2017 NASCAR Week 31: Talladega

Alabama 500

Talladega Superspeedway 

By Richard Tix

What to Watch For?

The Big One

• I won't be watching this because I want to see the big one, because honestly I don't watch the race for wreck. However, at Talladega it is almost a given a wreck of at least a decent size will happen. What that means at this time of the year is playoff hopes can be lost and won during this race. From start to finish it will be interesting who can get out front and stay there (the safest spot) or who falls back and rides around for 80% of the race, which doesn't always work out. 

Jamie McMurray's Run at the Next Round

• Yeah, I will be watching Jamie McMurray all day. Do I think he will win? Probably not. But he has (2009 and 2013) and can run up front on a good day. Jamie has back to back top tens and three top tens in the four playoff races so far, so basically I'm watching him to see if he can keep it going and make the last eight drivers in the playoffs. If he makes the final eight I would be surprised if he isn't the shocker of the playoffs this year (doubt Stenhouse makes it to next round). So, keep and eye on the No. 1 and what his strategy is all day long.

The Toyota's and if Someone Will "Steal" a Win

• 78, 18, 18, and 78. Obviously I don't have to tell you that's how the playoffs have started. Those two Toyota's have dominated the playoffs and much of the 2017 season. Talladega gives other drivers a new life which means some aggressive moves will be made throughout the race, including the final stage. Their is a catch, some Toyota drivers are also good at Talladega. However, everyone elses odds go up of beating the No. 78 before we head to Kansas where he will probably dominate again (led 104 laps on his way to a win at Kansas earlier this year).

**This section is just a quick look at some of Cup drivers latest finishes. This is not a tool for fantasy purposes and NBTW only is looking at end results. No deep statistic's are involved, but rather it is just a quick way to get ready for the race and get caught up on who has finished well at each track**

The Good

• Ricky Stenhouse Jr- We know this story. Stenhouse won here earlier this year after taking the pole. He also has back to back top fives and an average finish of 10.4 in eight career races.
• Brad Keselowski- This is one of BK's better tracks considering how inconsistent the nature of Dega is. He has four career wins here in 17 starts (including his first ever) and normally rides out up front.
• Joey Logano- Up and down, up and down. JoLo has won two of the last four, but also finished 25th or worse in tow of the last four...

The Middle

• Kurt Busch- Four straight top tens, five top tens in his last six, and all six were 12th or better. He has been running well at Taladega as of late, can it continue?

The Bad

• Matt Kenseth- I typically think of Kenseth as a good plate driver, but lately his luck hasn't been very good at Dega. In his last five he has zero top twenties, and in his last eight he only has one finish better then 20th (second in 2014).
• Kasey Kahne- 22.1: Kasey Kahnes average finish at Dega. It just has been a mixed bag of bad finishes for Kasey lately.
• Ryan Newman- When you think of waiting in back at Daytona and Dega you think of Newman. Ok, maybe you don't, but I do. Lately, it hasn't paid off in many top tens. He has four straight races outside the top ten at Dega.