NASCAR Playoffs at Talladega 2024: Odds, TV/radio times and more info

LINCOLN, Ala. — Talladega Superspeedway is the track that drivers fear the most but want to win at the most to secure their fate in the NASCAR playoffs.

The 2.66-mile behemoth of a superspeedway comes at a pivotal time in the season. Talladega is the second round of the Round of 12 for the NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series and the first round of the Round of 8 for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

For the Truckers, Talladega is the first opportunity for them to lock into the Championship 4 at Phoenix Raceway in November – but that is much easier said than done.

NASCAR Cup Series’ YellaWood 500 at Talladega

• Sunday at 2 p.m. (all times Eastern)
• 188 laps (stages end on laps 60/120/188)
• Qualifying: Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

There are four open teams on the entry list this weekend:

• A.J. Allmendinger – Kaulig Racing No. 13 Chevrolet
• Anthony Alfredo – Beard Motorsports No. 62 Chevrolet
• B.J. McLeod – Live Fast Motorsports No. 78 Chevrolet
• J.J. Yeley – NY Racing No. 44 Chevrolet

While there was some controversy around Parker Retzlaff and what he did while driving the No. 62 at Daytona in August, the deal with Alfredo for this weekend at Talladega was announced long before the race at Daytona.

In the revolving No. 15 Rick Ware Racing and No. 16 Kaulig Racing entries are Cody Ware and Shane van Gisbergen, respectively.

Odds for NASCAR Cup Series’ YellaWood 500 at Talladega

Here are the odds-on favorites for the YellaWood 500 at Talladega, according to Caesars Sportsbook:

• Ryan Blaney, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch, Joey Logano +1200
• William Byron +1400
• Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin +1600
• Chris Buescher, Kyle Larson +1800
• Ross Chastain, Christopher Bell, Austin Cindric, Bubba Wallace +2000
• Tyler Reddick, Alex Bowman, Michael McDowell +2200
• Martin Truex Jr., Ty Gibbs +2500
• Daniel Suarez +3000
• Chase Briscoe, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. +3500
• Erik Jones, Noah Gragson, Austin Dillon +4000
• Ryan Preece, Todd Gilliland, Justin Haley, Josh Berry, Corey LaJoie, A.J. Allmendinger +5000
• Harrison Burton +5500
• Carson Hocevar +6500
• Zane Smith, John Hunter Nemechek, Anthony Alfredo, Shane van Gisbergen +7500
• Cody Ware, Daniel Hemric +10000
• J.J. Yeley +15000
• B.J. McLeod +20000

Odds for NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs at Talladega

Here are the NASCAR Cup Series points standings to entering the second race of the Round of 12.

1. William Byron 3074 points (+34 points to the cutline), +700 odds to win the title according to DraftKings
2. Ryan Blaney 3068 (+28), +700
3. Christopher Bell 3068 (+28), +500
4. Kyle Larson 3058 (+18), +450
5. Denny Hamlin 3051 (+11), +650
6. Alex Bowman 3048 (+8), +2000
7. Chase Elliott 3044 (+4), +1000
8. Joey Logano 3044 (+4), +1100
9. Tyler Reddick 3040 (-4 points to the cutline), +550
10. Daniel Suarez 3030 (-14), +8000
11. Chase Briscoe 3019 (-25), +8000
12. Austin Cindric 3015 (-29), +6500

NASCAR Xfinity Series’ United Rentals 250 at Talladega

• Saturday at 4 p.m. (all times Eastern)
• 94 laps (stages end on laps 25/50/94)
• Qualifying: Saturday at 11:30 a.m.

Taylor Gray will race the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota as a teammate to Kansas winner Aric Almirola, who locked the No. 20 car into the owner playoffs’ Round of 8. Dean Thompson will be in the cousin Sam Hunt Racing No. 26 Toyota entry.

Carson Kvapil is in the No. 88 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports. Dylan Lupton is in the No. 15 Ford for AM Racing. Jordan Anderson is in his own No. 32 Chevrolet.

C.J. McLaughlin and David Starr are in the SS-Green Light Racing entries. Caesar Bacarella is back, fresh off of a couple of Top-10 finishes at Talladega and Michigan this season already.

There are 39 cars vying for 38 spots, as follows:

Odds for NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs at Talladega

Here are the NASCAR Xfinity Series points standings to entering the second race of the Round of 12, with odds from Caesars:

1. Cole Custer 2079 points (+41 points to the cutline), +275 to win the title
2. Chandler Smith 2074 (+36), +220
3. Austin Hill 2064 (+26), +650
4. Sam Mayer 2051 (+13), +1200
5. Sheldon Creed 2048 (+10), +1200
6. Shane van Gisbergen 2046 (+8), +4000
7. Jesse Love (+3), +850
8. Riley Herbst 2039 (+1), +1000
9. Justin Allgaier 2038 (-1 point to the cutline), +350
10. AJ Allmendinger 2026 (-13), +2800
11. Parker Kligerman 2024 (-15), +4000
12. Sammy Smith 2016 (-23), +6500

Odds for NASCAR Xfinity Series’ United Rentals 250 at Talladega

Here are the odds-on favorites to win the United Rentals 250, according to Caesars:

• Austin Hill +300
• Jesse Love +700
• A.J. Allmendinger +1000
• Aric Almirola +1200
• Sheldon Creed, Justin Allgaier +1400
• Parker Kligerman, Cole Custer +1500
• Riley Herbst +1600
• Chandler Smith +1800
• Sam Mayer +2000
• Jeb Burton, Taylor Gray, Anthony Alfredo +2500
• Jordan Anderson, Ryan Sieg, Carson Kvapil +2800
• Sammy Smith +3000
• Brandon Jones +3500
• Parker Retzlaff +4000
• Josh Williams, Jeremy Clements +4500
• Matt DiBenedetto, Shane van Gisbergen +5000
• Brennan Poole, Dean Thompson +7500
• Kyle Weatherman +10000
• Kyle Sieg +12500
• Ryan Ellis, Leland Honeyman Jr., Dylan Lupton, Blaine Perkins, Caesar Bacarella, Joey Gase +15000
• Carson Ware, C.J. McLaughlin, David Starr, Nick Leitz +20000

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series’ Love’s RV Stop 225 at Talladega

• Friday at 4:30 p.m. (all times Eastern)
• 85 laps (stages end on laps 20/40/85)
• Qualifying: Friday at 1 p.m.

William Sawalich will make his speedway debut in the No. 1 TRICON Garage Toyota. Where there’s Sawalich, there’s Zilisch – Connor Zilisch – who is entered in the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet.

Norm Benning is back in his own fielded entry with a track that, according to Brock Beard with LASTCAR.info, is from Henderson Motorsports. Henderson has Stefan Parsons as their driver again this weekend.

Clay Greenfield is back with his own No. 95 entry that has proven to be a fierce underdog entry. Johnny Sauter and Hattori Racing Enterprises are also back together this weekend.

Two-time NASCAR Xfinity Series Daytona winner Ryan Reed will wheel the No. 91 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet, as long as he can make the 36-truck field. There are 38 trucks entered for this weekend, as follows:

Odds for NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Playoffs at Talladega

Here are the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series points standings to start the Round of 8, with odds from Caesars.

1. Corey Heim 3048 points (+38 points to the cutline), +165
2. Christian Eckes 3039 (+29), +180
3. Ty Majeski 3024 (+14), +190
4. Nick Sanchez 3018 (+8), +850
5. Rajah Caruth 3010 (-8 points to the cutline), +2000
6. Tyler Ankrum 3007 (-11), +4000
7. Grant Enfinger 3007 (-11), +4000
8. Taylor Gray 3003 (-15), +3500