With only six weeks left in the 2024 season, all of NASCAR’s top three series will be heading to the famous Talladega Superspeedway for the next stop of the playoffs. The 2.66-mile superspeedway will play host to the second race of the Round of 12 for both the Cup Series and the Xfinity Series, as well as the opening race for the Craftsman Truck Series’ Round of 8.
Arguably the biggest wildcard in the playoffs and on the entire schedule, Talladega’s treacherous banking will feature twists and turns at every corner, ranging from three-, four-wide racing to the dreaded Big One that could strike at any moment. An exciting weekend of racing lies ahead, and it’s a weekend where the playoff standings for all three series can and will be turned upside down.
Round of 12 Standings (2 Races Until Elimination)
Rank | Driver | Points | Cut line |
1 | William Byron | 3074 | +34 |
2 | Ryan Blaney | 3068 | +28 |
3 | Christopher Bell | 3068 | +28 |
4 | Kyle Larson | 3058 | +18 |
5 | Denny Hamlin | 3051 | +11 |
6 | Alex Bowman | 3048 | +8 |
7 | Chase Elliott | 3044 | +4 |
8 | Joey Logano | 3044 | +4 |
9 | Tyler Reddick | 3040 | -4 |
10 | Daniel Suarez | 3030 | -14 |
11 | Chase Briscoe | 3019 | -25 |
12 | Austin Cindric | 3015 | -29 |
The Playoff Consolation Standings
Rank | Driver | Points | Difference |
13 | Ty Gibbs | 2120 | |
14 | Martin Truex Jr. | 2104 | -16 |
15 | Brad Keselowski | 2069 | -51 |
16 | Harrison Burton | 2045 | -75 |
Best of the Rest
Rank | Driver | Points | Difference |
17 | Ross Chastain | 806 | |
18 | Chris Buescher | 780 | -26 |
19 | Bubba Wallace | 757 | -49 |
20 | Kyle Busch | 658 | -148 |
Quick Track Facts: Talladega
Built: 1969
First Cup race: 1969
Last Repaved: 2006
Length: 2.66 miles
Banking: 33 degrees (turns), 16.5 degrees (trioval), 2 degrees (straights)
Pit road speed limit: 55 mph
Talladega By the Numbers
Defending Winner: Ryan Blaney
Defending Spring Winner: Tyler Reddick
Most Wins (full-time drivers): Brad Keselowski (6)
Most Top Fives: Brad Keselowski & Denny Hamlin (11)
Most Top 10s: Denny Hamlin (16)
Most Poles: Chase Elliott & Christopher Bell (2)
Most Laps Led: Joey Logano (490)
Most Laps Led, Non-Winner: Martin Truex Jr. (111)
Best Average Finish (min. 5 starts): Todd Gilliland (5 starts, 12.8 avg. finish)
Former Talladega Winners in the field: Brad Keselowski (6), Ryan Blaney (3), Joey Logano (3), Kyle Busch (2), Chase Elliott (2), Denny Hamlin (2), Ross Chastain (1), Tyler Reddick (1), Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (1), Bubba Wallace (1)
Playoff Driver Statistics at Talladega since 2022
Xfinity Series
Defending Race Winner: None (race not held last season)
Defending Spring Winner: Jesse Love
Playoff Standings (2 Races Before Elimination)
- Cole Custer (+41)
- Chandler Smith (+36)
- Austin Hill (+26)
- Sam Mayer (+13)
- Sheldon Creed (+10)
- Shane van Gisbergen (+8)
- Jesse Love (+3)
- Riley Herbst (+1)
- Justin Allgaier (-1)
- AJ Allmendinger (-13)
- Parker Kligerman (-15)
- Sammy Smith (-23)
Truck Series
Defending Race Winner: Brett Moffitt (Not Entered)
Playoff Standings (3 Races Before Elimination)
- Corey Heim (+38)
- Christian Eckes (+29)
- Ty Majeski (+14)
- Nick Sanchez (+8)
- Rajah Caruth (-8)
- Tyler Ankrum (-11)
- Grant Enfinger (-11)
- Taylor Gray (-15)
Entry Lists
Cup: 40 entries, 40 spots
Notables: AJ Allmendinger (Kaulig No. 13*), Cody Ware (RWR No. 15), Shane van Gisbergen (Kaulig No. 16), JJ Yeley (NY Racing No. 44), Anthony Alfredo (Beard No. 62), BJ McLeod (LFR No. 78)
* Unchartered car
Xfinity: 39 entries, 38 spots
Notables: Dylan Lupton (AMR No. 15), Taylor Gray (JGR No. 19), Aric Almirola (JGR No. 20), Dean Thompson (SHR No. 26), Jordan Anderson (JAR No. 32), Carson Kvapil (JRM No. 88)
Truck: 38 entries, 36 spots
Notables: William Sawalich (TRICON No. 1), Connor Zilisch (Spire No. 7), Johnny Sauter (Hattori No. 16), Kaden Honeycutt (Niece No. 45), Stefan Parsons (Henderson No. 75), Ryan Reed (MHR No. 91)
Where to Watch
Friday, Oct. 4
1 p.m. ET — Truck Qualifying (FS2)
4:30 p.m. ET – Truck Series Love’s RV Stop 225 (85 laps, 226.1 miles) (FS1)
Saturday, Oct. 5
11:30 a.m. ET — Xfinity Qualifying (USA Network)
1:30 p.m. ET — Cup Qualifying (USA Network)
4 p.m. ET — United Rentals 250 (94 laps, 250 miles) (the CW)
Sunday, Oct. 6
2 p.m. ET — Cup Series YellaWood 500 (188 laps, 500 miles) (NBC)
Recent News
- Drivers, teams, tracks and several other prominent figures in the NASCAR industry have volunteered and contributed to the relief efforts following the devastation left behind by Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina and the Southeast United States. If you would like to help, you can donate to Operation Airdrop (link below).
- New aerodynamic changes to have been made to the Cup cars to prevent them from going airborne this weekend. Previous aerodynamic changes were made at Daytona International Speedway in August but proved to be unsuccessful.
- 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports have jointly filed an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR, citing “anti-competitive practices to prevent fair competition in the sport,” among the reasons. FRM and 23XI were the only chartered teams that did not sign the 2025 agreement following a NASCAR-imposed deadline in early September.
Looking Ahead to Next Season
- JR Motorsports’ 2025 Xfinity lineup is complete, as Carson Kvapil will compete full time for Rookie of the Year honors in the team’s No. 1 car, replacing Mayer. He joins Allgaier, Sammy Smith and Zilisch as the team’s full-time drivers next season.
- Kaden Honeycutt will drive Niece Motorsports’ No. 45 truck full-time in 2025. Honeycutt has driven the truck on a part-time basis this season, and he has two top fives and five top 10s in 10 starts.
About the author
Stephen Stumpf is the NASCAR Content Director for Frontstretch and is a three-year veteran of the site. His weekly columns include “Stat Sheet” and “4 Burning Questions.” He also writes commentary, contributes to podcasts, edits articles and is frequently at the track for on-site coverage.
Can find on Twitter @stephen_stumpf.
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