NASCAR Xfinity Series at Talladega
Talladega Superspeedway — October 5, 2024
Sammy Smith
Winner
98
Laps
38
Entries
11
Leaders
Sammy Smith won the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series at Talladega at Talladega Superspeedway on October 5, 2024, leading 5 of 98 laps. Ryan Sieg finished second; Riley Herbst rounded out the podium. The race featured 11 different leaders.
Race Details
Date
Saturday, October 5, 2024
Track
Season
2024
Winner
Leaders
11 drivers
| Pos | Start | +/- | Driver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 27 | +26 | Sammy Smith |
| 2 | 15 | +13 | Ryan Sieg |
| 3 | 7 | +4 | Riley Herbst |
| 4 | 4 | — | Sheldon Creed |
| 5 | 3 | -2 | Chandler Smith |
| 6 | 1 | -5 | Jesse Love |
| 7 | 16 | +9 | Jeb Burton |
| 8 | 23 | +15 | David Starr |
| 9 | 30 | +21 | Brennan Poole |
| 10 | 34 | +24 | Kyle Sieg |
| 11 | 5 | -6 | A.J. Allmendinger |
| 12 | 6 | -6 | Parker Kligerman |
| 13 | 38 | +25 | Tommy Joe Martins |
| 14 | 19 | +5 | Leland Honeyman Jr. |
| 15 | 32 | +17 | Ryan Ellis |
| 16 | 33 | +17 | Matt DiBenedetto |
| 17 | 21 | +4 | C.J. McLaughlin |
| 18 | 31 | +13 | Blaine Perkins |
| 19 | 9 | -10 | Aric Almirola |
| 20 | 22 | +2 | Dean Thompson |
| 21 | 29 | +8 | Joey Gase |
| 22 | 37 | +15 | Carson Ware |
| 23 | 2 | -21 | Austin Hill |
| 24 | 36 | +12 | Dylan Lupton |
| 25 | 14 | -11 | Justin Allgaier |
| 26 | 10 | -16 | Cole Custer |
| 27 | 18 | -9 | Carson Kvapil |
| 28 | 20 | -8 | Brandon Jones |
| 29 | 13 | -16 | Anthony Alfredo |
| 30 | 24 | -6 | Parker Retzlaff |
| 31 | 35 | +4 | Kyle Weatherman |
| 32 | 11 | -21 | Taylor Gray |
| 33 | 26 | -7 | Jordan Anderson |
| 34 | 17 | -17 | Josh Williams |
| 35 | 8 | -27 | Shane van Gisbergen |
| 36 | 28 | -8 | Jeremy Clements |
| 37 | 25 | -12 | Nick Leitz |
| 38 | 12 | -26 | Sam Mayer |
Model Performance
How well did the NR-Rating model predict this race? Across 11 matched drivers, the model averaged 9.4 positions off — worse than the season average of 8.5. Below Average
| Pos | Driver | Predicted | Actual | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Riley Herbst | 23.7 | 3 | +20.7 |
| 6 | Jesse Love | 23.3 | 6 | +17.3 |
| 8 | David Starr | 21.1 | 8 | +13.1 |
| 9 | Brennan Poole | 25.2 | 9 | +16.2 |
| 11 | A.J. Allmendinger | 20.1 | 11 | +9.1 |
| 21 | Joey Gase | 23.7 | 21 | +2.7 |
| 23 | Austin Hill | 24.0 | 23 | +1.0 |
| 25 | Justin Allgaier | 21.1 | 25 | -3.9 |
| 26 | Cole Custer | 23.4 | 26 | -2.6 |
| 29 | Anthony Alfredo | 23.7 | 29 | -5.3 |
| 35 | Shane van Gisbergen | 23.4 | 35 | -11.6 |
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
- Sammy Smith: has 6 career starts at Talladega Superspeedway with a 16.5 avg finish (1 win) — the model may have underweighted this track history.
- A.J. Allmendinger: was the model’s top pick based on 32 career starts at Talladega Superspeedway with a 19.8 avg finish (1 win), finishing P11 on the day.
- Riley Herbst: was the biggest surprise, finishing P3 vs predicted P24. Track history: 15 starts, 17.3 avg finish.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series at Talladega?
Sammy Smith won the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series at Talladega at Talladega Superspeedway.
Where was the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series at Talladega held?
The 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series at Talladega was held at Talladega Superspeedway on October 5, 2024.