The NASCAR Cup Series shifts gears from Las Vegas Motor Speedway — where Denny Hamlin punched his ticket to the Championship 4 with the 60th win of his career — to the unpredictable chaos of Talladega Superspeedway.
A victory on Sunday would secure a Championship 4 berth for any remaining playoff driver besides Hamlin, but Talladega rarely follows the script. Last fall, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. stunned the field with a win, and he’ll look to play spoiler again — along with 40 other hungry competitors.
Ahead of the green flag, BetMGM Sportsbook has released the latest odds. Check out where your favorite driver stands as NASCAR’s best prepare for what could be the most unpredictable and pivotal Talladega race in recent memory.
Ryan Blaney’s trip to Las Vegas ended in heartbreak, finishing 38th after an early wreck took him out of contention. The former Cup Series champion never had a chance to recover, putting him in a deep playoff hole heading into Talladega.
Fortunately for Blaney, few drivers are better at the superspeedway. With three career wins at Talladega — including back-to-back triumphs in 2019 and 2020 — he’ll be one of the top contenders to rebound and keep his championship hopes alive.
Joey Logano put together a strong run in the South Point 400, finishing sixth but he’ll need more than that to keep his playoff campaign alive. The three-time champion showed solid speed and avoided the chaos that sidelined several contenders.
Talladega has historically been kind to Logano, who’s earned three wins there in his career. With Team Penske’s superspeedway prowess and his knack for positioning late in races, Logano should be viewed as a legitimate threat to once again punch his ticket to Phoenix.
Austin Cindric turned in a solid effort at Las Vegas, finishing just outside the top 10 in P11. It was a quietly consistent day for the Team Penske driver, who kept his car clean in Sin City.
Cindric already knows what it takes to win at Talladega, having captured the checkered flag there earlier this season. With confidence on his side and Ford’s strong superspeedway prowess, he’s more than capable of playing spoiler this weekend.
Brad Keselowski looked steady at Las Vegas, crossing the line 10th after running inside the top pack for most of the afternoon. The RFK Racing wheelman continues to demonstrate consistency and speed at this stage of the season, even outside the playoff bubble.
If there’s any track where Keselowski could break his winless streak, it’s Talladega. With six career victories — the most among active drivers — his superspeedway experience makes him a perennial favorite to win in Alabama.
Denny Hamlin stole the show in Las Vegas, scoring his 60th career win and clinching a spot in the Championship 4. The emotional victory came after a dominant performance late in the race, adding to his remarkable 2025 season.
Now, Hamlin heads to Talladega with no pressure but plenty of momentum. With two previous wins at the track, he can afford to be aggressive — and that makes him even more dangerous in a sense.
Kyle Busch quietly pieced together a strong P8 finish at Las Vegas, rebounding from some recent struggles. It wasn’t flashy, but it might’ve given him the confidence needed to finish the season strong.
Talladega has been both kind and cruel to Busch over the years. He’s a two-time winner at the track, but his trips to Victory Lane came over a decade apart, meaning a win this weekend would be a bit unexpected, but welcomed for the two-time champion.
Chase Elliott never rebounded from some issues at Las Vegas, finishing 18th in the pivotal race. The result cost him valuable ground in the standings, leaving Talladega as a crucial opportunity to rebound.
Luckily, Elliott thrives in these types of moments, with two career Talladega victories to his name. If he can stay out of trouble in the draft, he has the speed and savvy to climb right back into the Championship 4.
Kyle Larson came up just short in Las Vegas, finishing second behind Denny Hamlin after a strong showing. While it wasn’t the win he wanted, it reinforced Larson’s position as one of the championship favorites.
Talladega, however, remains one of the few tracks Larson hasn’t conquered. He nearly won there earlier this season with a runner-up finish, and with his current form, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him finally close the deal on Sunday.
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