TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
Talladega Superspeedway
October 23-25, 2026
With just three races remaining in the 2026 NASCAR Chase, Chevrolet heads to arguably the biggest wildcard stop of the postseason, Talladega Superspeedway, leading two championship battles and looking to gain ground in the third. While it was a rough day in the desert for Kyle Larson and the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports team, they were able to lean on their points cushion from a strong first-half of The Chase to maintain a five-point advantage over second. For Jesse Love and the No. 2 Richard Childress Racing team, it was a near-perfect outing that vaulted them to a 36-point advantage over the Chase field, leading Chevrolet’s sweep of the top-seven positions of the standings. Christian Eckes and the No. 91 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing team are on the heels of their third-straight runner-up finish and another position gained in the Craftsman Truck Series standings, leading the Bowtie brand to Alabama with a third-place ranking.
Chevrolet’s Cup Series History at Talladega:
Chevrolet has recorded 46 victories in the 114 NASCAR Cup Series races held at Talladega Superspeedway, a count that includes Carson Hocevar’s breakthrough victory in the track’s spring event that made the young Team Chevy driver a first-time winner in the sport’s top division. Highlights of the manufacturer’s history at the iconic superspeedway includes a record-setting streak of 13-straight wins (Apr. 1999 – May 2005), as well as Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s 10th win at the track (Oct. 2000), a record that still stands, that also marked his 76th and final victory of his career. The Bowtie brand has carried that success into the Next Gen era, winning five of the nine races at Talladega with five drivers from five different organizations: Ross Chastain (Trackhouse, Apr. 2022), Chase Elliott (Hendrick, Oct. 2022), Kyle Busch (RCR, Apr. 2023), Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (Hyak, Oct. 2024) and Hocevar (Spire, Apr. 2026).
LARSON LOOKS FOR A TALLADEGA TURNAROUND
While it was a challenging afternoon that ended early with a tire failure and a 34th-place finish at Phoenix Raceway, Kyle Larson and the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team were able to tap into their points cushion to hold onto a five-point lead as their title-defending pursuit heads into the eighth stop of the NASCAR Cup Series Chase. The California native has shown encouraging gains at Talladega, finishing fourth in the fall of 2024 before recording a career-best runner-up finish in the spring of 2025. While he continues to pursue his first Cup Series victory at the Alabama superspeedway, Larson has averaged 29.4 points per race there in the Next Gen era – the fourth-highest mark in the series behind only Chevrolet teammates Chase Elliott, William Byron and Carson Hocevar – giving him a strong points-scoring foundation as he looks to protect his championship lead.
HOCEVAR IN PURSUIT OF TALLADEGA SWEEP
Carson Hocevar returns to Talladega Superspeedway as the NASCAR Cup Series’ most recent winner at the track, looking to sweep its 2026 events after earning his first career Cup victory there in April. His breakthrough continued a steady climb for the No. 77 Spire Motorsports team at the Alabama superspeedway, with a pair of sixth-place finishes in both 2025 races preceding his trip to victory lane earlier this spring. Across his six starts in the Next Gen era at the track, he’s averaged 29.8 points per race to rank him third among the series’ active drivers. Hocevar has also delivered three top-five finishes in this season’s five drafting-track races, pairing his Talladega victory with fourth- and third-place finishes at EchoPark Speedway.
LOVE BACK ON TOP
Jesse Love arrives at Talladega Superspeedway with the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series points lead for the first time this season after a near-perfect performance at Phoenix Raceway propelled the defending champion to a 36-point advantage over Team Chevy veteran driver, Justin Allgaier. Starting from the pole, the driver of the No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet swept both stages and led 156 of 200 laps before holding off Sam Mayer by 0.128 seconds for his second victory of the season, collecting 75 points – just one shy of the maximum. Love now returns to the site of his first career O’Reilly series win where he won the opening stage, led 28 laps and survived a double-overtime finish en route to the victory (Apr. 2024.) The California native’s Talladega resume is nothing short of impressive. Through his five career O’Reilly Series starts at the track, he’s earned front-row starting positions, top-10 finishes and double-digit laps led in every race.
ECKES’ RUNNER-UP STREAK CONTINUES
Christian Eckes is riding into the weekend with a streak of three consecutive runner-up finishes after another strong showing at Phoenix Raceway moved him up one position to third in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings. The No. 91 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing team started 13th, but quickly became a familiar face in the top-10 throughout the race – finishing sixth and third in the opening two stages before taking the checkered flag just 1.556-seconds behind Kaden Honeycutt. Eckes now looks to turn that momentum into his first Talladega victory, having demonstrated his drafting-track strength with a career-best fifth-place finish and a race-high 25 laps led there in 2022. His two top-10 Talladega finishes have each come in the track’s fall events, also finishing sixth in his most recent Truck Series appearance at the superspeedway in 2024.
PINK CORVETTE STINGRAY PACE CAR SET FOR 2026 ON-TRACK DEBUT
This season, Chevrolet celebrates 16 years of supporting the American Cancer Society and its ‘Making Strides Against Breast Cancer’ initiative with the return of a specially themed pink Corvette Stingray that will serve as the official pace vehicle for two NASCAR Cup Series races this month, including the YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway and the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway. Once again helping drive donations for the initiative, every caution lap the pink Corvette Stingray pace car completes in the next two Cup Series races will generate a donation of $500 (up to $25,000).
The 2026 campaign expanded Chevrolet’s donation program to five Cup Series races. Chevrolet will also donate $1,500 for each Team Chevy driver who finishes in the top-10 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Phoenix Raceway, Talladega Superspeedway and Martinsville Speedway, up to a total of $25,000 across the five-race program. Heading to Talladega, the fourth race of the campaign, the current contribution total is $13,500.
BOWTIE BULLETS:
· Chevrolet will serve as the official pace vehicle for the tripleheader weekend at Talladega Superspeedway:
o NASCAR Cup Series: Specially themed pink Corvette Stingray in support of the American Cancer Society and its ‘Making Strides Against Breast Cancer’ initiative
o NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series: Silverado RST
o NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: Silverado RST
· Sunday’s YellaWood 500 will mark the fourth of five races in Chevrolet’s ‘Making Strides Against Breast Cancer’ campaign for the 2026 season.
o Chevrolet will donate $1,500 (up to $25,000) for each Team Chevy driver that earns a top-10 finish in the NASCAR Cup Series races at Las Vegas, Charlotte, Phoenix, Talladega and Martinsville.
o In addition, every caution lap the pink Corvette Stingray pace car makes in the NASCAR Cup Series races at Talladega and Martinsville will generate a donation of $500 (up to $25,000).
o The current contribution total is $13,500 heading into the Talladega race weekend.
· Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Talladega Superspeedway:
o Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – two wins (2017 & 2024)
o Chase Elliott – two wins (2022 & 2019)
o Carson Hocevar – one win (2026)
o Ross Chastain – one win (2022)
· In 114 NASCAR Cup Series races held at Talladega Superspeedway, Chevrolet has recorded 46 victories, five of which have come during the Next Gen era to lead its manufacturer competitors.
· Chevrolet holds a winning percentage of 70 percent in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series at Talladega Superspeedway with 28 wins in 40 races. The manufacturer enters the weekend with 14-straight wins in the division at the Alabama venue, a streak that dates back to the Apr. 2018 event.
· Chevrolet has earned wins in 27 of the 30 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races this season, setting the series’ record for the most wins by a single manufacturer during a season in the division.
· With Grant Enfinger’s win at Lime Rock Park, Chevrolet sits just two wins away from its milestone 300th all-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win.
· In 176 points-paying races in the NASCAR Cup Series Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 75 victories – a winning percentage of 42.6%.
· Chevrolet is coming off its 29th all-time sweep of the NASCAR Cup Series championship titles – capturing its 34th driver championship and 44th, and fifth consecutive, manufacturer championship in 2025.
· With its 44 NASCAR Cup Series manufacturer championships, 34 NASCAR Cup Series driver championships, and 889 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.
FOR THE FANS:
Fans can visit the Team Chevy Racing Display in the Fan Midway at Talladega Superspeedway, which will feature a variety of Chevrolet vehicles including: 2027 Traverse Z71, 2027 Equinox RS, 2027 Tahoe Z71, 2027 Grand Sport, 2026 Silverado 1500 Trail Boss, 2026 Silverado 2500 High Country, 2026 Silverado EV Trail Boss, 2026 Colorado ZR2 and No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet show car.
Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation:
Friday, October 23: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturday, October 24: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Sunday, October 25: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Team Chevy Driver Appearances at the Display:
Friday, October 23:
Tyler Ankrum: 10:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Christian Eckes & Daniel Hemric: 10:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
Andres Perez de Lara: 1:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Grant Enfinger: 1:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
Saturday, October 24:
Daniel Suarez: 10:20 a.m. – 10:35 a.m.
Michael McDowell: 10:35 a.m. – 10:50 a.m.
Corey Day: 12:00 p.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Justin Allgaier: 12:35 p.m. – 12:50 p.m.
Carson Kvapil & Rajah Caruth: 1:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Sunday, October 25:
Ross Chastain: 8:30 a.m. – 8:45 a.m.
Carson Hocevar: 9:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.
Kyle Larson: 9:15 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Alex Bowman: 9:40 a.m. – 9:55 a.m.
William Byron: 10:10 a.m. – 10:25 a.m.
Austin Dillon: 10:25 a.m. – 10:40 a.m.
TUNE-IN:
NASCAR Cup Series
YellaWood 500
Sunday, Oct. 25, at 2 p.m. ET
NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series
The Progress Group 250
Saturday, Oct. 24, at 3:30 p.m. ET
CW, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Love’s RV Stop 225
Friday, Oct. 23, at 4 p.m. ET
FS1, NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90
QUOTABLE QUOTES:
Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
NASCAR announced they’re cutting 1/2 inch off the spoiler heading for Talladega. Is that going to change the racing much, or is it just kind of wait to see when you get there?
“I think that we took a big step at the August Daytona race. It was the first step towards it and now we’ll see what happens this weekend. I don’t know really what to expect and how much more a half inch will do, but I definitely think it’s the right direction. I’m not on the committees, I’m not voting on rules packages, but I’m up for whatever the league, whatever NASCAR wants to do. This package was a good step for us at Daytona and a place we went and qualified on the pole. That was a really cool moment for me and our team. So we’ll see what happens this weekend in Talladega with the change.”
With the stage lengths changing, fuel saving is still going to come into play. How much are you focused on that?
“I’ll be honest, I leave all of that to my crew. They lay out our plan and I go execute it. We’ve got live telemetry coming off the cars that they can see how much fuel I’m using and coach me throughout each run. I’ll drive to what they say to do to make that run as fast as possible. You’re going to have to save at some point and they’ll tell me when we get a little closer to that time and when it seems to be the best to do that.”
Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
What makes Talladega so special?
“The history behind it. It’s a big, huge place. There’s no track like it. So, if you love speed and the adrenaline rush of being packed up, then this is the place.”
In the closing laps of the race, how do you keep yourself patient as a driver when it comes to making moves for the win?
“Patience is key in every form of racing. The guys that are comfortable do a really good job of staying patient and putting themselves in a good position. Everyone at RCR, ECR and CT Spring does such a good job of setting our cars up for superspeedways, so I know our No. 3 Get Bioethanol Chevrolet will have what I need to get it done.”
Daniel Suarez, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
In the spring you finished 12th, and your past three races at Talladega all resulted in top 15s. What are your thoughts going to Talladega?
“I feel good heading back to Talladega. We finished 12th in the spring race and that gives us a lot of confidence going into this weekend. Superspeedway racing can be unpredictable, so we just need to stay patient. Hopefully, we can put ourselves in a good position and bring home an even better finish this time.”
Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
What are your thoughts on Talladega Superspeedway?
“Talladega has been a track that I have been quite successful at in my career. I’ve had a really good average finish at Talladega over the years and come close a few times but just haven’t been able to cross the finish line first yet. You’re kind of holding on at times, waiting to see what happens. Everybody is pushing, and you’re hoping you can get through the mess.
It’s an odd feeling knowing you’re putting yourself out there and something is about to happen. It’s an issue of timing. You’re hoping you just get through it. I’ve been fortunate to sneak through some of them, or be in front of some of them. You usually know when the intensity is rising and the pack is starting to get a little bit out of control. You try to do your best to give yourself an out or be in front of it.”
AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
You’ll have Morris-Shea Bridge Company on your car at Talladega. How important would it be to deliver a strong finish for them at their home track?
“It’s very important to us to deliver a strong finish for Morris-Shea Bridge Company at their home track. We always want to perform well for all of our partners and the men and women at Kaulig Racing. Between Ty (Dillon) and I, we’ve had some fast superspeedway cars, and at a place like Talladega, it’s all about making the right decisions and putting yourself in the best position possible to bring home a strong finish. We’ve got a win there in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. It would be cool to snatch a Cup win at Talladega.”
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet
“Talladega is always an exciting race because you never know what can happen, and we’re looking forward to getting back there this weekend. It’s great to have NOS Energy Drink back on the No. 47 Chevrolet, along with First Bank of Alabama joining us as an associate sponsor. We’ve had some strong runs at superspeedways, and Talladega is a place where we know we can be competitive. The biggest thing is staying out of trouble, making smart decisions throughout the race and putting ourselves in a position to fight for the win at the end. Hopefully we can put together a strong day for everyone at Hyak Motorsports and our partners.”
Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet
“I liked the updated rules package we had at Daytona, and I’m good with NASCAR taking it a step further at Talladega. It definitely made it more of a driver’s car. You can’t just take any racecar and run it to the front. You’ve got to have good handling and good balance, so you’re going to be working on your car. Talladega’s a little bit different than Daytona. The corners aren’t as narrow. You have a lot more track width, so you can trim your car out and run a more aggressive baseline setup to have more raw pace in a straight line.”
Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
How does fuel conservation continue to shape superspeedway racing?
“You’re still going to save fuel at some point. Fuel saving is just part of superspeedway racing. The changes in stage length will make the end of the race more exciting and we’ll still want to bring home as many stage points as possible. Making the last stage shorter has made things more ‘hammer-down’ in the end. Heading into Stage 3, you’re still going to want the shortest stop you can get. The last few superspeedway races we have really hit the strategy with fuel saving in the last stage. That’s just going to be a part of what we do. Regardless, I feel really good about our chances going into this weekend. We have had a ton of speed at Talladega in the past, sat on the pole a few times, led a lot of laps, and had some shots to win the race, but ended up wrecked or just short of the checkers. I am eager to get back to Talladega. I feel like we didn’t get the shot we deserved in the spring so hopefully, we can have a Spire Motorsports sweep at Talladega this time.”
Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
What are your thoughts as you return to Talladega for the first time since your victory?
“Obviously, I’m looking forward to it. I already enjoyed going to Talladega, but coming back after winning will be a really fun experience. That was a big moment for Spire Motorsports, so I know there are a lot of people excited for us to head back there. Dale, Jr., was my favorite driver as a kid, and he swept the races in 2002. It would be really cool if I could join him on that list.”
What is your opinion on superspeedway racing, in general?
“I love superspeedway racing. From my seat, it’s the most fun we have in the sport. I enjoy the fact you don’t have to worry about car speed. You either get awarded for making a good decision, or you make a bad decision and you go backwards. You aren’t dictated off handling or downforce numbers. It is really methodical racing.”
Connor Zilisch, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
This is your first season running the full Cup Series schedule. Where are you now at this time of the year physically? What kind of a physical toll does that schedule take on you?
“Thankfully I’m pretty young so the physical toll hasn’t been as much of a burden as the mental toll. At some point you do start to feel it physically when you are racing every single weekend for pretty much 38 weeks straight. Sometimes you just want to sleep and stay at home all day but it’s pretty rare you get the opportunity to do that. I’ve grown up a lot as a person this year and learned a lot about myself mentally and physically.”
How long does it take you to recover from a race? How long does it take your body to rebound from that and get ready for the next race?
“I think by Tuesday things are pretty much back to normal. Mondays are a little tough because I’m trying to catch up on hydration and all the things that you lose throughout the race. Once I get caught up on sleep Monday night that pretty much brings me back to normal.”
Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics
Manufacturer Championships:
Total (1949-2025): 44
First title for Chevrolet: 1958
Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15)
Most recent: 2025
Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Driver Championships:
Total (1949-2025): 34
First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)
Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)
Most recent: Kyle Larson (2025)
Driver and Manufacturer Championship Sweeps: 29
Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021, 2025
Event Victories:
Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007)
2026 STATISTICS:
Wins: 8
Poles: 6
Laps Led: 2,479
Top-Fives: 53
Top-10s: 112
Stage Wins: 22
CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:
Total Chevrolet race wins: 889 (1949 to date)
Poles won to date: 772
Laps led to date: 259,213
Top-fives to date: 4,489
Top-10s to date: 9,263
Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:
General Motors: 1,223
Chevrolet: 889
Pontiac: 154
Oldsmobile: 115
Buick: 65
Ford: 855
Ford: 755
Mercury: 96
Lincoln: 4
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467
Dodge: 217
Plymouth: 191
Chrysler: 59
Toyota: 221
About General Motors
General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future.
GM Motorsports, including the Cadillac Formula 1® Team develops and proves advanced technologies in the most demanding environments, accelerating innovation in performance, safety, efficiency, and electrification for its production vehicles. Cadillac Racing is one of the leading manufacturers in the IMSA and FIA World Endurance Championships (WEC). Chevrolet competes in single seaters in the US IndyCar series, and in NASCAR with multiple team partners and drivers. Corvette customer teams compete in GT series across the globe including IMSA and WEC. Learn more at GM.com.
