NASCAR Cup Series

Richard Childress Racing's Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series history at Talladega Superspeedway ... Richard Childress began his driving career at Talladega Superspeedway in 1969 and is in a tie for the most all-time car owner victories at the storied Alabama-based race track with 12 wins.

Fresh off a ninth-place finish at Richmond International Raceway, Aric Almirola and the No. 43 Fresh From Florida Ford team look to draft on that momentum heading to Talladega Superspeedway. The team finished fourth in the Daytona 500, the last superspeedway race this season, and is optimistic in their chances at the 2.66-mile track this weekend.

Single-day tickets to NASCAR’s season finale Ford Championship Weekend will go on sale to the general public this Friday, May 5. The three-day championship tradition at Homestead-Miami Speedway features a weekend full of scintillating racing by the world’s greatest stock car drivers. In addition to crowning champions in each of NASCAR’s three national series, all eyes will be on Homestead-Miami Speedway for another reason that weekend, as it will serve as the setting for the final laps of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Monster Energy Series career. Tickets to Ford Championship Weekend can be purchased by visitingwww.HomesteadMiamiSpeedway.com or by calling (866) 409-RACE (7223).

NASCAR is losing steam. Surprise! It is not exactly news, but this week comments made by the top brass yet again reminded us of what has been going on for about a decade now. NASCAR got its big TV contract in 2001 to bring the action nationwide. It lost one of its legends in that opening race, then his son became part of a very compelling and riveting story line, and a fad was born.

Trevor Bayne will make his 13th Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) start at Talladega this weekend.

The two-time XFINITY champion has seven career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) starts at Talladega with an average finishing position of 11.7.

While Martin Truex Jr. has been a consistent performer on the various tracks so far in 2017, he knows all too well the next race – the GEICO 500 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway -- can be a humbling experience.

STRATEGY HEADING INTO DAYTONA: "Don't wreck," Buscher joked. "My superspeedway record on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series side hasn't been super great, but we've found a lot of success in the NASCAR XFINITY Series."

Go time: “It’s just a crap shoot,” Allmendinger said. “It is what it is. Stage racing is going to change it a little bit because usually I just ride around there for about 160 laps and decide when to go. With stage racing, you’re going to want to get up there and get some points.”

UNIFIRST: This weekend at Talladega Superspeedway marks the first of two races this season that Kasey Kahne will pilot the white-and-green No. 5 UniFirst Chevrolet SS. Kahne will also drive the UniFirst Chevy at the upcoming July Daytona race on July 1. The workwear and textile company became a Hendrick Motorsports partner in 2016 and signed an eight-year agreement that runs through 2023. For more information, visit www.unifirst.com.