Talladega Superspeedway

Talladega, AL, USA

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Talladega Superspeedway track map
113
Total Races
58
Years Active
2.66 mi
Track Length
Track Information Superspeedway asphalt
First Race
1969
Last Race
2026
Total Races
113
Years Active
58
Length
2.66 mi
Type
superspeedway
Surface
asphalt
Seating
80,000

Track History

Talladega Superspeedway is the biggest, fastest, and most terrifying track in NASCAR. At 2.66 miles with 33-degree banking, this Alabama behemoth was built in 1969 by Bill France Sr. to push the boundaries of speed, and it has been delivering on that promise with breathtaking consistency ever since. The first race was so contentious that most top drivers boycotted over safety concerns — a harbinger of the tension between ambition and self-preservation that defines every Talladega race to this day. Pack racing here is pure controlled chaos, with 40 cars running inches apart at 200 mph, the draft binding them together in a volatile mass where one wrong move triggers The Big One. Underdogs win at Talladega with stunning regularity because the draft is the great equalizer, erasing the advantages that bigger teams engineer at every other track. Strategy becomes secondary to survival and positioning, and the final five laps of a Talladega race are the most unpredictable moments in all of motorsports. The fall race at Talladega arrives during the Chase, adding championship pressure to an already combustible mix of speed and uncertainty.

Written by Richard R. Glover, NASCAR Reference

Cup Upcoming Races at Talladega Superspeedway
Date Race TV
Oct 25 Yellawood 500 NBC

Top Drivers at Talladega Superspeedway

Dale Earnhardt leads all drivers at Talladega Superspeedway with 11 wins across 47 starts.

All-time stats across Cup, O'Reilly & Trucks (min 3 starts)

Driver Races Wins Avg Finish
Dale Earnhardt 47 11 11.8
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. 33 6 14.1
Brad Keselowski 37 6 16.2
Jeff Gordon 47 6 16.8
Joey Logano 42 5 18

Race Winners (1969-2026)

Talladega Superspeedway has crowned 86 different Cup Series winners since 1969.

Year Race Winner
2026 Jack Link's 500 Carson Hocevar
2026 Ag-Pro 300 Corey Day
2025 Jack Link's 500 Austin Cindric
2025 YellaWood 500 Chase Briscoe
2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series at Talladega Austin Hill
2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series at Talladega Austin Hill
2025 NASCAR Truck Series at Talladega Giovanni Ruggiero
2024 YellaWood 500 Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
2024 GEICO 500 Tyler Reddick
2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series at Talladega Jesse Love
2024 NASCAR Truck Series at Talladega Grant Enfinger
2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series at Talladega Sammy Smith
2023 GEICO 500 Kyle Busch
2023 YellaWood 500 Ryan Blaney
2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series at Talladega Jeb Burton
2023 NASCAR Truck Series at Talladega Brett Moffitt
2022 YellaWood 500 Chase Elliott
2022 GEICO 500 Ross Chastain
2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series at Talladega Noah Gragson
2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series at Talladega A.J. Allmendinger
2022 NASCAR Truck Series at Talladega Matt DiBenedetto
2021 GEICO 500 Brad Keselowski
2021 YellaWood 500 Bubba Wallace
2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series at Talladega Jeb Burton
2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series at Talladega Brandon Brown
2021 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Talladega Tate Fogleman
2020 YellaWood 500 Denny Hamlin
2020 GEICO 500 Ryan Blaney
2020 NASCAR XFINITY SERIES AT TALLADEGA Justin Haley
2020 NASCAR XFINITY SERIES AT TALLADEGA Justin Haley
2020 NASCAR GANDER RV & OUTDOORS TRUCK SERIES AT TALLADEGA Raphael Lessard
2019 GEICO 500 Chase Elliott
2019 NASCAR XFINITY SERIES AT TALLADEGA Tyler Reddick
2019 1000Bulbs.com 500 Ryan Blaney
2019 Sugarlands Shine 250 Spencer Boyd
2018 GEICO 500 Joey Logano
2018 1000Bulbs.com 500 Aric Almirola
2018 NASCAR XFINITY SERIES AT TALLADEGA Spencer Gallagher
2018 Fr8Auctions 250 Timothy Peters
2017 GEICO 500 Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
2017 Alabama 500 Brad Keselowski
2017 NASCAR XFINITY SERIES AT TALLADEGA Aric Almirola
2017 fred's 250 powered by Coca-Cola Parker Kligerman
2016 NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES AT TALLADEGA Brad Keselowski
2016 NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES AT TALLADEGA Joey Logano
2016 fred's 250 Powered by Coca-Cola Grant Enfinger
2016 NASCAR XFINITY SERIES AT TALLADEGA Elliott Sadler
2015 NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES AT TALLADEGA Joey Logano
2015 NASCAR XFINITY SERIES AT TALLADEGA Joey Logano
2015 NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES AT TALLADEGA Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
2015 fred's 250 presented by Coca-Cola Timothy Peters
2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Talladega Denny Hamlin
2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Talladega Brad Keselowski
2014 NNS at Talladega Pres. By Victory MotorCycles Elliott Sadler
2014 Fred's 250 Timothy Peters
2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Talladega David Ragan
2013 NNS at Talladega Pres. By Victory MotorCycles Regan Smith
2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Talladega Jamie McMurray
2013 Fred's 250 powered by Coca-Cola Johnny Sauter
2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Talladega Brad Keselowski
2012 NNS at Talladega Pres. By Victory MotorCycles Joey Logano
2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Talladega Matt Kenseth
2012 Fred's 250 Powered By Coca-Cola Parker Kligerman
2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Talladega Jimmie Johnson
2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Talladega Clint Bowyer
2011 Coca-Cola 250 Mike Wallace
2010 Mountain Dew 250 Kyle Busch
2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Talladega Kevin Harvick
2010 AMP Energy Juice 500 at Talladega Clint Bowyer
2009 Mountain Dew 250 Kyle Busch
2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Talladega Brad Keselowski
2009 Aaron's 312 at Talladega David Ragan
2009 AMP Energy Juice 500 at Talladega Jamie McMurray
2008 Aaron's 499 at Talladega Kyle Busch
2008 AMP Energy 500 at Talladega Tony Stewart
2008 Aaron's 312 Tony Stewart
2008 Mountain Dew 250 presented by Winn-Dixie Todd Bodine
2007 Aaron's 312 Bobby Labonte
2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series at Talladega Jeff Gordon
2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series at Talladega Jeff Gordon
2007 Mountain Dew 250 Todd Bodine
2006 Aaron's 499 Jimmie Johnson
2006 UAW-Ford 500 Brian Vickers
2006 John Deere 250 Mark Martin
2006 Aaron's 312 Martin Truex Jr.
2005 Aaron's 499 Jeff Gordon
2005 UAW-Ford 500 Dale Jarrett
2005 Aaron's 312 Martin Truex Jr.
2004 EA Sports 500 Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
2004 Aaron's 499 Jeff Gordon
2004 Aaron's 312 Martin Truex Jr.
2003 Aaron's 499 Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
2003 EA Sports 500 Michael Waltrip
2003 Aaron's 312 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2002 Aaron's 499 Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
2002 EA Sports Thunder 500 Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
2002 Aaron's 312 at Talladega Jason Keller
2001 EA Sports 500 Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
2001 Talladega 500 Bobby Hamilton
2001 NASCAR Subway 300 Mike McLaughlin
2000 Diehard 500 Jeff Gordon
2000 Touchstone Energy 300 Joe Nemechek
2000 Winston 500 Dale Earnhardt
1999 Touchstone Energy 300 Terry Labonte
1999 Diehard 500 Dale Earnhardt
1999 Winston 500 Dale Earnhardt
1998 Diehard 500 Bobby Labonte
1998 Touchstone Energy 300 Joe Nemechek
1998 Winston 500 Dale Jarrett
1997 Diehard 500 Terry Labonte
1997 Winston Select 500 Mark Martin
1997 Birmingham Auto Dealers/Easy Care 500K Mark Martin
1996 Diehard 500 Jeff Gordon
1996 Winston Select 500 Sterling Marlin
1996 Humminbird Fishfinder 500K Greg Sacks
1995 Winston Select 500 Mark Martin
1995 Diehard 500 Sterling Marlin
1995 Humminbird Fishfinder 500K Chad Little
1994 Fram Filter 500K Ken Schrader
1994 DieHard 500 Jimmy Spencer
1994 Winston Select 500 Dale Earnhardt
1993 DieHard 500 Dale Earnhardt
1993 Fram Filter 500K Dale Earnhardt
1993 Winston 500 Ernie Irvan
1992 DieHard 500 Ernie Irvan
1992 Fram Filter 500K Ernie Irvan
1992 Winston 500 Davey Allison
1991 DieHard 500 Dale Earnhardt
1991 Winston 500 Harry Gant
1990 Winston 500 Dale Earnhardt
1990 DieHard 500 Dale Earnhardt
1989 DieHard 500 Terry Labonte
1989 Winston 500 Davey Allison
1988 Talladega DieHard 500 Ken Schrader
1988 Winston 500 Phil Parsons
1987 Talladega 500 Bill Elliott
1987 Winston 500 Davey Allison
1986 Talladega 500 Bobby Hillin Jr.
1986 Winston 500 Bobby Allison
1985 Winston 500 Bill Elliott
1985 Talladega 500 Cale Yarborough
1984 Talladega 500 Dale Earnhardt
1984 Winston 500 Cale Yarborough
1983 Talladega 500 Dale Earnhardt
1983 Winston 500 Richard Petty
1982 Winston 500 Darrell Waltrip
1982 Talladega 500 Darrell Waltrip
1981 Winston 500 Bobby Allison
1981 Talladega 500 Ron Bouchard
1980 Talladega 500 Neil Bonnett
1980 Winston 500 Buddy Baker
1979 Talladega 500 Darrell Waltrip
1979 Winston 500 Bobby Allison
1978 Winston 500 Cale Yarborough
1978 Talladega 500 Lennie Pond
1977 Winston 500 Darrell Waltrip
1977 Talladega 500 Donnie Allison
1976 Talladega 500 Dave Marcis
1976 Winston 500 Buddy Baker
1975 Winston 500 Buddy Baker
1975 Talladega 500 Buddy Baker
1974 Talladega 500 Richard Petty
1974 Winston 500 David Pearson
1973 Winston 500 David Pearson
1973 Talladega 500 Dick Brooks
1972 Winston 500 David Pearson
1972 Talladega 500 James Hylton
1971 Talladega 500 Bobby Allison
1971 Winston 500 Donnie Allison
1970 Alabama 500 Pete Hamilton
1970 Talladega 500 Pete Hamilton
1969 Talladega 500 Richard Brickhouse

Race Dynamics

Superspeedway

Superspeedways produce pack racing with restrictor plates. Unpredictable finishes are common. Drafting ability and manufacturer alliances are key factors. Wrecks can take out top contenders — drivers with strong superspeedway records and crash-avoidance skills tend to perform best.

Top Rated Drivers at Talladega Superspeedway

Top-rated drivers at Talladega Superspeedway based on the NR-Rating Elo system, measuring historical performance at this specific track.

NR-Rating Elo rankings based on track-specific performance

Rank Driver Elo Rating Races
1 Chase Elliott 1517 369
2 Daniel Suarez 1497 334
3 Kyle Busch 1496 761
4 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 1495 483
5 Chris Buescher 1493 376
6 William Byron 1493 299
7 Tyler Reddick 1488 229
8 Alex Bowman 1486 368
9 Ryan Blaney 1485 389
10 Bubba Wallace 1483 302

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kentucky-v1
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Nearby Tracks

Tracks in the same region as Talladega Superspeedway, sorted by total Cup Series races hosted.

Name Races
Daytona International Speedway 160
Martinsville Speedway 154
Richmond Raceway 136
Bristol Motor Speedway 130
Darlington Raceway 130
Charlotte Motor Speedway 129
EchoPark Speedway 123
Michigan International Speedway 108
Dover Motor Speedway 107
North Wilkesboro Speedway 93
Pocono Raceway 92
Rockingham Speedway 78
Phoenix Raceway 60
New Hampshire Motor Speedway 54
Riverside International Raceway 48

Explore More

Top Driver
Dale Earnhardt
Similar Track
asheville-weaverville speedway
Track Records
All-time track stats
Chaos Index
Track unpredictability

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is Talladega Superspeedway?
Talladega Superspeedway is a 2.66-mile superspeedway with a asphalt surface.
How many NASCAR races have been held at Talladega Superspeedway?
Talladega Superspeedway has hosted 113 NASCAR Cup Series races from 1969 to 2026.
When was the first NASCAR race at Talladega Superspeedway?
The first NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway was held in 1969.
Who has the most wins at Talladega Superspeedway?
Dale Earnhardt has the most wins at Talladega Superspeedway with 11 victories since 1969. Last win: 2000.
Is Talladega Superspeedway on the 2026 NASCAR schedule?
Yes. Talladega Superspeedway will host the Yellawood 500 on October 25, 2026.
What type of track is Talladega Superspeedway?
Talladega Superspeedway is a superspeedway. Superspeedways are high-speed tracks over 2 miles featuring restrictor-plate pack racing.