teammate Ragan.

Look out for Clint Bowyer, who has run poorly this season, but owns two Talladega victories.

Wood Brothers Racing’s Ryan Blaney placed a career-best fourth at the Alabama track last season and is another one to watch.

JGR Continues Dominance At Richmond
Joe Gibbs Racing had another stellar weekend, placing four drivers in the top seven of Sunday’s Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway.

Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch finished one-two, while Denny Hamlin came in sixth, followed by Matt Kenseth in seventh. Martin Truex Jr, who drives the No. 78 Toyota owned by JGR’s technical partner Furniture Row Racing, placed ninth.

JGR has won the last four races and has five victories this season.

Edwards ranks first on the Chase Grid, followed by Busch in third, Hamlin in fifth and Kenseth in 15th. Edwards, Busch and Hamlin have already captured Chase berths by winning races.

JGR ranks second in RIR victories with 11.

The Huntersville, North Carolina-based organization has four wins at Talladega (Denny Hamlin, 2014; Tony Stewart, 2008; Kyle Busch, 2008; Bobby Labonte, 1998).

More Than Meets The Eye: Logano Transforming Into Restrictor Plate Ace?
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is widely regarded as NASCAR’s best restrictor-plate racer, but Joey Logano showed signs of potentially taking that title away from the 12-time most popular driver last season.

After failing to even notch a top-10 finish at a restrictor-plate track since summer of 2012 at Daytona, Logano won the Daytona 500 and the fall Talladega race in 2015. The Team Penske driver also took the checkered flag in the Talladega XFINITY contest last season.

Logano is still searching for his first win of the season after leading the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with six victories in 2015. Even with a 0 in the wins column, he sits seventh on the Chase Grid on the strength of his three top fives and six top 10s.

Like Father Like Son? Elliott Attempts To Carry On Dad’s Talladega legacy
NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott has quite the history at Talladega. “Awesome Bill from Dawsonville” holds the track record with eight poles and won two races there.

Elliott’s son, 19-year-old rookie wunderkind Chase Elliott, will attempt to continue the family legacy in his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Talladega start on Sunday.

“Talladega is a special place because it’s a historic racetrack for our sport,” Elliott said. “I remember watching a lot of races there. My dad still has that qualifying record and it’s obviously very impressive. It says a lot of him, Uncle Ernie and Uncle Dan, and really everybody who worked on those cars back then. They all went the extra mile to make things like that happen. So, when I think about that, it just takes the respect level that I already have for all that they did with what they had back then, and makes it even greater.”

Prior to this year, the No. 24 Chevrolet driver struggled in his NASCAR XFINITY Series starts on restrictor-plate tracks with just one finish better than 15th, but won the XFINITY season opener at Daytona. Additionally, he captured the Daytona 500 pole before he wrecked out of the race.

In nine starts this season, Elliott claims two top fives and five top 10s. He is currently 12th on the Chase Grid.

Elliott leads Ryan Blaney by 22 points in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings.

Hendrick Motorsports – Elliott’s team – has had one of its drivers lead the field to the green flag in the last four restrictor-plate races.

Brad K Adds Drama To ’Dega
Brad Keselowski had the day of his life on April 26, 2009 at Talladega Superspeedway.

The Michigan native’s world turned when he led only the final lap to capture the first win of his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career.

Keselowski produced more Talladega drama in 2014 when he shot to victory on a green-white-checkered-flag finish to advance to the Round of 8 in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Overall, Keselowski boasts three wins, five top fives and eight top 10s in 14 starts at Talladega. His 14.8 average finish there is the best in the NSCS.

- NASCAR

Denny Hamlin using winning Sprint Unlimited chassis at Talladega

Denny Hamlin is 12/1 to win at Talladega on Sunday
Denny Hamlin
#11 FedEx Express Toyota
Joe Gibbs Racing

Race Info:

Race: GEICO 500
Date/Time: May 1/12:00 p.m. CT
Distance: 88 laps/500 miles
Track Length: 2.66 miles
Track Shape: Oval
Banking: 33 degrees
2015 Winner: Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Express Notes:

Richmond Recap: Denny Hamlin finished sixth in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway, overcoming an early pit road violation and persistent battery issues to log his fourth top-10 finish of the 2016 season in the #11 FedEx Ground Toyota. The Chesterfield, Va., native lined up seventh for the final restart and held off teammate Matt Kenseth over the final 30 laps in the event won by Joe Gibbs Racing driver Carl Edwards.

Hamlin started fifth and ran among the top-three throughout the long green flag run to begin the race. It was a breakaway at the front of the pack with Edwards, Kyle Busch and Hamlin holding a big advantage over the rest of the field. Following a round of green flag pit stops, the race’s first caution came on Lap 150. Hamlin pitted for another set of fresh tires, but unfortunately, the right-rear got away from the team during the stop, and Hamlin had to start at the tail end of the field for the “uncontrolled tire” violation. He spent the middle portion of the race working through traffic, and rejoined the top 10 with 150 laps to go. Following a series of late-race cautions and quick work by the FedEx crew on pit road, Hamlin battled in the top 10 for the remainder of the event. The finish moved Hamlin up one spot to eighth in the NASCAR standings following Richmond.

Talladega Preview: The Series heads to Talladega Superspeedway for Sunday’s 500-mile event on the high-banked 2.66-mile Alabama oval. Hamlin won the first restrictor-plate race of the season in the Daytona 500, as well as the exhibition Sprint Unlimited earlier this year. He won the spring Talladega event in 2014 and finished ninth in the race one year ago. He has 227 career laps led at Talladega.

Hamlin Statistics:
Track: Talladega Superspeedway
Races: 20
Wins: 1
Top-5: 4
Top-10: 7
Average Start: 19.2
Average Finish: 19.4
Laps Led: 227

Hamlin Conversation — TALLADEGA:

Is the restrictor plate program the strongest for the FedEx team?

“We have certainly shown over the last few years to have a lot of speed at the (restrictor) plate tracks. A lot of it is putting yourself in good positions during the race, and working the draft patiently to move forward. Obviously, winning the Unlimited and the (Daytona) 500 earlier this year gives our FedEx team a lot of confidence heading into this weekend at Talladega.”

Manchester, N.H., Along for the Ride at Talladega: The FedEx Express ramp in Manchester, N.H. will be recognized with its “MHTR” code letters on the b-post of the #11 FedEx Express Toyota this weekend at Talladega.

NASCAR Loop Data for Denny Hamlin at Talladega 

· One win, four top fives, seven top 10s
· Average finish of 19.400, ninth-best
· Average Running Position of 18.055, eighth-best
· Driver Rating of 82.9, seventh-best
· 85 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-best
· Average Green Flag Speed of 193.196, 10th-fastest
· 1812 Laps in the Top 15 (47.6), 11th-most
· 4039 Quality Passes, seventh-most

- Weber Shandwick Worldwide for FedEx Racing

Denny HAMLIN take from Las Vegas at 12/1 odds (William Hill) - Beyond looking at past track history, you also want to take notice of what happened in the last plate race and Hamlin dominated during Daytona speedweeks this year, winning the Sprint Unlimited and Daytona 500. His winning Daytona 500 car is on display for the fans in Daytona, so he'll be using the winning Sprint Unlimited car. He won his first career plate race at Talladega in 2014. Expect the No. 11 to be Junior's main challenger.

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

2016 Geico 500 Betting Preview: Junior favored to win at Talladega

Howe about some more Dale Earnhardt Jr. this week at Talladega?
LAS VEGAS -- Joe Gibbs Racing drivers have combined to win the past four races on the schedule, but they'll have plenty more competition in Sunday's GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway as up to 35 of the 40 drivers starting have a chance to win.

It's restrictor-plate racing that is the equalizer and we get it in only four races a year, but the 2.66-mile high-banked beast of a layout at Talladega is in a class all its own. So let's get ready for some edge-of-your seat, four-wide, side-by-side racing at over 200 mph.

As much as I enjoy the intensity of races at Talladega, where at any moment the 'big one' can happen, and up to 20 drivers have a chance of winning as they begin the last lap, it's actually one of the least bet races of the season for me just because the track is so volatile. I rarely play driver matchups and my normal cash wagered on odds to win is about about 30 percent less than the 32 non-plate races.

Practices mean nothing in plate races and the drivers I bet on have a much better chance of being involved in a wreck at Talladega than anywhere else. You can be cruising along with your driver, leading a bunch of laps, get shuffled out of the lead pack for a bit of the race and then, Boom! Your driver gets caught up in some other drivers mess that started 18 cars in front. It's a casualty of the track not seen as much elsewhere, which adds a randomness to the ratings equation that I don't like too much.

Because of that randomness and the cars being more equal than any other type of track, the books give you some very fair odds on all the regular favorites, but they also drop the normal 100/1 odds on lower level drivers down to 50/1, because anybody can win. I like narrowing down six drivers a week and then watching them practice and whittle it down to four or five to key on. It's harder here and luck plays a huge role. Crap shoot. Darts.

But it's a NASCAR race, and we have to bet it. We wait all week and have gone over all the trends. We get fired up because the sheer power of Talladega is intoxicating to watch, and having a bet on any sporting event you plan to watch just makes it bigger, meaningful and justified. "I didn't just waste three hours of my life watching cars go in circles real fast, I was investing for the future."

Read More.....Top-5 Finish at VegasInsider.com

Best way to slow Joe Gibbs Racing: Junior at Talladega

Dale Earnhardt Jr. goes for seventh Talladega win
Driver: Dale Earnhardt Jr. 
Hometown: Kannapolis, North Carolina
Age: 41 
Resides: Mooresville, North Carolina

Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet SS, will be available to members of the media at 3 p.m. local time on Friday at the Talladega Superspeedway media center.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. on racing at Talladega
“We’re going to have ‘Amelia.’ She is fixed and (No. 88 team crew chief) Greg (Ives) says she is going to be the primary. He’s fired up his Twitter account recently … and he let all the fans know on Monday that Amelia is coming back. I’m excited about that – we know how she ran last year. We just have to run Talladega like we have to win it, just like we did the last time we were there. We did a good job. If we run it like that, we’ll be up front at the end.”

ALL HE DOES: Winning may not be all Earnhardt does at Talladega Superspeedway, but the driver of the No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet SS does have six wins on the 2.66-mile tri-oval, more than he has at any other track on the Sprint Cup circuit. Last season, he won there in the spring race and entered Talladega’s fall race in a win-to-continue Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup scenario, where he finished second, just missing his opportunity to make it into the penultimate round of the Chase. With an average of 93.8, Earnhardt has the best driver rating among active drivers at the track. The driver rating is a formula that combines wins, top-15 finishes, average running position while on the lead lap, average speed under green, fastest lap, most laps led and lead-lap finishes. The maximum a driver can earn in each race is 150 points.

AMELIA RETURNS: Crew chief Greg Ives and the No. 88 Nationwide team are bringing “Amelia,” named after pilot Amelia Earhart, back for Talladega. Amelia is the chassis that Earnhardt drove to three wins in 2015 – one in the first Daytona Duel in February, another at Daytona in July, and one at Talladega in May – and another earlier this season, in the first Daytona Duel. After receiving some damage in the 2016 Daytona 500, the team repaired the chassis in preparation for this Sunday’s race.

TALLADEGA LOOP DATA: In addition to his driver rating, Earnhardt also holds the top spot in several other loop data categories, including average running position (13.6), laps in the top 15 (2,673) and laps led (471 in the last 10 years, 960 in his career). The Kannapolis, North Carolina, native is near the top of the chart in many additional categories, including average speed late in a run (third – 193.611 mph), fastest laps run (eighth – 84), green-flag passes (fifth – 7,375), green-flag speed (fourth – 193.641 mph) and quality passes (third – 4,829).

LAVENDER GLOVES: During the month of May, Earnhardt will be wearing gloves accented in lavender to represent pediatric cancer awareness as part of The Dale Jr. Foundation’s ongoing Driven to Give Gloves program. The gloves will be auctioned off at the end of the month to raise funds for Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s clinical and research programs. Nationwide Children’s is America’s largest pediatric hospital and research center with all care provided regardless of a family’s ability to pay. Each year, more than 150 children are newly diagnosed with cancer at Nationwide Children's Hospital and patients receive ongoing treatment and therapies during more than 13,000 visits annually. The hospital’s cancer center is one of the largest in America offering world-class diagnostic, treatment and research facilities that provide comprehensive, multi-disciplinary care for patients with cancer and acute and chronic blood disorders.

HOMETOWN HERO: William “Rowdy” Harrell, rear-tire carrier for the No. 88 Nationwide team, can certainly be called a hometown hero when he returns to Alabama, and particularly to Moundville, the small town where he grew up. After all, there is a street bearing his name – Rowdy Harrell Way – that leads to his high school football stadium. After playing football in high school, Harrell was a walk-on linebacker for Nick Saban’s well-known University of Alabama football team, winning three national championships in his four years with the team. The 6-foot-tall, 26-year-old tire carrier can also add race-winner to his list of accolades, as he joined the Hendrick Motorsports No. 88 team in 2014 and became one of the six primary over-the-wall crew members in 2015. During those two seasons, the No. 88 team racked up seven wins, including the 2014 Daytona 500.

SANDWICHES FOR A CAUSE: Earnhardt drove the No. 88 Hellmann’s Chevrolet Camaro to victory in his final NASCAR XFINITY Series race of the 2016 season, earning his first win as a driver for his own JR Motorsports team. The win helped create another spike in donations for Blessings in a Backpack, a national, non-profit organization which packs food for school children who are at risk of going hungry on the weekends. Earnhardt’s banana and mayo sandwich tweet has helped raise approximately $160,000, including his match and Hellmann’s contribution, for the non-profit organization on behalf of The Dale Jr. Foundation.

 

2016 Season

  • 7th in standings
  • 9 starts
  • 0 wins
  • 0 pole positions
  • 4 top-five finishes
  • 5 top-10 finishes
  • 49 laps led
 
 

Career

  • 586 starts
  • 26 wins
  • 13 pole positions
  • 147 top-five finishes
  • 251 top-10 finishes
  • 8,183 laps led
 
 

Track Career 

  • 32 starts
  • 6 wins
  • 0 pole positions
  • 12 top-five finishes
  • 16 top-10 finishes
  • 960 laps led
 

Martin Truex Jr. Daytona 500 success should translate well to Talladega

Martin Truex Jr. lost by 0.01 seconds in 2016 Daytona 500.
DENVER, Colo. (April 26, 2016) –Though Martin Truex Jr. feels all bets are off at the volatile Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, the Furniture Row Racing driver does have some positive vibes heading into Sunday’s Sprint Cup Series race.

For starters, the last time Truex competed at a superspeedway he finished a close second at the season-opening Daytona 500. The margin of his loss to Denny Hamlin was by a mere one-hundredth of a second, the closest finish in the history of NASCAR’s biggest race.

And in his previous two starts at Talladega, Truex pocketed finishes of fifth and seventh during the 2015 campaign. He also had success at NASCAR’s biggest track as an Xfinity driver, winning three straight races from 2004-2006.

As he did for the Daytona 500, Truex will be driving the No. 78 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats Toyota in the Geico 500.

“There’s no secret about what you have to do at Talladega,” said Truex. “You need to stay out of trouble and be running up front during the closing laps. It might not sound too difficult, but it’s one of the toughest places to race because in most cases you’re not in control of your destiny.

“The reason we had two top-10 finishes at Talladega last year is that we stayed out of the mess and were able to maintain our position at the end. The one thing that has me jazzed about Talladega is that we will have Toyota power for the big track. Looking back at Daytona I believe four of the first five cars had Toyota powerplants.”

Truex is coming off solid short track performances with finishes of ninth in Richmond and 14th in Bristol.

“We were much better than 14th in Bristol and had a decent run in Richmond,” said Truex. “When things aren’t going your way you just need to maximize what is thrown at you. I think we have done a good job at that, but we’re still searching for the first win of the season.”
Starting with Talladega, there’s a stretch of races that have the potential for Truex and the single-car Furniture Row Racing team to secure that first win.

“For our Furniture Row team, we’re entering a good part of the season,” noted Truex, who ranks 10th in driver points after nine races. “We proved that we can be a contender at a superspeedway. After Talladega we have Kansas, Dover, Charlotte, Pocono and Michigan. Those were great tracks for us last year and I don’t see why it won’t be the same this year.”

- DMF Communications for Furniture Row Racing

Talladega win might be in Matt Kenseth's near future

Matt Kenseth is 10/1 to win at Talladega on Sunday.
Matt Kenseth / No. 20 Dollar General Toyota Preview
GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway

No. 20 Dollar General Toyota News and Notes:

KENSETH BY THE NUMBERS:In 32 Sprint Cup Series starts at Talladega, Kenseth has completed 5760 of 6,070 laps (94.9 percent) and has led for a total of 473 laps. Kenseth has earned one win, six top-five finishes, and 10 top-ten finishes at the 2.66-mile track. Kenseth earned his Talladega victory in October of 2012.

JOE GIBBS RACING AT TALLADEGA: Joe Gibbs Racing has 107 Sprint Cup Series starts at Talladega Superspeedway and has earned a total of four wins, 29 top-five, 44 top-ten finishes, and one pole. The organization also has led for a total of 1,059 laps, has an average start of 17.4 and an average finish of 17.4.

DOLLAR GENERAL PARTNER SUPPORT: Dollar General would like to thank vendor partners All, Angel Soft, Betty Crocker, Bugles, Clorox, Colgate, Doritos, Energizer, Gatorade, Hamburger Helper, Hefty, Herbal Essences, Honey Nut Cheerios, M&M’s, Old Spice, Pepsi AMP Boosted, Purex, Snickers, Snuggle, Stacker 2 and Twix for their support of the DG Racing program.
RACE INFO: The GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway (2.66-mile) begins at 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 1st. The race will be broadcast live on FOX, Sirius XM Channel 90 and MRN Radio.

Kenseth’s 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Season Stats:
StartsWinsTop 5Top 10PolesLaps LedAvg. StartAvg. Finish
900203088.618.3
Kenseth’s Career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Stats:
StartsWinsTop 5Top 10PolesLaps LedAvg. StartAvg. Finish
587361632921710,69017.714.2

From the Cockpit:
Matt Kenseth
: “You just never know if or when “the Big One” is going to happen at Talladega. I mean if you look at Daytona this past February, we were leading the race and took the white flag, and you figure that there’s always a wreck on the last lap, and they never wrecked. So you just can never plan for that. You just need to go out and race as hard as you can, and try to positions yourself as far towards the front as you can, hopefully even leading where hopefully whenever there is a wreck that it’s behind you. The draft is always changing and depends on where the other cars are and what lane they’re in, what cars your car works well with, and where the momentum is. It’s all about learning to adapt to that changing draft in order to have your car in the right place at the right time.”

From the Pit Box:
Jason Ratcliff:
“Speedway racing it seems that we’ve typically had good and fast cars lately. For the most part of the race, we have had someone that will follow us in the draft if we need it, since we have a few friends out there. When we get down to the end though, we just unfortunately haven’t been able to put it together. We had a lot of opportunities and I know that we’ll eventually get it. Every time we go to a speedway, whether it’s Talladega or Daytona, it’s a promising race for us and one that I feel that we can definitely go and have a shot at winning.”

About Dollar General:
Dollar General Corporation has been delivering value to shoppers for over 75 years. Dollar General helps shoppers Save time. Save money. Every day!® by offering products that are frequently used and replenished, such as food, snacks, health and beauty aids, cleaning supplies, clothing for the family, housewares and seasonal items at low everyday prices in convenient neighborhood locations. Dollar General operates 12,483 stores in 43 states as of January 29, 2016. In addition to high quality private brands, Dollar General sells products from America’s most-trusted manufacturers such as Procter & Gamble, Kimberly-Clark, Unilever, Kellogg’s, General Mills, Nabisco, Hanes, PepsiCo and Coca-Cola. Learn more about Dollar General atwww.dollargeneral.com.

DG at the Track:
Dollar General has more than 12,400 stores in 43 states. There are 35 Dollar General locations in the Talladega area.

- Joe Gibbs Racing

Early Talladega Preview: 2016 Geico 500

The Death Star resembles Talladega Superspeedway.
After seeing the first half of the short track season completed, the first race of May and 10th race of the Sprint Cup season takes us to the biggest, baddest track on the planet.

When I watch races on the 2.66-mile, high-banked monster at Talladega Superspeedway, I like to get the full effect of how awesome it is by turning the volume down on the TV and cranking up Tchaikovsky or Darth Vader’s Imperial March and just watch these drivers play a symphony at over 200 mph, side-by-side, four-wide for three straight hours.

Yes, it may sound a bit dramatic, but it really just plays out better that way, and it makes me real excited twice a year when Talladega races occur. The spring race is actually the best of the two just because I’m not pre-occupied with all those pesky Sunday NFL games in the fall.

The reason Talladega gets theme music and no other track does, is because it’s a beast, an element like no other track. It becomes as much an enemy to each driver as the drivers themselves. It will allow anyone to win, and doesn’t play favorites to any team.

Joe Gibbs Racing has won four straight races on the schedule coming in, but Talladega doesn’t care. Austin Dillon or Ricky Stenholuse Jr. have just as good a shot to win as Carl Edwards, who won the past two races. I like that equality, and we don’t get that anywhere else but Talladega. Daytona is the other track featuring plate racing, but when looking at both tracks from above, Talladega just screams like a horror film. It's a real badass!

Read More Here.......GamingToday.com

Talladega Superspeedway Track Facts: 2016 Geico 500

Talladega Superspeedway races are always fun because you're at edge of seat all race.
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 2016 Top 16 at Talladega Superspeedway
Rank
Driver
Races
Poles
Wins
Top Fives
Top 10s
DNFs
Average Finish
Driver Rating
 
 
1
Carl Edwards
23
0
0
3
6
6
20.8
67.2
 
2
Kevin Harvick
30
1
1
6
13
2
15.3
80.6
 
3
Jimmie Johnson
28
1
2
7
11
8
16.9
89.5
 
4
Kyle Busch
21
0
1
4
5
5
21.8
79.3
 
5
Joey Logano
14
0
1
3
5
4
19.5
81.5
 
6
Kurt Busch
30
0
0
6
15
7
16.6
88.0
 
7
Dale Earnhardt Jr
32
0
6
12
16
5
14.7
93.8
 
8
Denny Hamlin
20
0
1
4
7
4
19.4
82.9
 
9
Brad Keselowski
14
0
3
5
8
1
14.8
84.4
 
10
Martin Truex Jr
22
0
0
2
8
9
19.9
78.6
 
11
Chase Elliott
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.0
0.0
 
12
Austin Dillon
5
0
0
0
0
2
20.6
71.9
 
13
Jamie McMurray
27
0
2
6
7
5
20.7
79.9
 
14
Kasey Kahne
24
1
0
3
5
3
21.5
73.1
 
15
Matt Kenseth
32
0
1
6
10
4
18.3
88.5
 
16
Ryan Newman
28
0
0
5
11
8
20.1
68.5
 
* – Based on last 22 races at Talladega Superspeedway (2005 – 2015).


NASCAR Pre-Race Loop Data Leaders At Talladega Superspeedway
Driver Rating
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
93.8
Average Running Position
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
13.598
Closer – Avg. Spots Gained
Kasey Kahne
3.1
Fastest Driver Early In The Run
Brian Scott
194.299 mph
Fastest Driver Late In The Run
Brad Keselowski
193.843 mph
Fastest Laps Run
Michael Waltrip
3.5% (141 laps)
Fastest On Restarts
Ryan Blaney
193.792 mph
Green Flag Passes
Kurt Busch
8,768
Quality Passes
Kurt Busch
5,994
Green Flag Speed
Ryan Blaney
193.792 mph
Laps Led
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
11.2% (471 laps)
Laps In The Top 15
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
63.8% (2,673 laps)
*Loop Data was established in 2005; based on drivers with more than one start
 

Talladega Superspeedway Data
Season Race #: 10 of 36 (05-01-16)
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 miles

Top 10 Driver Ratings at Talladega
Dale Earnhardt Jr. ...................... 93.8
Jimmie Johnson.......................... 89.5
Matt Kenseth.............................. 88.5
Kurt Busch.................................. 88.0
Brad Keselowski......................... 84.4
Brian Vickers.............................. 84.0
Denny Hamlin............................. 82.9
Kyle Larson................................ 81.9
Joey Logano.............................. 81.5
Kevin Harvick.............................. 80.6
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2015 races (22 total) among active drivers at Talladega Superspeedway.

Qualifying/Race Data
2015 pole winner:
Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet
194.793 mph, 49.160 secs. 05-01-15

2015 race winner:
Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet
159.487 mph, (03:08:08), 05-03-15

Track qualifying record:
Bill Elliott, Ford
212.809 mph, 44.998 secs. 04-30-87

Track race record:
Mark Martin, Ford
188.354 mph, (02:39:18), 05-10-97

Talladega Superspeedway:
History
·         Construction began on what was then known as the Alabama International Motor Speedway on May 23, 1968.
·         The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was held on Sept. 14, 1969 – won by Richard Brickhouse.
·         The name changed to Talladega Superspeedway in 1989.
·         Fourth repaving completed on Sept. 19, 2006.
Starts
·         There have been 93 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Talladega Superspeedway, one NSCS event in 1969 and two races per year since 1970.
·         441 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Talladega; 306 in more than one.
·         Dave Marcis and Terry Labonte lead the series in starts at Talladega with 61 each. Tony Stewart leads all active drivers with 33 starts; followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr. with 32.
·         Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at Talladega with a 9.750.
·         A total of 68 drivers have made their first series start at Talladega; Jamie McMurray (10/06/2002) is the only active driver to make his series debut at Talladega Superspeedway.
Poles
·         Bobby Isaac won the inaugural Coors Light pole at Talladega in 1969 with a speed of 199.466 mph.  Isaac won the first three poles at the 2.66-mile superspeedway.
·         38 drivers have Coors Light poles at Talladega, led by Bill Elliott with eight.
·         Seven active drivers are tied for the most poles at Talladega with one – Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Kasey Kahne, Brian Vickers, Brian Scott, Michael Waltrip and Bobby Labonte.

·         11 drivers have won consecutive Coors Light poles at Talladega. Bill Elliott holds the record for most consecutive poles at Talladega with six (1985 - 1987).
·         Youngest Talladega pole winner: Brian Scott (05/04/2014 – 26 years, 3 months, 22 days).
·         Oldest Talladega pole winner: Mark Martin (10/23/2011 – 52 years, 9 months, 14 days).
·         Six drivers have posted their first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light pole at Talladega; the only active driver to post his first series career pole at Talladega is Brian Scott (05/04/2014).   
Wins
·         45 different drivers have won at Talladega Superspeedway, led by Dale Earnhardt with 10. Dale Earnhardt Jr.leads all active drivers with six.
·         Richard Childress Racing and Hendrick Motorsports are tied for the most wins at Talladega in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with 12 each.  
·         Nine different manufacturers have won in the NSCS at Talladega; led by Chevrolet with 40 victories; followed by Ford with 22 and Toyota with three.
·         13 of the 93 (13.9%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Talladega have been won from the Coors Light pole.
·         The No. 2 starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (20) than any other starting position at Talladega. 
·         33 of the 93 (35.5%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Talladega have been won from the front row: 13 from the pole and 20 from second-place.
·         65 of the 93 (69.9%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Talladega have been won from a top-10 starting position.
·         8 of the 93 (8.6%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Talladega have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.
·         The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Talladega was 36th, by Jeff Gordon in the spring of 2000.
·         Youngest Talladega winner: Bobby Hillin Jr. (07/27/1986 – 22 years, 1 month, 22 days).
·         Oldest Talladega winner: Harry Gant (05/06/1991 – 51 years, 3 months, 26 days).
·         2012 series champion Brad Keselowski (04/26/2009) and Brian Vickers (10/08/2006) posted their first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series wins at Talladega.   
·         Nine drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series have posted consecutive wins at Talladega; Dale Earnhardt Jr.leads the series in consecutive wins at Talladega after posting four-straight from the fall of 2001 – 2003.  
·         Brad Keselowski is the only active series driver to win at Talladega in his first appearance.    

·         Matt Kenseth competed at Talladega Superspeedway 25 times before winning the fall of 2012; the longest span of any the 11 active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners.
·         Matt Kenseth (25), Tony Stewart (19), Kevin Harvick (18), and David Ragan (12) all made 10 or more attempts before their first win at Talladega.
·         Kurt Busch leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Talladega without visiting Victory Lane at 30; followed by Ryan Newman with 28.

Additional Finishing Positions
·         Buddy Baker and Tony Stewart are tied for the series’ most runner-up finishes at Talladega with six each.
·         NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt leads the series in top-five finishes at Talladega with 23. Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads all active drivers with 12. 
·         Dale Earnhardt leads the series in top-10 finishes at Talladega with 27. Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads all active drivers with 16.
·         Ricky Stenhouse Jr. leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average finishing position at Talladega with a 12.200.

Track / Event Specific Stats
·         There have been nine NSCS races resulting with a green-white-checkered finish at Talladega Superspeedway. The scheduled number of laps is 188, below is a chart showing the number of additional laps during NASCAR Overtime:
·         Only two of the 93 races at Talladega Superspeedway have been shortened due to weather conditions: spring of 1987 and fall of 1996.
·         Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Talladega Superspeedway five times; most recently fall of 2013. 
·         Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Talladega Superspeedway was the (04/17/2011) race won by Jimmie Johnson with a MOV of 0.002 second – the MOV is tied with the 2003 Darlington race as the closest finishes in the NSCS using electronic scoring. 
·         Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in laps led at Talladega with 960 laps led in 32 starts.
Female Competitor Stats
·         Three female drivers have competed at Talladega in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Janet Guthrie, Patty Moise and Danica Patrick.

Driver
Starting Position
Finishing Position
Date
Driver Rating
Danica Patrick
20
27
10/25/2015
66.7
Danica Patrick
25
21
5/3/2015
67.1
Danica Patrick
27
19
10/19/2014
79.9
Danica Patrick
7
22
5/4/2014
74.9
Danica Patrick
23
33
10/20/2013
64.6
Danica Patrick
23
33
5/5/2013
67.4
Averages
20.833
25.833

70.1
     
Inactive Female Competitors
 
Driver
Starting Position
Finishing Position
Date
 
Patty Moise
36
33
7/30/1989
 
Janet Guthrie
12
29
8/6/1978
 
Janet Guthrie
9
34
8/7/1977
 
Janet Guthrie
13
32
5/1/1977
 

NASCAR in Alabama
·         There have been 146 NASCAR national series races held in the state of Alabama among seven different tracks (NSCS, 112; NXS, 24; NCWTS, 10).
·         The very first NASCAR national series race held in the state of Alabama was a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event held at Lakeview Speedway (Mobile) in 1951 – the race was won by Tim Flock (Oldsmobile).
·         Of the 146 NASCAR national series races held in Alabama 112 of them were NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races. Below is a breakdown of the 112 races at the seven different tracks in Alabama:

Track Name
City
NSCS
Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega
93
Birmingham International Raceway
Birmingham
8
Montgomery Motor Speedway
Montgomery
6
Lakeview Speedway
Mobile
2
Chisholm Speedway
Montgomery
1
Dixie Speedway
Birmingham
1
Huntsville Speedway
Huntsville
1

·         The first race held at Talladega Superspeedway was in 1969 – the event was won by Richard Brickhouse (Dodge).
Alabama Drivers In NASCAR
·         72 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Alabama.
·         10 drivers from Alabama have won at least one race in NASCAR’s three national series; five have won in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Driver
NSCS
NXS
NCWTS
Bobby Allison
84
2
0
Tim Flock
39
0
0
Davey Allison
19
0
0
Neil Bonnett
18
1
0
Donnie Allison
10
0
0
Red Byron
2
0
0
Steve Grissom
0
11
0
Rick Crawford
0
0
5
Darrell Wallace Jr
0
0
5
Cale Gale
0
0
1

·         Two drivers with their home state recorded as Alabama have been inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame –Bobby Allison (Class of 2011) and Tim Flock (Class of 2014)



NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Milestones
    
Drivers
Has
Needs
Milestones
Kurt Busch
549
1
550th career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start - 31st all-time
Kyle Busch
399
1
400th career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start - 56th all-time
Tony Stewart
48
1
Break the tie with Herb Thomas to become solely 13th on all-time wins list
Matt Kenseth
36
1
Tie Bobby Isaac for 19th on all-time wins list
Kyle Busch
36
1
Tie Bobby Isaac for 19th on all-time wins list
Kevin Harvick
32
1
Tie Fireball Roberts for 22nd on all-time wins list
Denny Hamlin
27
1
Tie Rex White for 25th on all-time wins list
Kurt Busch
27
1
Tie Rex White for 25th on all-time wins list
Carl Edwards
27
1
Tie Rex White for 25th on all-time wins list
Jimmie Johnson
34
1
Tie Ned Jarrett for 19th on all-time poles list
Denny Hamlin
23
1
Tie Alan Kulwicki for 28th on all-time poles list
Kevin Harvick
45
1
Tie Jimmie Johnson for 10th on all-time 2nd-place finishes list
Tony Stewart
182
1
Break the tie with Terry Labonte to become solely 17th on all-time top-five finishes list
Matt Kenseth
163
1
Break the tie with NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Jarrett to become solely 20th on all-time top-five finishes list
Jimmie Johnson
320
1
Break the tie with Bill Elliott to become solely 13th on all-time top-10 finishes list
Jimmie Johnson
17,924
76
To become ninth NSCS driver all-time to lead 18,000 laps
Kyle Busch
11,576
424
To become 14th NSCS driver all-time to lead 12,000 laps
Matt Kenseth
10,690
310
To become 16th NSCS driver all-time to lead 11,000 laps
Kurt Busch
8,812
188
To become 20th NSCS driver all-time to lead 9,000 laps
Joe Gibbs Racing
133
2
Tie Roush Fenway Racing (135) for third-most wins on all-time NSCS wins list
    
Track Specific Milestones

    
Drivers
Has
Needs
Milestones
Dale Earnhardt Jr
6
1
Break the tie with Jeff Gordon to become solely second on NSCS all-time wins list at Talladega. 
Richard Childress Racing
12
1
Break the tie with Hendrick Motorsports to become the all-time sole leader in NSCS wins at Talladega
Hendrick Motorsports
12
1
Break the tie with Richard Childress Racing to become the all-time sole leader in NSCS wins at Talladega