Coca-Cola 250
Talladega Superspeedway — January 1, 2011
Mike Wallace
Winner
94
Laps
36
Entries
9
Leaders
Mike Wallace won the 2011 Coca-Cola 250 at Talladega Superspeedway on January 1, 2011, leading 54 of 94 laps. Ron Hornaday Jr. finished second; James Buescher rounded out the podium. The race featured 9 different leaders.
Race Details
Date
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Track
Season
2011
Winner
Leaders
9 drivers
| Pos | Start | +/- | Driver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | +5 | Mike Wallace |
| 2 | 5 | +3 | Ron Hornaday Jr. |
| 3 | 1 | -2 | James Buescher |
| 4 | 4 | — | Ricky Carmichael |
| 5 | 19 | +14 | Jason A. White (Virginia) |
| 6 | 25 | +19 | Todd Bodine |
| 7 | 3 | -4 | Austin Dillon |
| 8 | 29 | +21 | Brendan Gaughan |
| 9 | 17 | +8 | Kyle Busch |
| 10 | 23 | +13 | Max Papis |
| 11 | 16 | +5 | Justin Lofton |
| 12 | 18 | +6 | Grant Enfinger |
| 13 | 22 | +9 | Josh Richards |
| 14 | 10 | -4 | Cole Whitt |
| 15 | 20 | +5 | Johnny Sauter |
| 16 | 8 | -8 | Johanna Long |
| 17 | 27 | +10 | Dakoda Armstrong |
| 18 | 24 | +6 | Miguel Paludo |
| 19 | 11 | -8 | Blake Feese |
| 20 | 7 | -13 | Joey Coulter |
| 21 | 26 | +5 | Ryan Sieg |
| 22 | 30 | +8 | Ryan Hackett |
| 23 | 15 | -8 | Timothy Peters |
| 24 | 32 | +8 | Wes Burton |
| 25 | 14 | -11 | Chris Fontaine |
| 26 | 2 | -24 | Nelson Piquet Jr. |
| 27 | 35 | +8 | B.J. McLeod |
| 28 | 9 | -19 | Parker Kligerman |
| 29 | 36 | +7 | Jamie Dick |
| 30 | 13 | -17 | David Starr |
| 31 | 12 | -19 | Matt Crafton |
| 32 | 31 | -1 | Donnie Neuenberger |
| 33 | 34 | +1 | Butch Miller |
| 34 | 28 | -6 | Jeffrey Earnhardt |
| 35 | 21 | -14 | Patrick Sheltra |
| 36 | 33 | -3 | J.J. Yeley |
Model Performance
How well did the NR-Rating model predict this race? Across 5 matched drivers, the model averaged 8.7 positions off — close to the season average of 8.5. Average
| Pos | Driver | Predicted | Actual | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Austin Dillon | 23.4 | 7 | +16.4 |
| 9 | Kyle Busch | 15.1 | 9 | +6.1 |
| 27 | B.J. McLeod | 25.5 | 27 | -1.5 |
| 30 | David Starr | 21.1 | 30 | -8.9 |
| 36 | J.J. Yeley | 25.2 | 36 | -10.8 |
Predicted finish from NR-Rating model. Delta = predicted − actual (positive = driver beat prediction). Confidence: High Confidence = low variance (stdDev ≤ 9), Moderate = medium variance, Coinflip = high variance.
Historical Context
- Mike Wallace: has 38 career starts at Talladega Superspeedway with a 21.8 avg finish (1 win) — the model may have underweighted this track history.
- Kyle Busch: was the model’s top pick based on 54 career starts at Talladega Superspeedway with a 18.1 avg finish (4 wins), finishing P9 on the day.
- Austin Dillon: was the biggest surprise, finishing P7 vs predicted P23. Track history: 28 starts, 14.7 avg finish.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the 2011 Coca-Cola 250?
Mike Wallace won the 2011 Coca-Cola 250 at Talladega Superspeedway driving for Kevin Harvick Inc..
Where was the 2011 Coca-Cola 250 held?
The 2011 Coca-Cola 250 was held at Talladega Superspeedway on January 1, 2011.