Alabama 500
Talladega Superspeedway, October 15, 2017
Brad Keselowski
Winner
188
Laps
40
Entries
16
Leaders
Brad Keselowski won the 2017 Alabama 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 15, 2017, leading 7 of 188 laps. Ryan Newman finished second; Trevor Bayne rounded out the podium. The race featured 16 different leaders.
Race Details
Date
Sunday, October 15, 2017
Track
Season
2017
Winner
Leaders
16 drivers
| Pos | Start | +/- | Driver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | +5 | Brad Keselowski |
| 2 | 27 | +25 | Ryan Newman |
| 3 | 10 | +7 | Trevor Bayne |
| 4 | 3 | -1 | Joey Logano |
| 5 | 26 | +21 | Aric Almirola |
| 6 | 15 | +9 | Denny Hamlin |
| 7 | 1 | -6 | Dale Earnhardt, Jr. |
| 8 | 11 | +3 | Kasey Kahne |
| 9 | 39 | +30 | Gray Gaulding |
| 10 | 33 | +23 | David Ragan |
| 11 | 25 | +14 | Ty Dillon |
| 12 | 20 | +8 | Paul Menard |
| 13 | 12 | -1 | Kyle Larson |
| 14 | 19 | +5 | Matt Kenseth |
| 15 | 14 | -1 | Daniel Suarez |
| 16 | 2 | -14 | Chase Elliott |
| 17 | 28 | +11 | Chris Buescher |
| 18 | 9 | -9 | Ryan Blaney |
| 19 | 35 | +16 | Brendan Gaughan |
| 20 | 22 | +2 | Kevin Harvick |
| 21 | 13 | -8 | Danica Patrick |
| 22 | 24 | +2 | A.J. Allmendinger |
| 23 | 21 | -2 | Martin Truex, Jr. |
| 24 | 8 | -16 | Jimmie Johnson |
| 25 | 4 | -21 | Kurt Busch |
| 26 | 5 | -21 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. |
| 27 | 16 | -11 | Kyle Busch |
| 28 | 30 | +2 | Landon Cassill |
| 29 | 18 | -11 | Austin Dillon |
| 30 | 29 | -1 | Michael McDowell |
| 31 | 32 | +1 | Matt DiBenedetto |
| 32 | 37 | +5 | Joey Gase |
| 33 | 40 | +7 | D.J. Kennington |
| 34 | 38 | +4 | Cole Whitt |
| 35 | 7 | -28 | Clint Bowyer |
| 36 | 23 | -13 | Erik Jones |
| 37 | 17 | -20 | Jamie McMurray |
| 38 | 34 | -4 | Jeffrey Earnhardt |
| 39 | 36 | -3 | Mark Thompson |
| 40 | 31 | -9 | Justin Marks |
Model Performance
How well did the NR-Rating model predict this race? Across 17 matched drivers, the model averaged 8.0 positions off — close to the season average of 8.5. Average
| Pos | Driver | Predicted | Actual | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brad Keselowski | 18.5 | 1 | +17.5 |
| 4 | Joey Logano | 18.5 | 4 | +14.5 |
| 6 | Denny Hamlin | 15.1 | 6 | +9.1 |
| 11 | Ty Dillon | 22.9 | 11 | +11.9 |
| 13 | Kyle Larson | 20.1 | 13 | +7.1 |
| 15 | Daniel Suarez | 15.1 | 15 | +0.1 |
| 16 | Chase Elliott | 13.6 | 16 | -2.4 |
| 17 | Chris Buescher | 13.6 | 17 | -3.4 |
| 18 | Ryan Blaney | 10.4 | 18 | -7.6 |
| 22 | A.J. Allmendinger | 22.9 | 22 | +0.9 |
| 23 | Martin Truex, Jr. | 20.5 | 23 | -2.5 |
| 24 | Jimmie Johnson | 20.0 | 24 | -4.0 |
| 26 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 18.5 | 26 | -7.5 |
| 29 | Austin Dillon | 21.1 | 29 | -7.9 |
| 30 | Michael McDowell | 19.2 | 30 | -10.8 |
| 32 | Joey Gase | 23.7 | 32 | -8.3 |
| 36 | Erik Jones | 16.0 | 36 | -20.0 |
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
- Brad Keselowski: has 38 career starts at Talladega Superspeedway with a 16.0 avg finish (6 wins) — the model may have underweighted this track history.
- Ryan Blaney: was the model’s top pick based on 28 career starts at Talladega Superspeedway with a 17.3 avg finish (3 wins), finishing P18 on the day.
Explore More
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the 2017 Alabama 500?
Brad Keselowski won the 2017 Alabama 500 at Talladega Superspeedway driving for Team Penske.
Where was the 2017 Alabama 500 held?
The 2017 Alabama 500 was held at Talladega Superspeedway on October 15, 2017.