Statistical Advance: Analyzing the YellaWood 500

Below is a look at the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff contenders’ statistical performances at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama, going into the YellaWood 500 on October 2 at 2 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).

NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Fast Facts – Race No. 5 (Talladega Superspeedway)

• The 2022 season marks the sixth consecutive year Talladega Superspeedway will host the fifth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs (2017-2022) – 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).
• 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 Superspeedway has hosted the third race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs (2004 – 2005); the fourth race (2006 – 2008 and 2012); the fifth race (2017-2022); the sixth race (2011, 2013 – 2016); and the seventh race (2009 – 2010).
• A total of 14 different drivers have won the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff races at Talladega Superspeedway; six of the 14 are active this weekend and three of the six re Playoff contenders – Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano.
• 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.
• During the Playoffs 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). Last season’s Talladega Playoff race winner – Bubba Wallace finished the season 21st in the final standings.
• A total of 14 different drivers have won the NASCAR Cup Series fifth race in the Playoffs; seven of the 14 are active this weekend.
• 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).

NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Fast Facts – Race No. 5: Talladega Superspeedway

• Twice the winner of the fifth race in the Playoffs has gone on to win the title later that season; both happening at Charlotte Motor Speedway (2004-2014):
• In 2009, Jimmie Johnson won the fifth race in the Playoffs from the pole at Charlotte Motor Speedway and then went on to win his fourth consecutive NASCAR Cup Series title – it was his third of four wins in the 2009 postseason.
• In 2014, Kevin Harvick won the fifth race in the Playoffs from the seventh starting position at Charlotte Motor Speedway and went on to win his first career NASCAR Cup Series title – it was his first of three wins during the 2014 postseason.
• 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.
• Six times a non-Playoff driver has won the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Talladega Superspeedway:
• In 2005, Dale Jarrett won the Playoff race at Talladega; he was 14th in points.
• In 2006, Brian Vickers won the Playoff race at Talladega; he was 16th in points.
• In 2009, Jamie McMurray won the Playoff race at Talladega; he was 22nd in points.
• In 2011, Clint Bowyer won the Playoff race at Talladega; he was 13th in points.
• In 2013, Jamie McMurray won the Playoff race at Talladega; he was 14th in points.
• In 2021, Bubba Wallace won the Playoff race at Talladega; he was 21st in points
• Three times a non-Playoff driver has won the fifth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs:
• In 2010, Jamie McMurray won the fifth race in the Playoffs at Charlotte; he was 14th in points.
• In 2013, Brad Keselowski won the fifth race in Playoffs at Charlotte; he was 16th in points.
• In 2021, Bubba Wallace won the Playoff race at Talladega; he was 21st in points

Talladega Superspeedway:
Season Race #: 31 of 36 (10-04-22)
The Purse: $8,338,881
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
Stage 1 & 2 Length: 60 laps (each)
Final Stage Length: 68 laps

TALLADEGA QUALIFYING & RACE DATA

Track Qualifying Record:

Bill Elliott, Melling Racing Ford, 212.809 mph, 44.998 secs., April 30, 1987

2021 Playoff Pole Winner:

Starting Lineups were determined by Metric Qualifying, Denny Hamlin (Toyota) started in the first position

Track Race Record:

Mark Martin, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford, 188.354 mph, (02:39:18), May 10, 1997

2021 Playoff Race Winner:

Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing Toyota, 130.218 mph, (02:23:24), October 4, 2021

HISTORY

• Construction began on what was then known as the Alabama International Motor Speedway on May 23, 1968.
• The first NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway was held on September 14, 1969; the event was won by Richard Brickhouse (Dodge).
• The first NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Talladega Superspeedway was held on July 25, 1992; the event was won by Ernie Irvan (Chevrolet).
• The first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Talladega Superspeedway was held on October 7, 2006; the event was won by Mark Martin (Ford).
• The name of the track changed to Talladega Superspeedway in 1989.
• The track completed its fourth repaving on September 19, 2006.
• In 2019, the track underwent a $50 million renovation, updating the tunnels and infield amenities.
• There have been 106 NASCAR Cup Series races at Talladega Superspeedway, one Cup event in 1969, and two races per year since 1970. Among the 106 events, the track has hosted 18 Playoff races in the NASCAR Cup Series.

STARTS

• A total of 485 different drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway; 339 have competed in more than one.
• Dave Marcis and Terry Labonte lead the NASCAR Cup Series in starts at Talladega with 61 starts each.
• Kevin Harvick leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in starts at Talladega with 43.
• A total of 72 drivers have made their first NASCAR Cup Series start at Talladega; the three most recent were Harrison Burton (April 25, 2021), Justin Haley (April 28, 2019) and Timothy Peters (April 29, 2018).
• Bobby Isaac (eight starts) leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Talladega with a 3.625.
• Chase Elliott (13 starts) leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Talladega with a 7.462.

Top 10 in Average Starting Position at Talladega Superspeedway (All-Time & Active)

POLES

• A total of 45 different drivers have qualified on the pole at Talladega Superspeedway, 23 of the 45 have multiple poles at Talladega.
• Six of the 45 NASCAR Cup Series pole winners at Talladega Superspeedway are active this weekend.

• NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott leads the NASCAR Cup Series in poles at Talladega Superspeedway with eight poles (1985 sweep, 1986 sweep, 1987 sweep, spring 1990 and fall 1993).
• Kevin Harvick (2005, 2018) and Chase Elliott (2016, 2019) lead all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in poles at Talladega Superspeedway with two each.
• Bobby Isaac won the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series pole at Talladega Superspeedway in 1969 with a speed of 199.466 mph. In fact, Isaac won the first three poles at the 2.66-mile superspeedway (1969 and 1970 sweep).
• A total of 11 different drivers have won consecutive poles at Talladega in the NASCAR Cup Series; none of the 11 are currently active – most recent driver to accomplish the feat was Jeff Gordon in 2015 (sweep).
• Bill Elliott holds the record for most consecutive Cup poles at Talladega with six-straight from 1985 – 1987.
• Six drivers have posted their first NASCAR Cup Series pole at Talladega:
  • Brian Scott (May 4, 2014)
  • Juan Pablo Montoya (April 26, 2009)
  • Travis Kvapil (October 5, 2008)
  • David Gilliland (October 8, 2006)
  • Stacy Compton (April 22, 2001)
  • Jeremy Mayfield (September 28, 1996)
• Youngest series Talladega pole winner: Chase Elliott (May 1, 2016 – 20 years, 5 months, 3 days).
• Oldest series Talladega pole winner: Mark Martin (October 23, 2011 – 52 years, 9 months, 14 days).
• Hendrick Motorsports leads the series in poles at Talladega Superspeedway with 13 among eight different drivers – Darrell Waltrip (1988), Terry Labonte (1995), Jimmie Johnson (2002), Jeff Gordon (2007, 2011, 2012, 2015 sweep), Mark Martin (2011), Kasey Kahne (2012), Chase Elliott (2016, 2019) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2017).
• Eight different manufacturers have won at least one pole in the NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega Superspeedway; led by Chevrolet with 37 and followed by Ford (29), Dodge (12), Mercury (five), Oldsmobile (five), Toyota (four) Pontiac (three), and Buick (two).

WINS

• A total of 51 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won at Talladega Superspeedway; 25 of the 51 NASCAR Cup Series winners at Talladega have won multiple times at the 2.66-mile track.
• Eleven of the 51 NASCAR Cup Series race winners at Talladega Superspeedway are active this weekend.

• NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Talladega Superspeedway with 10 victories (1983, 1984, 1990 sweep, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1999 sweep and 2000).
• Brad Keselowski leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in wins at Talladega Superspeedway with six victories (2009, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2021); followed by Joey Logano with three wins (2015, 2016, 2018).
• Nine different drivers have won consecutive series races at Talladega; led by Dale Earnhardt Jr. with four-straight victories from 2001-2003. Ryan Blaney is the most recent driver to win consecutive races at Talladega (2019-2020).
• Youngest series Talladega winner is Bobby Hillin Jr. (July 27, 1986) at the age of 22 years, 1 month, 22 days.
• Oldest series Talladega winner is Harry Gant (May 6, 1991) at the age of 51 years, 3 months, 26 days.
• A total of 25 different starting positions have produced race winners in the NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega Superspeedway.
• 15 of the 106 NASCAR Cup Series races (14.2%) at Talladega Superspeedway have been won from the pole or first starting position – the most recent driver to accomplish the feat was Denny Hamlin on October 4, 2020.
• The outside front row (second starting position) is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (20) than any other starting position at Talladega Superspeedway in the NASCAR Cup Series. The most recent driver to win from the second starting position was Jimmie Johnson in 2011.

NASCAR Cup Series Wins by Starting Positions at Talladega Superspeedway

• The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Talladega is 36th, by Jeff Gordon in the 2000 spring race.
• The deepest in the field that an active race winner has started at Talladega is 34th, by Denny Hamlin in the 2014 spring race.
• A total of 12 drivers have won their first NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway:

• Martin Truex Jr. leads the NASCAR Cup Series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Cup Series starts at Talladega Superspeedway without visiting Victory Lane at 35; followed by Michael McDowell with 23 and Landon Cassill at 19.
• A total of 31 different organizations have won in the NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega Superspeedway, nine of the 31 are active this weekend:

• Hendrick Motorsports leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Talladega Superspeedway with 13 victories among seven different drivers – Ken Schrader (1988), Jeff Gordon (1996, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2007 sweep), Terry Labonte (1997), Jimmie Johnson (2006, 2011), Brian Vickers (2006), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2015) and Chase Elliott (2019).
• Nine different manufacturers have won in the NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega; led by Chevrolet with 42 victories; followed by Ford (31), Mercury (seven), Buick (six), Oldsmobile (six), Toyota (five), Dodge (four), Plymouth (three) and Pontiac (two).

ADDITIONAL FINISHING POSITIONS

Runner-Up Finishes:

• A total of 53 different drivers have finished runner-up at Talladega Superspeedway in the NASCAR Cup Series.
• Buddy Baker and Tony Stewart lead the NASCAR Cup Series in runner-up finishes at Talladega Superspeedway with six second-place finishes each.
• Kevin Harvick leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers with three runners-up finishes at Talladega Superspeedway.

Top Five in Runner-Up Finishes at Talladega Superspeedway (All-Time & Active)

Top-Five Finishes:

• A total of 123 different drivers have finished in the top-five at Talladega Superspeedway in the NASCAR Cup Series.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt leads the NASCAR Cup Series in top fives with 23 top-five finishes.
• Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano lead all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in top fives at Talladega with nine each.

Top Five in Top-Five Finishes at Talladega Superspeedway (All-Time & Active)

Top-10 Finishes:

• A total of 207 different drivers have finished in the top-10 at Talladega in the NASCAR Cup Series.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt leads the NASCAR Cup Series in top 10s with 27 top-10 finishes.
• Kevin Harvick leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in top 10s at Talladega with 19.

Top Five in Top-10 Finishes at Talladega Superspeedway (All-Time & Active)

Average Finish:

• Pete Hamilton (five starts) leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average finishing position at Talladega with a 5.6.
• Ty Dillon (nine starts) leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in average finishing position at Talladega with a 14.333.

Top 10 in Average Finishing Position at Talladega Superspeedway (All-Time & Active)

LAP LEADERS

• A total of 206 different drivers in series history have led at least one lap at Talladega Superspeedway in the NASCAR Cup Series.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt leads the series in laps led at Talladega with 1,377 in 44 starts.
• Joey Logano leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in laps led at Talladega with 417 in 27 starts.

Top 10 Lap Leaders at Talladega Superspeedway (All-Time & Active)

• The most laps led in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway by the race winner was 153 of the scheduled 188 laps (81.4%) by Pete Hamilton on August 23, 1970 – he started the race in the fourth position.
• The most laps led in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway by a driver that did not win the race was 142 of the scheduled 192 laps (73.9%) by Matt Kenseth on May 5, 2013 – he started the race in the sixth position and finished eighth.
• Three times the winner of the NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway has led only one lap – the final lap:
  • Jeff Gordon in 2007, started 34th and led just the final lap to win the race beating his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson to the line by 0.66-second.
  • Brad Keselowski in 2009, started ninth and led just the final lap to win the race beating
    Dale Earnhardt Jr. to the line by 0.175-second.
  • Aric Almirola in 2018, started fourth and led just the final lap to win the race beating his Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Clint Bowyer by 0.105-second.
  • Brad Keselowski earlier this season, started 10th and led just the final lap to win the race beating William Byron to the line by 0.102-second.

TRACK / EVENT SPECIFIC STATS

• There have been 17 NASCAR Cup Series races resulting in NASCAR Overtime at Talladega (the most of any track):

• Three of the 106 NASCAR Cup Series races at Talladega Superspeedway have been shortened due to weather conditions:

• Qualifying has been cancelled in the NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega Superspeedway eight times: 2002 (Fall), 2009 (Fall), 2010 (Spring), 2013 (Spring & Fall), 2020 (Playoffs – Metric Qualifying), 2021 (April – Metric Qualifying) and 2021 (Playoffs – Metric Qualifying).
• Three times the NASCAR Cup Series race held at Talladega Superspeedway was not run on its originally scheduled date:
  • The April 27, 1997 race was postponed due to inclement weather to May 10, 1997 – Mark Martin won the event.
  • The April 26, 2020 race was postponed to June 22, 2020 due to the stoppage in sports as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic – Ryan Blaney won the event.
  • The October 3, 2021 race was postponed to Oct. 4, 2021 (Monday) due to weather.
• Since the advent of electronic scoring in 1993, the closest margin of victory in the NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega Superspeedway is the April 17, 2011 race won by Jimmie Johnson over second-place Clint Bowyer with a Margin of Victory of 0.002 second – the MOV is tied with the 2003 Darlington race as the closest finishes in the NASCAR Cup Series using electronic scoring.

Top Five NASCAR Cup Series Margins of Victory at Talladega Superspeedway

FEMALE COMPETITOR STATS

• Three female drivers have competed at Talladega in the NASCAR Cup Series: Janet Guthrie, Patty Moise and Danica Patrick.

NASCAR IN ALABAMA

• There have been 174 NASCAR national series races held in the state of Alabama among seven different tracks:

• The very first NASCAR national series race held in the state of Alabama was a NASCAR Cup Series event held at Lakeview Speedway (Mobile) in 1951 – the race was won by Tim Flock (Oldsmobile).
• The first race held at Talladega Superspeedway was in 1969 – the event was won by Richard Brickhouse (Dodge).

ALABAMA DRIVERS IN NASCAR

• A total of 76 different drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Alabama.
• 11 drivers from Alabama have won at least one race in NASCAR’s three national series; six have won in the NASCAR Cup Series.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison (Hueytown) is the winningest driver from Alabama posting the fourth most NASCAR Cup Series wins all-time at 84.

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