Be ready for anything at Talladega

You know what’s perfect after a peaceful, quiet Easter Sunday? The roar of 39 cars circling the high banks around a 2.66-mile oval at one of NASCAR’s baddest tracks.

This is Talladega week.

RELATED: Talladega weekend schedule | Cup Series entry list | Watch NASCAR video highlights

Tranquility will be hard to find on the race track for drivers, though. Last time at ‘Dega, 28 cars were collected in a late-race wreck — setting a Cup Series record. While Stage 2 has run caution-free in each of the last five Talladega races, chaos seems to find its way to strike late; there have been 19 overtime finishes at Talladega, second most behind Daytona International Speedway with 25.

Mayhem and unpredictability here have led to nine different drivers winning the last nine races at this track — its longest streak without a repeat winner. Not to mention the driver who’s led the most laps in each of those nine races has failed to win. To boot, nine of the last 16 Talladega races ended with a last-lap pass. In 12 of the previous 20 drafting track races in the Next Gen car, the pass for the win came in the final two laps. Which begs the question: Will we see calamity in the closing laps or a moment of brilliance from a driver to snatch a win?

The biggest thing to keep in mind this week is that just about anyone has a puncher’s chance to reach Victory Lane. The eventual winner has started 10th or worse in nine of the last 10 ‘Dega races. There have been numerous surprise winners here in the past, including 12 drivers who earned their very first Cup Series win at Talladega. Plus, for drivers who haven’t won in a while, it’s not uncommon for them to see their drought end in Alabama, with 17 winless streaks of 30 or more races ended at Talladega and 10 of those streaks being 50-plus races.

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DRIVERS TO WATCH

BRAD KESELOWSKI: While past champions like Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott are at the top of the list as ones to watch, Keselowski is an intriguing one to follow. The 2012 champ currently sits 31st in points and has a best finish of 11th this season. He’s a six-time ‘Dega winner, though, and was at the front of the field both times last year in runner-up efforts.

KYLE BUSCH: I’ve hit on Busch’s winless streak countless times — currently at 66 races — and while he only has one drafting track win since 2022, he has three in his career at the Cup level. The main thing: He has seven career wins after an off-week.

RICKY STENHOUSE JR.: The most recent Talladega winner. Similar to Keselowski, Stenhouse is one of the best around ‘Dega, with an average finish of 14.5 at the track, including a fourth-place finish in the race a year ago.

MICHAEL MCDOWELL: Not only did McDowell win both poles at Talladega last year, but he had the third-most laps led on drafting tracks since the start of 2024 (171). He also has three top 10s over the last eight Talladega races.

NOAH GRAGSON: A good candidate to add his name to the list of first-time winners at Talladega. Gragson finished third in this race last year, which stands as his best Cup Series finish. He also won at Talladega in the Xfinity Series in 2022.

RACING INSIGHTS’ PROJECTIONS FOR THE JACK LINK’S 500

Racing Insights’ advanced statistical formula includes current track, current track type, recent performance, team data and pit-crew data to arrive at a projected winner and full race results. Updated on race day with practice and qualifying factored in.