Racing Insights: Who will tame the high banks of Talladega?

NASCAR’s biggest and arguably most daunting track comes into focus Sunday afternoon as the Cup Series treks to Talladega Superspeedway (3 p.m. ET, FOX, HBO Max, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). It’s the third time in 10 races that the premier series visits a drafting track, where a giant opportunity awaits — especially for teams buried in the early standings.

Tyler Reddick emerged victorious in both the season-opening Daytona 500 and at EchoPark Speedway, and heads to the Alabama high banks with continued momentum, winning last weekend at Kansas for his record fifth triumph in 2026.

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But it wouldn’t be a trip to Talladega without mentioning the Fords, which tend to work well in the draft and dominate a majority of these races. Will the blue ovals finally score a win on Sunday? See the full projected results for 188 laps of high-paced action, courtesy of Racing Insights, as well as drivers to keep an eye on over 500 miles.

DRIVERS TO WATCH

BRAD KESELOWSKI: The RFK Racing driver and co-owner is searching for his first victory in two years, and Talladega is no doubt his best track. He’s a six-time winner at the venue and has banked three additional runner-ups since his last Alabama dub in 2021. Keselowski enters with the sixth-best average finish in the series (11.3), and it certainly smells like a win is around the corner, so it’d only be fitting if it came Sunday.

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CHASE BRISCOE: The most recent Talladega victor, Briscoe continues to climb the Cup Series ranks after a dismal start to 2026. His consecutive top fives at Bristol and Kansas slot him 15th in the standings as we’re finally seeing the championship-contending form witnessed late last year. In 10 Talladega starts, Briscoe’s average finish is 14.7, the seventh highest all-time. He’s led 50 laps on drafting tracks this year, a number that plays into his favor.

RICKY STENHOUSE JR.: All four of Stenhouse’s Cup Series wins have come at superspeedways, and he’s always a threat to capitalize. He finished second in the Daytona 500 this February and enters Talladega with consecutive finishes of 21st or better. Per Racing Insights, he’s one of the best at green flag pit stops, gaining an average of 3.6 positions each cycle at superspeedway. Stenhouse might not have the most speed, but his methodical approach should put him in contention at the very end.

MORE: At-track photos

FULL PROJECTED RESULTS FOR 2026 JACK LINK’S 500 (3 p.m. ET, FOX)