The NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series head to Talladega Superspeedway this weekend. The Craftsman Truck Series kicks off the weekend in the Love’s RV Stop 225 on Friday at 4:00 p.m. ET on FS1. On Saturday, the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series The Progress Group 250 begins at 3:30 p.m. ET on the CW Network. Then the Cup Series wraps up the weekend Sunday with the YellaWood 500 at 2:00 p.m. ET on NBC.
NASCAR Cup Series Notes for Talladega Superspeedway:
Kyle Larson’s 34th-place finish at Phoenix dropped his points lead from 49 to 5, the smallest margin since Bristol in September.
Christopher Bell moved to second in the Chase standings, tied for his season-high; Chase Briscoe moved to a season-best third after Phoenix; he is now 24 points behind Larson, his smallest deficit to the points leader all season; and Denny Hamlin dropped to fourth, his lowest ranking since Darlington in March.
Nine of the last 11 Talladega race winners started 10th or worse, and four of the last five race winners didn’t lead for the first time until the second stage or later.
The eventual winner led 19 laps or less in the last 11 races, and the driver leading the most laps failed to win the last 12 races. A different driver won the last 12 Talladega races, the longest streak there without a repeat winner.
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Notes for Talladega Superspeedway:
With a 75-point race at Phoenix, Jesse Love gained 38 points and took over the points lead from Sheldon Creed with three races remaining in the Chase. Love gained points on every other Chase driver at Phoenix, while Sheldon Creed lost 61 points. Any driver who leaves Talladega 153 or more points behind the leader is mathematically eliminated from championship contention.
Sheldon Creed, Corey Day, and Jesse Love each won two Chase races, and Love has the best Chase average finish at 6.2.
Five drivers on the entry list have won at Talladega: Austin Hill (2), Jeb Burton (2), Jesse Love (1), Sammy Smith (1), Corey Day (1).
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Notes for Talladega Superspeedway:
Three races remain in the 2026 season, with all three on different style tracks, and Grant Enfinger is the only Chase driver with wins at all
three remaining Chase tracks. Any driver more than 153 points behind first following Talladega will be eliminated from Championship contention.
Honeycutt extended his points lead from 17 to 39 over Layne Riggs after Phoenix, the largest points lead in the Chase.
Different drivers have won the last nine Talladega races, and the Stage 1 winner has never won the race; the Stage 2 winner won the last two years (Grant Enfinger – 2024, Gio Ruggiero – 2025).
The Weekend Schedule for Talladega Superspeedway:
RELATED: The YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway Outlook and Picks
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23
12:30 AM – 1:00 PM: NCTS QUALIFYING (IMPOUND)
3:40 PM: NCTS DRIVER INTRODUCTIONS
4:00 PM: NCTS LOVES’S RV STOP 225 RACE (STAGES 20/40/85 LAPS = 226.1 MILES) ON FS1
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24
11:00 AM – 11:30 AM: NOAPS QUALIFYING (IMPOUND)
1:00 PM – 1:30 PM: NCS QUALIFYING (IMPOUND)
3:05 PM: NOAPS DRIVER INTRODUCTIONS
3:30 PM: NOAPS THE PROGRESS GROUP 250 RACE (STAGES 25/50/94 LAPS = 250.04 MILES) ON THE CW NETWORK
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25
1:30 PM: NCS DRIVER INTRODUCTIONS
2:00 PM: NCS YELLAWOOD 500 RACE (STAGES 98/143/188 LAPS = 500.08 MILES) ON NBC
*All times are Eastern. NASCAR Cup Series (NCS), NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (NOAPS), NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS), ARCA Series (AMS)
