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 eighth 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:
- 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)
- April 2011 at Talladega Superspeedway – 88 lead changes, 26 leaders; Jimmie Johnson won; Clint Bowyer (38), Dave Blaney (21)
- October 2010 at Talladega Superspeedway – 87 lead changes, 26 leaders; Clint Bowyer won; Dale Earnhardt Jr. (24), Kyle Busch (20)
- May 1984 at Talladega Superspeedway – 75 lead changes, 13 leaders; Cale Yarborough won; Benny Parsons (56), Buddy Baker (43)
- 2011 Daytona 500 – 74 lead changes, 22 leaders; Trevor Bayne won; Ryan Newman (37), Clint Bowyer (31)
- October 2011 at Talladega Superspeedway – 72 lead changes, 26 leaders; Clint Bowyer won; Tony Stewart (30), Jeff Burton (26)
- April 2024 at Talladega Superspeedway – 72 lead changes, 23 leaders; Tyler Reddick won; Michael McDowell (36), Joey Logano (22)
- October 2023 at Talladega Superspeedway – 70 lead changes, 24 leaders; Ryan Blaney won; Joey Logano (48), Austin Cindric (15)
- July 1984 at Talladega Superspeedway – 68 lead changes, 16 leaders; Dale Earnhardt won; Buddy Baker (41), Earnhardt (40)
- August 1978 at Talladega Superspeedway – 67 lead changes, 9 leaders; Lennie Pond won; Cale Yarborough (79), Buddy Baker (57)
In 11th is October 2008 at Talladega Superspeedway – 64 lead changes, 28 leaders; Tony Stewart won; Stewart (24), Kevin Harvick (22)
Top-10 by decade:
- 2010s – 5 races
- 2020s, 1980s – 2 races each
- 1970s – 1 race
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Jonathan Fjeld View All
Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.
A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.
Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick's final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen's stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers' stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.
Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com