2023 Yellawood 500 among 10 most competitive NASCAR races of all-time

The Yellawood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway will go down as one of the 10 most competitive NASCAR races of all-time.

The race Sunday featured 70 lead changes among 24 drivers. That ranks it as the seventh most competitive NASCAR race of all-time, in terms of lead changes and leaders.

Nine of the top-10 most competitive races have happened at Talladega Superspeedway.

The lone exception is the 2011 Daytona 500, which featured 74 lead changes among 22 drivers.

The full top-10 is as follows:

1. April 2010 at Talladega Superspeedway – 88 lead changes, 29 leaders; Kevin Harvick won; Jeff Burton led most laps (28), Jamie McMurray second-most led (27)
2. April 2011 at Talladega Superspeedway – 88 lead changes, 26 leaders; Jimmie Johnson won; Clint Bowyer (38), Dave Blaney (21)
3. October 2010 at Talladega Superspeedway – 87 lead changes, 26 leaders; Clint Bowyer won; Dale Earnhardt Jr. (24), Kyle Busch (20)
4. May 1984 at Talladega Superspeedway – 75 lead changes, 13 leaders; Cale Yarborough won; Benny Parsons (56), Buddy Baker (43)
5. 2011 Daytona 500 – 74 lead changes, 22 leaders; Trevor Bayne won; Ryan Newman (37), Clint Bowyer (31)
6. October 2011 at Talladega Superspeedway – 72 lead changes, 26 leaders; Clint Bowyer won; Tony Stewart (30), Jeff Burton (26)
7. October 2023 at Talladega Superspeedway – 70 lead changes, 24 leaders; Ryan Blaney won; Joey Logano (48), Austin Cindric (15)
8. July 1984 at Talladega Superspeedway – 68 lead changes, 16 leaders; Dale Earnhardt won; Buddy Baker (41), Earnhardt (40)
9. August 1978 at Talladega Superspeedway – 67 lead changes, 9 leaders; Lennie Pond won; Cale Yarborough (79), Buddy Baker (57)
10. October 2008 at Talladega Superspeedway – 64 lead changes, 28 leaders; Tony Stewart won; Stewart (24), Kevin Harvick (22)

Top-10 by decade:

1. 2010s – 5 races
2. 1980s – 2 races
3. 2020s, 2000s, 1970s – 1 race