Playoffs heat up at Talladega Superspeedway

Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron grabbed the win at Texas Motor Speedway last weekend securing his spot in the next round of the postseason, leaving the remaining 11 contenders still vying for one of the spots in the Round of 8 with two races left in the Round of 12 – Talladega Superspeedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL. This weekend the competitors will have to face one of the biggest hurdles in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, as Talladega Superspeedway opens the gates and unleashes its 2.66-miles of asphalt with 33 degrees of banking in the turns for Sunday’s YellaWood 500 at 2 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).

The 2023 season marks the seventh consecutive year Talladega Superspeedway will host the fifth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs (2017-2023) – Race No. 31 of the season. Talladega is the third different track to host the fifth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs; joining Charlotte Motor Speedway (2004 – 2014) and Kansas Speedway (2015 - 2016). The 2.66-mile track is the largest paved oval the series competes on with 33 degrees of banking in the turns.

Talladega Superspeedway has participated in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs since its inception into the series in 2004 and has occupied five different spots on the postseason schedule. Talladega has hosted the third race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs (2004 – 2005); the fourth race (2006 – 2008 and 2012); the fifth race (2017-2023); the sixth race (2011, 2013 – 2016); and the seventh race (2009 – 2010).

A total of 15 different drivers have won the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff races at Talladega Superspeedway. Brad Keselowski (2017, 2014), Clint Bowyer (2010-2011), Jamie McMurray (2009, 2013) and Joey Logano (2015-2016) lead the NASCAR Cup Series in Playoff wins at Talladega Superspeedway with two victories each. Seven of the 15 Talladega Playoff race winners are active this weekend and four of the seven are Playoff contenders this year – Bubba Wallace (2021), Denny Hamlin (2020), Ryan Blaney (2019), Brad Keselowski (2014, 2017).

 

Talladega Superspeedway Playoff Race Winners
Track	Race Winner	Date
Talladega	Chase Elliott	Sunday, October 2, 2022
Talladega	Bubba Wallace	Monday, October 4, 2021
Talladega	Denny Hamlin	Sunday, October 4, 2020
Talladega	Ryan Blaney	Sunday, October 13, 2019
Talladega	Aric Almirola	Sunday, October 14, 2018
Talladega	Brad Keselowski	Sunday, October 15, 2017
Talladega	Joey Logano	Sunday, October 23, 2016
Talladega	Joey Logano	Sunday, October 25, 2015
Talladega	Brad Keselowski	Sunday, October 19, 2014
Talladega	Jamie McMurray	Sunday, October 20, 2013
Talladega	Matt Kenseth	Sunday, October 7, 2012
Talladega	Clint Bowyer	Sunday, October 23, 2011
Talladega	Clint Bowyer	Sunday, October 31, 2010
Talladega	Jamie McMurray	Sunday, November 1, 2009
Talladega	Tony Stewart	Sunday, October 5, 2008
Talladega	Jeff Gordon	Sunday, October 7, 2007
Talladega	Brian Vickers	Sunday, October 8, 2006
Talladega	Dale Jarrett	Sunday, October 2, 2005
Talladega	Dale Earnhardt Jr	Sunday, October 3, 2004

 

During the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Era (2004-Present), the winner of the Talladega Superspeedway Playoff race has never gone on to win the title in the same season. But twice the Talladega Playoff race winner has finished runner-up in the championship standings at the end of the season: Jeff Gordon (2007) and Joey Logano (2016).

The worst finish in a NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Talladega Superspeedway by a driver that went on to win the title that same season was 37th by Kyle Larson in 2021.

A total of 15 different drivers have won the NASCAR Cup Series fifth race in the Playoffs; nine of the 15 are active this weekend and four are currently in the Playoffs – Bubba Wallace (2022 Talladega), Denny Hamlin (2021 Talladega), Ryan Blaney (2019 Talladega) and Brad Keselowski (2017 Talladega and 2013 Charlotte).

Jimmie Johnson leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins in the fifth race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with three victories (2004, 2005, 2009 – all at Charlotte Motor Speedway). Brad Keselowski (2013 Charlotte and 2017 Talladega) and Kevin Harvick (2014 Charlotte and 2016 Kansas) lead all active drivers in wins in the fifth race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with two each.