GEICO 500
Talladega Superspeedway
By Richard Tix
NASCAR leaves the short track racing being this weekend in turn for the second plate track on the 2015 season. This week NASCAR will go to Talladega Superspeedway and will test out the new rules to qualifying. No more group qualifying at plate tracks so lets see how it works and how fans react.
Just like short tracks and road courses, plate tracks open up the chance of an underdog winning. Not only is that exciting as just a simple race fan who likes to see some diversity in who wins week to week, but it also plays a huge factor in NASCAR playoff system, the Chase.
So, will someone steal a Chase spot by winning at Dega? Last season Aric Almirola stole a spot by winning a rain shortened Daytona in June (Firecracker 500), so it could happen again.
Just like short tracks and road courses, plate tracks open up the chance of an underdog winning. Not only is that exciting as just a simple race fan who likes to see some diversity in who wins week to week, but it also plays a huge factor in NASCAR playoff system, the Chase.
So, will someone steal a Chase spot by winning at Dega? Last season Aric Almirola stole a spot by winning a rain shortened Daytona in June (Firecracker 500), so it could happen again.
The Good
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr- Stenhouses three finishes at Dega in his career are 13th, 3rd, and 10th. Not a bad way to start out your Cup career. Now, what we know about Dega is that bad luck is bound to catch up to any driver, but right now he is on a Dega hot streak.
- Clint Bowyer- Not many drivers are coming into this race with 3 straight top 10's at Dega. Well Bowyer is and he also has 2 wins, 6 top 5's, and 10 top 10's in 18 try's. As of late, he is as consistent as they come.
- Brad Keselowski- BK's first career win was at Dega in his first Talladega attempt. Since then he has won two more times including last year during the Chase when he dramatically used the win to get to the next round. He also finished 38th in the Spring, so take that into consideration.
The Middle
- Jimmie Johnson- JJ isn't know to be as dominate on superspeedways as he is on 1.5's but he has won twice at Dega. In his last 7 he only has one top 10's, 2 top 15's, and 3 top 20's. But he also has his far share of top 10's during his career. With Dega it's a tough judgement on how the outcome will go.
The Bad
- AJ Allmendinger- In 10 starts he has one top 5 and and average finish of 23.4. In that time he has only one top 10 to add to that less than stellar average.
- Aric Almirola- 10 starts and only one top 10 for Aric. It's crazy because he won at Daytona last year (rain shortened) but he doesn't seem to always get the luck. In those 10 starts he does have 6 top 20's so he isn't always finishing terribly, just not great eaither.
- Kasey Kahne- In 22 starts Kahne only has 5 top 10's at Talladega. As it's been stated above, superspeedways are a crap shoot so take these categories with a grain of salt. In his last 5 he has 1 top 10 and 3 top 15's.
Check out the NASCAR Behind the Wall article: The Big One
- A look at some NASCAR videos of some past "big ones" at Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega
Superspeedway
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Race
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Date
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Cars
|
Winner(s)
|
St
|
Car
|
1969-44
|
9/14/1969
|
36
|
Richard Brickhouse
|
9
|
'69 Dodge
|
1970-10
|
4/12/1970
|
40
|
Pete Hamilton
|
6
|
'70 Plymouth
|
1970-35
|
8/23/1970
|
50
|
Pete Hamilton
|
4
|
'70 Plymouth
|
1971-18
|
5/16/1971
|
50
|
Donnie Allison
|
1
|
'69 Mercury
|
1971-37
|
8/22/1971
|
50
|
Bobby Allison
|
2
|
'69 Mercury
|
1972-11
|
5/7/1972
|
50
|
David Pearson
|
2
|
'71 Mercury
|
1972-21
|
8/6/1972
|
50
|
James Hylton
|
22
|
'71 Mercury
|
1973-10
|
5/6/1973
|
60
|
David Pearson
|
2
|
'71 Mercury
|
1973-20
|
8/12/1973
|
50
|
Dick Brooks
|
24
|
'72 Plymouth
|
1974-10
|
5/5/1974
|
50
|
David Pearson
|
1
|
'73 Mercury
|
1974-21
|
8/11/1974
|
48
|
Richard Petty
|
3
|
'74 Dodge
|
1975-10
|
5/4/1975
|
50
|
Buddy Baker
|
1
|
'75 Ford
|
1975-19
|
8/17/1975
|
50
|
Buddy Baker
|
2
|
'73 Ford
|
1976-10
|
5/2/1976
|
40
|
Buddy Baker
|
12
|
Ford
|
1976-19
|
8/8/1976
|
40
|
Dave Marcis
|
1
|
Dodge
|
1977-10
|
5/1/1977
|
41
|
Darrell Waltrip
|
11
|
Chevrolet
|
1977-19
|
8/7/1977
|
40
|
Donnie Allison
|
2
|
Chevrolet
|
1978-10
|
5/14/1978
|
41
|
Cale Yarborough
|
1
|
Oldsmobile
|
1978-19
|
8/6/1978
|
41
|
Lennie Pond
|
5
|
Oldsmobile
|
1979-10
|
5/6/1979
|
39
|
Bobby Allison
|
12
|
Ford
|
1979-20
|
8/5/1979
|
41
|
Darrell Waltrip
|
8
|
Oldsmobile
|
1980-10
|
5/4/1980
|
42
|
Buddy Baker
|
2
|
Oldsmobile
|
1980-20
|
8/3/1980
|
41
|
Neil Bonnett
|
2
|
Mercury
|
1981-10
|
5/3/1981
|
40
|
Bobby Allison
|
1
|
Buick
|
1981-20
|
8/2/1981
|
42
|
Ron Bouchard
|
10
|
Buick
|
1982-09
|
5/2/1982
|
40
|
Darrell Waltrip
|
2
|
Buick
|
1982-19
|
8/1/1982
|
40
|
Darrell Waltrip
|
2
|
Buick
|
1983-08
|
5/1/1983
|
42
|
Richard Petty
|
15
|
Pontiac
|
1983-19
|
7/31/1983
|
40
|
Dale Earnhardt
|
4
|
Ford
|
1984-09
|
5/6/1984
|
40
|
Cale Yarborough
|
1
|
Chevrolet
|
1984-19
|
7/29/1984
|
40
|
Dale Earnhardt
|
3
|
Chevrolet
|
1985-09
|
5/5/1985
|
39
|
Bill Elliott
|
1
|
Ford
|
1985-17
|
7/28/1985
|
42
|
Cale Yarborough
|
2
|
Ford
|
1986-09
|
5/4/1986
|
42
|
Bobby Allison
|
2
|
Buick
|
1986-17
|
7/27/1986
|
40
|
Bobby Hillin, Jr.
|
13
|
Buick
|
1987-09
|
5/3/1987
|
41
|
Davey Allison
|
3
|
Ford
|
1987-17
|
7/26/1987
|
40
|
Bill Elliott
|
1
|
Ford
|
1988-09
|
5/1/1988
|
41
|
Phil Parsons
|
3
|
Oldsmobile
|
1988-17
|
7/31/1988
|
42
|
Ken Schrader
|
7
|
Chevrolet
|
1989-09
|
5/7/1989
|
41
|
Davey Allison
|
2
|
Ford
|
1989-17
|
7/30/1989
|
41
|
Terry Labonte
|
5
|
Ford
|
1990-09
|
5/6/1990
|
40
|
Dale Earnhardt
|
5
|
Chevrolet
|
1990-17
|
7/29/1990
|
42
|
Dale Earnhardt
|
1
|
Chevrolet
|
1991-09
|
5/6/1991
|
41
|
Harry Gant
|
2
|
Oldsmobile
|
1991-17
|
7/28/1991
|
41
|
Dale Earnhardt
|
4
|
Chevrolet
|
1992-09
|
5/3/1992
|
40
|
Davey Allison
|
2
|
Ford
|
1992-17
|
7/26/1992
|
40
|
Ernie Irvan
|
7
|
Chevrolet
|
1993-09
|
5/2/1993
|
41
|
Ernie Irvan
|
16
|
Chevrolet
|
1993-18
|
7/25/1993
|
42
|
Dale Earnhardt
|
11
|
Chevrolet
|
1994-09
|
5/1/1994
|
42
|
Dale Earnhardt
|
4
|
Chevrolet
|
1994-18
|
7/24/1994
|
42
|
Jimmy Spencer
|
2
|
Ford
|
1995-09
|
4/30/1995
|
42
|
Mark Martin
|
3
|
Ford
|
1995-18
|
7/23/1995
|
43
|
Sterling Marlin
|
1
|
Chevrolet
|
1996-09
|
4/28/1996
|
43
|
Sterling Marlin
|
4
|
Chevrolet
|
1996-18
|
7/28/1996
|
42
|
Jeff Gordon
|
2
|
Chevrolet
|
1997-10
|
5/10/1997
|
43
|
Mark Martin
|
18
|
Ford
|
1997-29
|
10/12/1997
|
42
|
Terry Labonte
|
6
|
Chevrolet
|
1998-09
|
4/26/1998
|
43
|
Bobby Labonte
|
1
|
Pontiac
|
1998-29
|
10/11/1998
|
43
|
Dale Jarrett
|
3
|
Ford
|
1999-09
|
4/25/1999
|
43
|
Dale Earnhardt
|
17
|
Chevrolet
|
1999-30
|
10/17/1999
|
43
|
Dale Earnhardt
|
27
|
Chevrolet
|
2000-09
|
4/16/2000
|
43
|
Jeff Gordon
|
36
|
Chevrolet
|
2000-30
|
10/15/2000
|
43
|
Dale Earnhardt
|
20
|
Chevrolet
|
2001-09
|
4/22/2001
|
43
|
Bobby Hamilton
|
14
|
Chevrolet
|
2001-31
|
10/21/2001
|
43
|
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
|
6
|
Chevrolet
|
2002-09
|
4/21/2002
|
43
|
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
|
4
|
Chevrolet
|
2002-30
|
10/6/2002
|
43
|
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
|
13
|
Chevrolet
|
2003-08
|
4/6/2003
|
43
|
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
|
13
|
Chevrolet
|
2003-29
|
9/28/2003
|
43
|
Michael Waltrip
|
18
|
Chevrolet
|
2004-09
|
4/25/2004
|
43
|
Jeff Gordon
|
11
|
Chevrolet
|
2004-29
|
10/3/2004
|
43
|
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
|
10
|
Chevrolet
|
2005-09
|
5/1/2005
|
43
|
Jeff Gordon
|
2
|
Chevrolet
|
2005-29
|
10/2/2005
|
43
|
Dale Jarrett
|
2
|
Ford
|
2006-09
|
5/1/2006
|
43
|
Jimmie Johnson
|
16
|
Chevrolet
|
2006-30
|
10/8/2006
|
43
|
Brian Vickers
|
9
|
Chevrolet
|
2007-09
|
4/29/2007
|
43
|
Jeff Gordon
|
1
|
Chevrolet
|
2007-30
|
10/7/2007
|
43
|
Jeff Gordon
|
34
|
Chevrolet
|
2008-09
|
4/27/2008
|
43
|
Kyle Busch
|
5
|
Toyota
|
2008-30
|
10/5/2008
|
43
|
Tony Stewart
|
34
|
Toyota
|
2009-09
|
4/26/2009
|
43
|
Brad Keselowski
|
9
|
Chevrolet
|
2009-33
|
11/1/2009
|
43
|
Jamie McMurray
|
22
|
Ford
|
2010-09
|
4/25/2010
|
43
|
Kevin Harvick
|
4
|
Chevrolet
|
2010-33
|
10/31/2010
|
43
|
Clint Bowyer
|
2
|
Chevrolet
|
2011-08
|
4/17/2011
|
43
|
Jimmie Johnson
|
2
|
Chevrolet
|
2011-32
|
10/23/2011
|
43
|
Clint Bowyer
|
3
|
Chevrolet
|
2012-10
|
5/6/2012
|
43
|
Brad Keselowski
|
13
|
Dodge
|
2012-30
|
10/7/2012
|
43
|
Matt Kenseth
|
15
|
Ford
|
2013-10
|
5/5/2013
|
43
|
David Ragan
|
19
|
Ford
|
2013-32
|
10/20/2013
|
43
|
Jamie McMurray
|
9
|
Chevrolet
|
2014-10
|
5/4/2014
|
43
|
Denny Hamlin
|
34
|
Toyota
|
2014-32
|
10/19/2014
|
43
|
Brad Keselowski
|
5
|
Ford
|
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