The NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) heads to Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama, for the Jack Link’s 500 on Sunday, April 26, at 3 p.m. ET on FOX.
On April 26, 2025, Zane Smith, driving for Front Row Motorsports, captured his first Busch Light Pole Award with a lap of 182.174 mph (52.565 secs.), and Austin Cindric utilized a late pit strategy call to beat Ryan Preece in a photo finish to win the Jack Link’s 500 on April 27, 2025.
Track & Race Information for the Jack Link’s 500
Season Race Number: 10 of 36 (April 26, 2026)
Race Purse: $11,233,037
Track Size: 2.66 miles (Biggest in NASCAR)
Banking/Turns (All 4): 33 degrees (Steepest in NASCAR)
Banking/Frontstretch: 16.5 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 2 degrees
Length/Frontstretch: 4,300 feet
Length/Backstretch: 4,000 feet (Longest in NASCAR)
Length and Race Stages for the Jack Link’s 500
Race Length: 188 laps / 500.08 miles
Stage 1 Length: 98 laps
Stage 2 Length: 45 laps – Stage 2 Ends on Lap 143
Final Stage Length: 45 laps – Final Stage Ends on Lap 188
Who and what should you look out for at Talladega Superspeedway?
Brad Keselowski leads all active NCS drivers in wins at Talladega with six victories, and three active drivers have won their first NCS race at Talladega, and they are: Bubba Wallace on October 4, 2021, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. on May 7, 2017, and Brad Keselowski on April 26, 2009.
Keselowski leads all active NCS drivers in runner-up finishes with three (2021, 2024 sweep), and he leads all active drivers in top-five finishes with 12.
Hamlin and Keselowski lead all active NCS drivers in top-10 finishes with 17 each.
| Active Race Winners (12) | Wins | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Brad Keselowski | 6 | 2021, 2017, 2016. 2014, 2012, 2009 |
| Ryan Blaney | 3 | 2023, 2020, 2019 |
| Joey Logano | 3 | 2018, 2016, 2015 |
| Ricky Stenhouse Jr | 2 | 2024, 2017 |
| Kyle Busch | 2 | 2023, 2008 |
| Chase Elliott | 2 | 2022, 2019 |
| Denny Hamlin | 2 | 2020, 2014 |
| Chase Briscoe | 1 | 2025 |
| Austin Cindric | 1 | 2025 |
| Tyler Reddick | 1 | 2024 |
| Ross Chastain | 1 | 2022 |
| Bubba Wallace | 1 | 2021 |
A total of 26 different starting positions in the field at Talladega have led to a win in the NCS. The deepest an active NCS race winner has started at Talladega is 34th, by Denny Hamlin in the 2014 spring race.
| Starting Position | Wins | Winning % |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 | 13.27% |
| 2 | 21 | 18.58% |
| 3 | 7 | 6.19% |
| 4 | 9 | 7.96% |
| 5 | 5 | 4.42% |
| 6 | 4 | 3.54% |
| 7 | 4 | 3.54% |
| 8 | 1 | 0.88% |
| 9 | 6 | 5.31% |
| 10 | 5 | 4.42% |
| 11 | 4 | 3.54% |
| 12 | 3 | 2.65% |
| 13 | 4 | 3.54% |
| 14 | 1 | 0.88% |
| 15 | 2 | 1.77% |
| 16 | 4 | 3.54% |
| 17 | 2 | 1.77% |
| 18 | 3 | 2.65% |
| 19 | 3 | 2.65% |
| 20 | 1 | 0.88% |
| 22 | 2 | 1.77% |
| 24 | 1 | 0.88% |
| 27 | 1 | 0.88% |
| 32 | 1 | 0.88% |
| 34 | 3 | 2.65% |
| 36 | 1 | 0.88% |
The Driver Picks for the Jack Link’s 500 at Talladega Superspeedway
- Ryan Blaney has three wins, six top fives, eight top 10s, and an average finish of 17.217.
- William Byron has five top fives, seven top 10s, and an average finish of 14.500.
- Denny Hamlin has one pole, two wins, 11 top fives, 17 top 10s, and an average finish of 16.900.
- Brad Keselowski has six wins, 12 top fives, 17 top 10s, and an average finish of 15.559.
- Chase Elliott has two poles, two wins, six top fives, nine top 10s, and an average finish of 16.350.
