Eight different winners in nine races to start the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season and this weekend’s GEICO 500 (Sunday, April 24 at 3 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) serves up a platter of opportunity for a ninth different winner to pull into Victory Lane and secure their spot in the Playoffs.
Construction began on what was then known as the Alabama International Motor Speedway on May 23, 1968. The first NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway was held on September 14, 1969, and the event was won by Richard Brickhouse, from Rocky Point, North Carolina, driving a Dodge for car owner Ray Nichels. The average speed of the first race at the 2.66-mile track was 153.778 mph.
The name of the facility changed to Talladega Superspeedway in 1989, and the surface underwent its fourth repaving on September 19, 2006. In total, there have been 105 NASCAR Cup Series races at Talladega Superspeedway; one series event in 1969, and two races per year since 1970.
A total of 44 different drivers have won at least one pole at Talladega Superspeedway in the NASCAR Cup Series; 23 of the pole winners have won more than one. Six of the 44 Talladega NASCAR Cup Series pole winners are active this weekend. Busch Light Pole Qualifying is scheduled for Saturday, April 23 at 11 a.m. ET on FS1.
Active NASCAR Cup Series Pole Winners at Talladega Superspeedway
| Pole Winners (6) | Poles | Seasons |
| Chase Elliott | 2 | 2019, 2016 |
| Kevin Harvick | 2 | 2018, 2005 |
| Austin Dillon | 1 | 2019 |
| Kurt Busch | 1 | 2018 |
| Martin Truex Jr | 1 | 2016 |
| Ricky Stenhouse Jr | 1 | 2017 |
In total, 15 of the 105 (14.3%) NASCAR Cup Series races at Talladega Superspeedway have been won from the pole or first starting position; the most recent to accomplish the feat was Denny Hamlin on October 4, 2020.
But the outside front row (second place) starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (20) than any other starting position at Talladega (19.05%).
The 105 NASCAR Cup Series races at Talladega Superspeedway have also produced a total of 50 different race winners; 25 of the 50 have won multiple times at the 2.66-mile track. This weekend 10 of the 50 NASCAR Cup Series Talladega race winners are entered into the event.
Active NASCAR Cup Series Race Winners at Talladega Superspeedway
| Active Race Winners (10) | Wins | Seasons |
| Brad Keselowski | 6 | 2021, 2017, 2016. 2014, 2012, 2009 |
| Joey Logano | 3 | 2018, 2016, 2015 |
| Ryan Blaney | 2 | 2020, 2019 |
| Denny Hamlin | 2 | 2020, 2014 |
| Bubba Wallace | 1 | 2021 |
| Chase Elliott | 1 | 2019 |
| Aric Almirola | 1 | 2018 |
| Ricky Stenhouse Jr | 1 | 2017 |
| Kevin Harvick | 1 | 2010 |
| Kyle Busch | 1 | 2008 |
NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Talladega Superspeedway with 10 victories (1983, 1984, 1990 sweep, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1999 sweep, 2000). Brad Keselowski leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in wins at Talladega Superspeedway with six victories; including taking the checkered flag in this race last season (2009, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2021).
This Sunday’s GEICO 500 will be 188 laps (500 miles) in length and broken up into three stages. The first two stages will be 60 laps each and the final stage will be 68 laps.
‘Dega doesn’t disappoint
Known as one of the most competitive tracks on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule, the 2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway is the perfect stage for the wild side-by-side action NASCAR fans love and this weekend’s GEICO 500 (Sunday, April 24 at 3 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) is expected to produce just that.
Talladega Superspeedway holds the all-time record in green flag passes for the lead in a single NASCAR Cup
Series event with 219 green flag passes for the lead set on October 20, 2013.
Talladega Superspeedway also holds the all-time record in total green flag passes in a single NASCAR Cup Series event with 23,765 total green flag passes throughout the field set on October 20, 2013.
Last season, Talladega Superspeedway was the class of the field in passing. The Talladega Superspeedway NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race (October) produced 123 green flag passes for the lead; the most in a single event during the 2021 season, followed by Daytona International Speedway’s regular season finale with 121, Talladega-1 with 80, Las Vegas with 56 and the Daytona 500 with 45.
The April 2021 Talladega Superspeedway NASCAR Cup Series race produced the most total green flag passes throughout the field in a single event in 2021 with 9,738 total green flag passes; followed by Daytona-2 (9,097), Talladega-2 (8,852), Las Vegas (4,057) and Indianapolis RC (3,744).
Kings of ‘Dega & Daytona
The art of ‘Drafting’ on tracks like Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway is a skill not every driver can master, but for the ones that learn to manipulate the air to their benefit at nearly 200 mph have found the spoils of Victory Lane in some of the NASCAR Cup Series’ biggest races.
No driver has been more successful in points-paying races at both Daytona and Talladega than NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt with 13 combined victories – 10 wins at Talladega (1983, 1984, 1990 sweep, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1999 sweep, 2000) and three wins at Daytona (1990, 1993, 1998).
In total, 87 different drivers have visited Victory Lane at Daytona and Talladega in the NASCAR Cup Series. This weekend at Talladega Superspeedway, 10 active drivers have won at the 2.66-mile track and 17 have either won at Daytona or Talladega. Team Penske’s Brad Keselowski with six victories (2009, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2021) leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in Talladega wins.
Active Daytona & Talladega NASCAR Cup Series Winners
| Rank | Active Drivers | Total Wins | Daytona Wins (Season) | Talladega Wins (Season) |
| 1 | Brad Keselowski | 7 | 1 (2016) | 6 (2021, 2017, 2016, 2014, 2012, 2009) |
| 2 | Denny Hamlin | 5 | 3 (2020, 2019, 2016) | 2 (2020, 2014) |
| 3 | Joey Logano | 4 | 1 (2015) | 3 (2018, 2016, 2015) |
| 4 | Ryan Blaney | 3 | 1 (2021) | 2 (2020, 2019) |
| 5 | Kevin Harvick | 3 | 2 (2010, 2007) | 1 (2010) |
| 6 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr | 2 | 1 (2017) | 1 (2017) |
| 7 | Aric Almirola | 2 | 1 (2014) | 1 (2018) |
| 8 | Kyle Busch | 2 | 1 (2008) | 1 (2008) |
| 9 | Austin Cindric | 1 | 1 (2022) | 0 |
| 10 | Bubba Wallace | 1 | 0 | 1 (2021) |
| 11 | Michael McDowell | 1 | 1 (2021) | 0 |
| 12 | William Byron | 1 | 1 (2020) | 0 |
| 13 | Justin Haley | 1 | 1 (2019) | 0 |
| 14 | Chase Elliott | 1 | 0 | 1 (2019) |
| 15 | Austin Dillon | 1 | 1 (2018) | 0 |
| 16 | Erik Jones | 1 | 1 (2018) | 0 |
| 17 | Kurt Busch | 1 | 1 (2017) | 0 |
First-Time Winners happen at Talladega Superspeedway
23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace scored his and the organization’s first NASCAR Cup Series career win last season in the October Talladega Superspeedway race. In the process, Wallace became the 12th different driver to get his first career win at the behemoth 2.66-mile superspeedway; joining active drivers Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (2017) and Brad Keselowski (2009).
First-Time NASCAR Cup Series Winners at Talladega Superspeedway
| First-Time Race Winners (12) | Date |
| Bubba Wallace | Monday, October 4, 2021 |
| Ricky Stenhouse Jr | Sunday, May 7, 2017 |
| Brad Keselowski | Sunday, April 26, 2009 |
| Brian Vickers | Sunday, October 8, 2006 |
| Ken Schrader | Sunday, July 31, 1988 |
| Phil Parsons | Sunday, May 1, 1988 |
| Davey Allison | Sunday, May 3, 1987 |
| Bobby Hillin Jr | Sunday, July 27, 1986 |
| Ron Bouchard | Sunday, August 2, 1981 |
| Lennie Pond | Sunday, August 6, 1978 |
| Dick Brooks | Sunday, August 12, 1973 |
| Richard Brickhouse | Sunday, September 14, 1969 |
Team Penske could be the organization to beat this weekend at ‘Dega
Over the last 13 NASCAR Cup Series races at Talladega Superspeedway, no organization has been stronger than Team Penske, posting eight wins during that span (Brad Keselowski had three wins, Joey Logano had three wins and Ryan Blaney had two wins).
Looking to this weekend, Sunoco rookie Austin Cindric is the 2022 Daytona 500 champion and will be making his series track debut at Talladega. Joey Logano has made 26 series starts at Talladega posting three wins, nine top fives and 11 top 10s. And Ryan Blaney has made 15 series starts at Talladega posting two wins, three top fives and five top 10s.
Path to the top five in points has been quite different for some
Looking at the NASCAR Cup Series 2022 driver point standings following Bristol Motor Speedway Dirt, Hendrick Motorsport’s driver Chase Elliott continues to hold the standings lead by three points over Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney; followed by Joey Logano (-21), William Byron (-29) and Alex Bowman (-51).
All five drivers in the top five in points have taken quite different paths to make it to their current spot in the NASCAR Cup Series points so early in the season. Impressively, all five have earned their way into to the top five over the course of the first nine races of the season; none started the season ranked higher than sixth following Daytona.
Of the drivers currently in the NASCAR Cup Series top five of the driver standings, Hendrick Motorsport’s driver William Byron had to climb the biggest points deficit to earn his current position. Following Daytona, Byron was mired back in the points ranked 35th. Since then, Byron has rallied off two wins (Atlanta, Martinsville; series-high in 2022) scaling the standings up to as high as third, and currently resides in fourth. Looking to this weekend, Byron is looking for his second superspeedway win (Daytona, 2020). The Charlotte, North Carolina native has made eight starts at Talladega posting two top-five finishes. His average finish at Talladega is 19.5. He finished runner-up in this event last season.
Byron’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate Alex Bowman made the biggest jump in points following a single event this season of the drivers in the top five in points after he advanced 17 positions following his win at Las Vegas from 23rd to eighth. Since the victory, Bowman has been able to maintain his position and move up to fifth in the standings. This weekend at Talladega, Bowman will be looking to rebound from his performance at the 2.66-mile track last season, where he finished 38th in both races.
Points leader Chase Elliott is the only one of the five still looking for his first win of 2022. The Dawsonville, Georgia native has made 12 starts at Talladega posting one win (2019), four top fives and five top 10s.