NASCAR Cup Series

On edge: “Our last race there, we finished fifth,” Allmendinger said. “Basically, I went with the strategy that if I was up front, I tried to stay up front. If I got shuffled to the middle, I just bailed out and went to the back. Honestly, I don’t think there is going to be a right or wrong. I think a lot of guys will be on edge. For those guys trying to make it to the next round in the Chase, it’s going to be real edgy. So, you’ve got to do what feels best at that time - in the moment. If we can get up front, I’ll run up front. If not, I’ll to try to ride around for a while until it's time to go.”

Denny the Deliverminator: Denny Hamlin will drive a special #11 FedEx One Rate/Deliverminator Toyota paint scheme in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. The paint scheme, and accompanying firesuit, are derived from the FedEx One Rate commercial titled “Nickname” that starred Hamlin and began airing earlier this year.

NASCAR has assessed behavioral penalties to drivers Brad Keselowski and Tony Stewart for their involvement in post-race incidents on Oct. 11 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Harvick’s win last weekend at CMS marked his third victory at the 1.5-mile track. He now has 26 career victories and is tied with NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Fred Lorenzen for 25th on the all-time NSCS win list.

Golden Corral will continue its longstanding partnership with Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) and, for the first time, join NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rookie Michael Annett as the primary partner on his No. 7 Chevrolet SS in the upcoming Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday, Oct. 19.

No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine driver Brian Vickers and fellow Toyota driver Denny Hamlin are the only drivers who own two top-five finishes in the three restrictor plate races in the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup season.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series travels to Talladega Superspeedway, the site of multiple wins for Michael Waltrip Racing driver Clint Bowyer (October 2011 and October 2010).

For the final time this season, Marcos Ambrose will bring the colors of Black and Decker to the track. The brand will sponsor the No. 9 Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) team in what will be the last plate race for Ambrose.

Aric Almirola and the No. 43 Smithfield team look to spoil The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and get a win on Sunday. At a track where anything can happen, the team hopes to be in the right place at the end of the race. The No. 43 team showed speed at superspeedways this year and expect the same this weekend.

This Week's No. 29 ToyotaCare Toyota Camry ... Joe Nemechek will pilot RAB Racing Chassis No. 061 in the Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.