Talladega Superspeedway tends to bring out some wild card winners, and there are plenty of wild cards to watch out for this weekend at the track. Which drivers not currently in the Playoffs can potentially steal a win at Talladega this weekend?
Aric Almirola
Aric Almirola is currently having the worst season he has ever had while at Stewart-Haas Racing, but, he is still performing his best on superspeedways. He has started in the top-5 in all five superspeedway races throughout the season, and he has led laps in every superspeedway race this season.
As far as his performance at Talladega, he got his second career win there in 2018. He also led 11 laps while starting on the front row there back in the spring. He will be a factor this weekend at Talladega, and he could steal a victory away as well.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
A Daytona 500 winner is always someone to watch out for when gearing up for a superspeedway race. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. also has a history of success at Talladega with his first career win coming there in 2017.
However, Stenhouse Jr. has not run consistently well at superspeedways in recent years. Since the start of the 2019 season, he has only three top-10 finishes in 19 Daytona/Talladega races. However, his past history and recent Daytona 500 win make him a threat.
Erik Jones
Erik Jones got his first career win at Daytona in 2018, and he continually shows up when Talladega comes around. In his last seven races at the track, Jones has six top-10s and two top-5s. He finds a way to do something that many struggle to do, stay out of trouble.
He also runs up front as he has led multiple laps in five of the last six races at the track. He runs up front and stays out of trouble, but can he finish the job? He is more motivated than ever after a disappointing finish despite a potential top-5 run at Texas last weekend.
Austin Cindric
Austin Cindric is also a Daytona 500 winner just like Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Fords always seem to qualify well at superspeedways. For some reason, Fords are always fast, and Cindric is driving a Penske Ford.
He may not be at the top of anyone’s list to win this weekend, but he cannot be counted out. Even if his finishes have not always been great at Talladega, he has run up front scoring stage points in stage one of each of the last two races at Talladega. He has the ability, and he has nothing to lose.
Michael McDowell
Again, McDowell is a Daytona 500 winner and always a threat at superspeedways. Despite a 35th-place finish in the spring, McDowell had finishes of 3rd, 17th, 8th, and 3rd in the previous four races at the track. It is also a special track for Front Row Motorsports.
It is the track where Front Row won its first race back in 2013 with David Reagan. It is a track they know they can compete and win at whenever they race there, and McDowell has the same mentality.
Will any of these drivers make a surprise trip to Victory Lane on Sunday? They all have a great chance to do it.