NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series News & Notes – Talladega Superspeedway

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series – Talladega Superspeedway

Next Race: Love’s RV Stop 225
The Place: Talladega Superspeedway
Track Length: 2.66 Mile Asphalt Oval
The Date: Friday. October 17
The Time: 4 p.m. ET
The Purse: $782,900
TV: FOX, 4 p.m. ET
Radio: NRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)
Distance: 226.1 miles (85 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 20),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 40), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 85)

Where To Watch NASCAR This Week:

Friday, Oct. 17

NCTS Practice & Kennametal Pole Qualifying (FS2 at 12:30 p.m. ET)

NCTS Race: Love’s RV Stop 225 (FOX, NRN, SiriusXM at 4 p.m. ET)

Saturday, Oct. 18

NXS Practice & Kennametal Pole Qualifying (CW App at 11:30 p.m. ET)

NCS Practice & Busch Light Pole Qualifying (truTV, PRN, SiriusXM at 1:30 p.m. ET)

NXS Race: United Rentals 250 (CW, MRN, SiriusXM at 4 p.m. ET)

Sunday, Oct. 19

NCS Race: YellaWood 500 (NBC, MRN, SiriusXM at 2 p.m. ET)

Talladega Superspeedway Storylines and Insights:

• This week marks the 20th running of a NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Talladega Superspeedway.
• This is the 10^th Playoff race at Talladega, making it one of just two tracks to host a NTS Playoff race every year since Playoffs began in 2016 (Phoenix).
• Second to eighth in Playoff standings are separated by five points.
• Only three of the drivers in the Round of 8 have previously made the Championship 4 (Heim, Enfinger, Majeski), at least one driver will make the Championship 4 for the first time.
• Corey Heim and Layne Riggs won the last nine races, the last race not won by either driver was Michigan on June 7^th (Stewart Friesen).
• This is the first time in series history that two drivers combined to win nine straight races.
• Corey Heim’s 10 wins in 2025 is now the most all-time for a single season.
• Corey Heim finished top 3 in the last eight races, he is the only driver to finish top 3 in eight consecutive races.
• Corey Heim is 89 laps led away from tying the all-time single season laps led record (Mike Skinner, 1533 laps – 1996).
• Corey Heim (317) and Layne Riggs (181) led 498 of the 642 laps in the Playoffs.
• Corey Heim led 23 consecutive races, the longest streak in Truck Series history. Heim failed to lead in this race last year.
• Corey Heim led a lap in every race in 2025 and could become the first driver to lead in every race of a season.
• Corey Heim finished top-5 in all four Playoff races in 2025, no driver finished top-5 in every race of the playoffs in a season.
• Three drivers won six times in eight races (Hornaday ‘97, Biffle ‘99, Heim ‘25), no driver has won seven times in nine races.
• 18 races this season were won by drivers aged 25 or younger, the most ever in a single Truck Series season.
• ThorSport Racing remains winless after 22 races in 2025, the deepest into a season the organization has gone without a win.
• Chevrolet has not won in 10 races (Rajah Caruth – Nashville in May), after winning six of the first 12 races of 2025, the makes longest winless streak in the Truck Series since 2014-15.
• Talladega is the third drafting track race of 2025 and the first since Atlanta in February.
• Six of the last seven Talladega races were won with a last lap pass and all but four Talladega races were won in the final two laps.
• Four of the last six Talladega races were won by drivers getting their first NCTS win.
• Three drivers finished top-10 in the two drafting track races in 2025: Grant Enfinger, Ty Majeski, Chandler Smith.

NCTS Clinch Scenarios For Talladega Superspeedway (Playoff Race #5):

Already Clinched

• The following driver has clinched a spot in the 4-driver field of the next round: Corey Heim.

Can Clinch Via Points

• If there is a repeat winner or a win by a driver who cannot advance to the next round, the following drivers could clinch by being 57 points above the 3rd winless driver in the standings.  The same point requirements listed below would hold true if a new win comes from among Tyler Ankrum or Daniel Hemric.
• Tyler Ankrum: Could only clinch with help
• Daniel Hemric: Could only clinch with help
• Rajah Caruth: Could only clinch with help
• Layne Riggs: Could only clinch with help
• If there is a new winner from Rajah Caruth or another winless driver lower in the standings but still eligible to advance to the next round, the following drivers could clinch by being 57 points above the 2nd winless driver in the standings.
• Tyler Ankrum: Could only clinch with help

Can Clinch Via Win

• The following drivers would clinch on their win alone: Tyler Ankrum, Daniel Hemric, Rajah Caruth, Layne Riggs, Ty Majeski, Grant Enfinger, Kaden Honeycutt

NASCAR & Talladega, Etc.

Historical & Significant Events at Talladega Superspeedway:

• Dream Big: Anniston, AL race car driver and insurance sales associate Bill Ward has a casual conversation at Daytona with International Speedway Corporation and NASCAR founder William H.G. (Bill) France about the possibility of building a speedway in Alabama.
• The 1968 Meeting of the Minds: Bill Ward orchestrates a meeting between then-Talladega Mayor James Hardwick and other city officials to consider the idea of building a major race track on land owned by the City of Talladega. After a trip to Daytona, the men were convinced.
• May 23, 1968 – Construction begins on what will become the Alabama International Motor Speedway (AIMS).
• Sept. 14, 1969 – Alabama International Motor Speedway (AIMS) opens with its first race, the Talladega 500, named in honor of the local people who helped bring the track from vision to reality. Richard Brickhouse won the inaugural event. Richard Childress makes his first NASCAR Cup Series career start and later credits his winnings with getting the ball rolling on forming Richard Childress Racing. The day before, Ken Rush won the first race ever run at AIMS in the BAMA 400 NASCAR Grand Touring event in a Chevrolet Camaro.
• In late 1969 and early 1970, Talladega Super Speedway undergoes its first repave.
• In 1970, Don Naman becomes the first general manager of Alabama International Motor Speedway.
• March 24, 1970 – Buddy Baker becomes the first driver to officially eclipse the 200 mph mark on a closed course while testing at AIMS driving the blue No. 88 winged Dodge Charger Daytona. His speed of 200.447 mph was a world record at the time.
• April 12, 1970 – The second NASCAR Cup Series race – the Alabama 500 – is held at AIMS, marking the beginning of twice-a-year visits by the sanctioning body’s top series.
• May 16, 1971 – Donnie and Bobby Allison, famed “Alabama Gang” brothers finish 1st and 2nd, respectively, in the 1st Winston 500 at AIMS. Winston begins a race sponsorship at AIMS that endures until 2000.
• May 5, 1974 – Energy Crisis: Neil Bonnett makes his first Talladega start in the 1974 Winston 500. The race is stopped twice by rain but is shortened in laps because of the international energy crisis. Although it is scored as a 188-lap race, only 170 are run because it is one of 15 events NASCAR voluntarily cut short for the sake of fuel conservation in cooperation with the energy council. David Pearson ended that day the winner, capturing his 3rd career Winston 500 victory.
• August 9, 1975 – Mark Donohue replaces A.J. Foyt as the world record holder for speed on a closed course by driving a Porsche 917-30 owned by Roger Penske around AIMS at 221.160 mph. Donohue’s world record stood for four years until it was broken in Italy. His national record stood until 1986 when it was broken by Rick Mears at Michigan International Speedway.
• May 2, 1976 – Buddy Baker takes a third consecutive Talladega win, a streak that goes unbroken until 2003 when Dale Earnhardt Jr. racks up four straight wins.
• In 1979, the 2.66-mile Talladega tri-oval is paved for the third time since the track was constructed (including initial construction and then repaving in late 1969-early 1970).
• April 29, 1982 – Benny Parsons becomes the first NASCAR Cup Series driver to break the 200 mph mark in qualifying at a speed of 200.176 mph.
• July 31, 1983 – Dale Earnhardt posts his first NASCAR Cup Series win at Talladega in the Talladega 500. Earnhardt had the momentum, with the lapped Bobby Allison in tow, to shoot past Darrell Waltrip on the final lap to win. Waltrip was 2nd, Allison was 9th. Earnhardt will go on to become the track’s winningest driver with 10 premier series victories.
• May 6, 1984 – The Winston 500 firmly establishes AIMS as NASCAR’s Most Competitive Track, setting the all-time NASCAR record for lead changes with 75 that stands until 2011 when the track breaks its own record in the Aaron’s 499 with 88 lead changes. After starting the race on pole, Cale Yarborough passed Harry Gant on the last lap to win the race.
• May 5, 1986 – Miraculous Win: In one of the greatest comebacks NASCAR has ever seen, Bill Elliott comes from nearly 2 laps down under green after a lengthy pit stop to repair a loose oil line to spectacularly take the 1985 Winston 500 win, turning an average speed of 186.288 mph.
• November 26, 1985 – Lyn St. James sets the record as the first woman to exceed 200 mph, driving a Ford Mustang Probe Prototype at Talladega Superspeedway.
• May 4, 1986 – All but one of the 42 starters in the May 4, 1986 Winston 500 qualified at more than 200 mph. Positions 41 and 42 made the field on provisionals, thus the event technically became the first “All-200” field in stock car history.
• July 27, 1986 – Record Leaders: 26 drivers lead laps in the Talladega 500, setting an all-time series record that will stand until the Talladega fans again see 26 different leaders in the 2001 Aaron’s 499.
• May 1, 1987 – Bill Elliott sets an all-time series qualifying record by winning the pole for the 1987 Winston 500 at a blazing speed of 212.809 mph, which still stands to this day.
• May 3, 1987 – High Speeds: Alabama native Davey Allison celebrates his first career NASCAR Cup Series in front of his hometown fans. The average qualifying speed of the field was 207.049 mph, the fastest field in stock car history.
• In early 1988, Mike Helton becomes the new General Manager of AIMS and in less than one year becomes president of the facility. Don Naman becomes Executive Director of the International Motorsports Hall of Fame.
• Early 1989, AIMS becomes officially known as “Talladega Superspeedway.” The announcement is made at the Talladega Country Club, where members of the media have gathered for an “unveiling” but see nothing within the room to unveil. However, the darkness outside the room’s large windows successfully cloak a large-scale rendering of the track’s new name and logo, until spotlights illuminate it for all to see.
• January 23, 1990 – Patty Moise breaks the women’s speed record again by going 217.498 mph around Talladega Superspeedway in a Buick.
• In February 1993, Grant Lynch becomes the third GM of Talladega Superspeedway and is promoted to President in November of that year. Mike Helton relocates to Daytona Beach, FL at the start of the next year to become NASCAR’s VP of Competition.
• April 23, 1999 – When teams and fans arrive for the first Talladega race of the year, they are greeted by a new entrance to the track’s tunnel and main parking areas, the first of several facility improvements that have occurred in the off season. In the infield, a new NASCAR Cup Series garage awaits to accommodate up to 62 cars, as well as a new care center. Also, a big announcement is made to herald even more facility improvements. Track officials announce that a new and improved grandstand will replace the one existing out of Turn 2 and will be named “Allison Grandstand” after the legendary Alabama racing family of Bobby, Donnie, Davey and Clifford Allison.
• January 2001 – Rick Humphrey is promoted from Director of Operations to become the fifth VP/GM of Talladega Superspeedway after having joined the staff in 1997 as the Director of Public Relations.
• October 2002 – Recording artist Sheryl Crow and her band perform for fans just before the start of the race in support of her “C’mon C’mon Tour.” Legendary quarterback Ken Stabler serves as Grand Marshal, and the musical group Little Big Town performs the National Anthem. Jamie McMurray fills in for the injured Sterling Marlin in the EA SPORTS 500, making his NASCAR Cup Series debut.
• October 3, 2004 – Talladega Superspeedway officially celebrates its 35th anniversary with the running of the EA SPORTS 500. Grand Marshals of the event, Paul Teutul Sr. and Paul Teutul Jr. of Orange County Choppers unveil a custom motorcycle commissioned by the track to commemorate the occasion. The bike is later auctioned on eBay, with proceeds benefiting Victory Junction Gang Camp in Randleman, NC. Dale Earnhardt Jr. grabs his fifth Talladega victory that day.
• July 12, 2005 – Amazing Race Coms To Talladega: Eight families competing in the three-time Emmy Award winning television show “The Amazing Race” found a clue at the world’s largest office chair in Anniston, AL that directed them to the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, and then inside Talladega Superspeedway to compete against one another acing multiple-rider “party bikes” around the track. The Bransen family of Park Ride, IL was the first family to successfully complete the challenge at TSS to earn the next clue. The “Think Like an Office Chair” episode aired October 18, 2005 on CBS.
• September 2005 – History was both made and remembered when David Donohue and NBC Television’s “The Tonight Show” host Jay Leno set a series of Grand American speed records at the track, driving a Porsche Carrera GT production car. David is the son of Mark Donohue, who set a similar series of records in a Porsche here three decades ago. The younger Donohue set three flying speed records in the production category, including a closed-course speed record here of 196.301 mph. Donohue also set records for the measured mile at 198.971 mph and the measured kilometer at 195.755 mph. Leno set three standing-start speed records in the same car, the fastest being 156.603 mph over the closed-course.
• November 2005 – Filming begins at Talladega Superspeedway for the movie Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby starring Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly, Sacha Baron Cohen, Amy Adams, Jane Lynch, Michael Clark Duncan, Gary Cole and Leslie Bibb.
• September 19, 2006 – TSS officials announce the official completion of the 2006 Paving Project. Repave #3.
• July 3, 2007 – Rick Humphrey is named President of Talladega Superspeedway. Former track president Grant Lynch to serve as Senior VP of Business Development for International Speedway Corporation.
• 2009 – Grant Lynch returns to Talladega Superspeedway as Chairman of the track.
• May 2, 2014 – The first “Big One on the Blvd” parade was held on Talladega Blvd in the track’s infamous infield. Four drivers- Clint Bowyer, Austin Dillon, Kevin Harvick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – were a major part of the Mardi Gras style event that featured a Moon Pie eating contest and BBQ Sauce Wrestling. The tradition continues each race weekend with different activities available for fan participation.
• October 20, 2016 – It takes nerves of steel to circle Talladega Superspeedway at nearly 200 mph. The now traditional Vulcan Trophy, introduced in fall 2016 and a miniature version of the famous cast-iron statue that overlooks nearby Birmingham, is the prize for the driver who outsmarts and outdrives his competitors to get to Gatorade Victory Lane. Standing approximately 3 feet tall and weighing more than 100 pounds, Vulcan is a force to be reckoned with.
• In 2018, NASCAR’s most competitive track — Talladega Superspeedway — announced at a press conference details of Transformation – The Talladega Superspeedway Infield Project. The approximate $50 million redevelopment endeavor is part of NASCAR’s long-term capital allocation plan and reinvestment into its major motorsports complexes. The project, highlighted by a one-of-a-kind Garage Fan Zone Experience, will feature “up-close” access, interactive attractions and enhanced amenities for fans, sponsors, teams and stakeholders in the iconic Talladega infield.
• In 2019, Brian Crichton, Vice President, Marketing and Sales at Talladega Superspeedway, has been promoted to President of Talladega Superspeedway, effective September 3rd. Crichton assumes his new role as Speedway Chairman Grant Lynch prepares for his previously announced November retirement with the completion of Transformation – The Talladega Superspeedway Infield Project Presented by Graybar.
• Today, Talladega Superspeedway covers about 3,000 acres – the most of any Cup track (Daytona is 482 acres).
• In total, there have been 112 NASCAR Cup Series races at Talladega Superspeedway, one series event in 1969, and two races per year since 1970.