What’s Happening?

All three NASCAR National Series regroup for the final superspeedway race of the 2025 NASCAR season for Talladega Superspeedway’s first Round of Eight Playoff race weekend.

• Talladega Superspeedway is NASCAR’s second-oldest superspeedway and one of three drafting or “pack racing” tracks on the NASCAR schedule. Since 1969, the 2.66-mile oval has produced chaotic finishes, unlikely winners, and iconic winners in the heart of the Gulf Coast.
• Talladega first hosted the NASCAR Cup Series in 1969, a race in which Richard Brickhouse brought home what would be his only career win in a race marred by outside storylines. The track would not host a NASCAR Xfinity Series event until over 20 years later, in 1992, and a Craftsman Truck Series event until 2006.
• This year, the track hosts its 21st consecutive chase/playoff race. But, unlike past seasons, the track will host a race in the Round of Eight, after hosting a Round of 12 Race since the current playoff format was introduced in 2014.

Weekend TV Schedule (All Times EST*)

Friday, October 17: Truck Series Qualifying | Truck Series Race

• 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM — Truck Series Qualifying on FS2
• 4:00 PM – Truck Series NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Love’s RV Stop 225 FOX [TV] & NRN [Radio]

Saturday, October 18: Xfinity Series Qualifying | Cup Series Qualifying | Xfinity Series Race

• 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM — Xfinity Series Qualifying on the CW App
• 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM — Cup Series Qualifying on TruTV and HBO Max
• 4:00 PM – Xfinity Series United Rentals 250 on the CW [TV] & MRN [Radio]

Sunday, October 19: Cup Series Race

• 2:00 PM — Cup Series YellaWood 500 on NBC [TV] & MRN [Radio]

*Talladega is in the Central Timezone

Race Facts: Talladega Superspeedway

Track Facts: Talladega Superspeedway

• Year Opened: 1968
• Length: 2.66 Miles
• Banking: 33°
• Surface: Asphalt
• Rain Tires: No
• Lights: No

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Love’s RV Stop 225 on FOX:

• Race Length: 85 Laps (226.1 Miles)
• Stages: 20 Lap Stage One, 20 Lap Stage Two, 45 Lap Final Stage
• Most Recent Race Winner: Grant Enfinger

United Rentals 250 on The CW:

• Race Length: 94 Laps (250.04 Miles)
• Stages: 25 Lap Stage One, 25 Lap Stage Two, 44 Lap Final Stage
• Most Recent Race Winner: Sammy Smith

YellaWood 500 on NBC:

• Race Length: 188 Laps (500.08 Miles)
• Stages: 60 Lap Stage One, 60 Lap Stage Two, 68 Lap Final Stage

2024 YellaWood 500 Race Results:

• First: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. — No. 47
• Second: Brad Keselowski — No. 6
• Third: William Byron — No. 24
• Fourth: Kyle Larson — No. 5
• Fifth: Erik Jones — No. 43

Top Storylines of the Weekend

• Talladega is a track known for its chaos, and in the playoffs, this is no different. Throughout the playoff era, the eventual champion has only won the race once. Last season, the playoff race was fruitless for all playoff drivers, with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. winning a race that saw a record-breaking 28-car accident consume a large portion of the field.
• This past weekend, fans wondered if Team Penske’s Joey Logano would once again pull off an unlikely victory and lock himself into the Championship Four. Ultimately, he did not do so, and his fellow Penske playoff driver, Ryan Blaney, finished in last place. Now, these next two races seem like a must-win for these Ford drivers, and, as a Penske car has won two of the three superspeedway races this season, this couldn’t have come up at a better place.
• Following their dominant performance at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, leading 184 of 267, Hendrick Motorsports drivers were left with nothing to show after two late cautions. Now, only one HMS driver sits above the cutline, Kyle Larson, who sits in second, surrounded by all three Joe Gibbs Racing Playoff drivers.

Entry Lists

Cup Series

Unchartered and Notable Entries:

• #4 – Noah Gragson
• #23 – Bubba Wallace
• #33 – Austin Hill
• #34 – Todd Gilliland
• #35 – Riley Herbst
• #38 – Zane Smith
• #45 – Tyler Reddick
• #62 Anthony Alfredo
• #66 – Casey Mears
• #78 – B.J. McLeod

Xfinity Series

Notable Entries:

• #5 – Caesar Bacarella
• #07 – Nick Leitz
• #11 – Brenden Queen
• #14 – Garrett Smithley
• #19 – Aric Almirola
• #35 – David Starr
• #91 – Mason Maggio
• #99 – Connor Mosack

Truck Series

Notable Entries:

• #1 – Bret Holmes
• #7 – J.J. Yeley
• #16 – Kris Wright
• #33 – Frankie Muniz
• #35 – Greg Van Alst
• #69 – Tyler Tomassi
• #74 – Caleb Costner
• #75 – Parker Kligerman

Note: This article will be updated as more information about the weekend comes out.