The Cup Series playoffs continue with a trip to the biggest track on the schedule, Talladega Superspeedway. This time, the 2.66-mile superspeedway takes center stage in the semifinal round.
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Sunday's Cup Series race is one of two remaining opportunities for Round of 8 drivers to lock themselves into the Championship 4. Denny Hamlin accomplished this by winning last weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, but seven other drivers are still in the hunt.
Talladega Superspeedway Cup Series playoff race information
Weather: The WeatherUnderground forecast calls for thunderstorms in the morning with sunny skies in the afternoon. A high of 73 degrees and a 6% chance of rain at the start of the Cup Series playoff race.
Green flag time: The grand marshal will give the command to fire engines at 2:16 p.m. ET. The starter will wave the green flag at 2:28 p.m. ET.
Starting lineup: Michael McDowell won the pole. Full starting lineup here.
Pre-race: The garage opens at 11 a.m. ET. Driver introductions will take place at 1:35 p.m. ET. Pre-race coverage begins with "Countdown to Green" on USA Network at 1:30 p.m. ET. Race coverage continues at 2 p.m. ET on USA Network.
The invocation will be at 2:08 p.m. ET. The national anthem will be at 2:09 p.m. ET.
Stages: The race will consist of three stages. The first stage ends at Lap 60. The second stage ends at Lap 120. The scheduled end of the race is Lap 188.
Playoff picture: The Cup Series playoff drivers have completed one race in the semifinal round. Hamlin won at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and put himself into the Championship 4.
Kyle Larson enters Talladega weekend second in the standings. He is 35 points above the cutline. Christopher Bell (+20) and Chase Briscoe (+15) are the other two drivers currently in position to advance on points.
The four drivers below the cutline are William Byron (-15), Chase Elliott (-23), Joey Logano (-24), and Ryan Blaney (-31).
Past winners: Several drivers have celebrated wins at Talladega Superspeedway. Blaney leads the playoff drivers with wins in 2019, 2020, and 2023. Logano won in 2015, 2016, and 2018. Hamlin won in 2014 and 2020. Elliott won in 2019 and 2022.
Kyle Busch won in 2008 and 2023. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won in 2017 and 2024. Bubba Wallace won in 2021. Brad Keselowski won in 2009, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2021. Ross Chastain won in 2022, Tyler Reddick won in 2024, and Austin Cindric won this season's spring race.
