He NASCAR Cup Series returns to Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama, on Sunday for the tenth race in the series: the GEICO 500.
Veteran driver Denny Hamlin came out of Saturday’s qualifying with the fastest time, as last year’s winner Ross Chastain will face an uphill battle if he wants to repeat after qualifying 23rd.
Ross Chastain celebrates with exhaustion after winning the NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 24, 2022 in Talladega, Alabama. (James Gilbert/Getty Images)
Voted NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver for the past five seasons, Chase Elliott will drive in his second race after missing six this season following a snowboarding accident in early March, in which he suffered a fractured left tibia.
KEVIN HARVICK BECOMES TENTH DRIVER WITH 800 NASCAR CUP SERIES STARTS THIS WEEKEND IN TALLADEGA
Here’s what you need to know about the GEICO 500.
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Track
Kyle Larson, Erik Jones, William Byron and Bubba Wallace were among the drivers who competed in the NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 24, 2022 in Alabama. (Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
Considered one of the fastest tracks in NASCAR, Talladega is 2.66 miles long and requires 188 laps to complete the 500-mile race.
When does the race begin?
The GEICO 500 begins at 3 pm ET. The race can be seen on FOX and heard on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
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Who’s on the post?
Denny Hamlin prepares to drive during NASCAR Cup Series car race practice at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth on September 24, 2022. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Danny Hamlin earned his first pole of the season following Saturday’s qualifying after running a lap of 180.751 mph. He marks his fourth position at Talladega Superspeedway and the 37th pole position of his career.
What is the starting lineup?
- Denny Hamlin – #11 – Races from Joe Gibbs
- Aric Almirola – #10 – Stewart-Haas Racing
- Ty Gibbs – #54 – Joe Gibbs Racing
- Chase Briscoe – #14 – Stewart-Haas Racing
- Ryan Blaney – #12 – Team Penske
- Christopher Bell – #20 – Joe Gibbs Racing
- Martin Truex Jr. – #19 – Races from Joe Gibbs
- Joey Logano – #22 – Team Penske
- Kyle Larson – #5 – Hendrick Motorsports
- Chris Buescher – #17 – RFK Racing
- Kevin Harvick – #4 – Stewart-Haas Racing
- Bubba Wallace – #23 – 23XI Racing
- Tyler Reddick – #45 – 23XI Races
- Austin Dillon – #3 – Richard Childress Racing
- Austin Cindric – #2 – Team Penske
- Ryan Preece – #41 – Stewart-Haas Racing
- Kyle Busch – #8 – Racing from Richard Childress
- William Byron – #24 – Hendrick Motorsports
- AJ Allmendinger – #16 – Kaulig Racing
- Brad Keselowski – #6 – RFK Racing
- Michael McDowell – #34 – Front Row Motorsports
- Daniel Suarez – #99 – Trackhouse Racing
- Ross Chastain – #1 – Trackhouse Racing
- Erik Jones – #43 – Legacy Motor Club
- Harrison Burton – #21 – Timber Brothers Racing
- Justin Haley – #31 – Kaulig Racing
- Alex Bowman – #48 – Hendrick Motorsports
- Todd Gilliland – #36 – Front Row Motorsports
- Chase Elliott – #9 – Hendrick Motorsports
- Noah Gragson – #42 – Legacy Motor Club
- Austin Hill – #62 – Beard Motorsports
- Ty Dillon – #77 – Motorsports Spire
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – #47 – JTG Daugherty Racing
- Corey Lajoie – #7 – Spire Motorsports
- Zane Smith – #38 – Front Row Motorsports
- Riley Herbst – #15 – Rick Ware Racing
- BJ McLeod – #78 – Live Fast Motorsports
- JJ Yeley – #51 – Rick Ware Racing
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Who has the most GEICO 500 wins?
Dale Earnhardt Jr. straps on his helmet before the LMSC Cars Tour 125 on August 31, 2022, at North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Carolina. (David Jensen/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Dale Earnhardt Jr. has long dominated the track at Talladega Superspeedway with 10 wins, 23 top-5 finishes and 27 plus top-10 finishes.