Written by Zach McAdoo (@ztmcadoo)
Folks, Yellawood 500, the big wildcard race in the playoffs is finally here! The fan-favorite of Talladega Superspeedway plays host to the middle race of the Round of 12. The 2.66-mile track comes in to either wreak havoc or provide fans with a surprise.
In order to make sure you help your stance in moving on in the playoffs, you need to survive to the end and make sure your car crosses that finish line.
Talladega Super Speedway Track Facts:
Built in 1969 – the NASCAR Cup Series would have their first race on the high banks later that same year. The track is run with a tapered spacer to keep the speeds down a bit. The turns are banked about 33 degrees in the turns and the trioval is 16.5 degrees. The NASCAR Xfinity Series and the Camping World Truck Series will both join the Cup Series at Dega.
Legend has it, there is a weird curse hovering around Talladega Superspeedway. People believe that it is due to something involving Native Americans that used to live in the area, with a number of possible root causes. They say the spirits of the Native Americans have cursed the track, and that is why we have seen so many driver deaths and injuries happen here. If you take everything that has happened in Talladega races over the years into consideration, it’s definitely reasonable to believe in the curse.
NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega Superspeedway | Weekend Racing Schedule:
Chevrolet Silverado 250
Series: NASCAR Camping World Trucks Series
Date: Saturday, October 2, 2021
Start Time: 1 P.M. EST
Coverage: FS1
Distance: 250 miles
Laps: 94
Sparks 300
Series: NASCAR Xfinity Series
Date: Saturday, October 2, 2021
Start Time: 4:30 P.M. EST
Coverage: NBCSN
Distance: 300 miles
Laps: 113
Yellawood 500
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Date: Sunday, October 3, 2021
Start Time: 2 P.M. EST
Coverage: NBC
Distance: 500 miles
Laps: 188
Betting Picks:
Longshot Pick: Daniel Suarez (50/1)
The Trackhouse racing driver had a shot at winning at Daytona in the regular-season finale…he instead was a part of the final wreck that ended the race. Daniel Suarez can probably time everything right again and get himself back to the front. If you want a guy with some long odds that could win, look at the 99 car.
Underdog Pick: Michael McDowell (40/1)
The reigning Daytona 500 Champ has some shorter odds than I expected, but he’s still a good value pick to make here. Excluding the regular-season finale, Michael McDowell has an average finish of 1.5 in the other 2 superspeedway races. McDowell knows how to get around these tracks so do not count him out of this week.
My Race Pick: Brad Keselowski (12/1)
Yes I honestly think Brad Keselowski will sweep the Dega races this year. BK wants to win one more time for Roger Penske and why not do it here? This would be the perfect place for him to do it at. He has the experience and the stats to back up the pick as he has six wins in his career here. Keselowski should be up front most of the race and will see himself in victory lane at the end of it.
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