NASCAR will make its next second Talladega stop of the season this weekend. The promotion has introduced enhancements to the Next Gen car to prevent severe accidents and keep them on the ground. The race will also mark the final challenge on an oval track before advancing to the Round of 8. For drivers less adept at road courses, such as Denny Hamlin, winning in Talladega could be the golden ticket to the next round.
Advertisement
The second race of the Round of 12 is slated for October 6 and will start at 2:00 PM ET. Meanwhile, Fox Sports reporter Bob Pockrass recently announced on his X handle that the prize money for the YellaWood 500 will be a total of $9,222,964. This amount will be distributed among the teams based on their performance, charter payouts, and other variables.
The sum represents a substantial increase of $416,649 over last year’s purse. In 2023, teams in the NASCAR Cup Series were awarded a total of $8,806,315 for the Yellawood 500 race. The purse for the GEICO 500 race in Talladega, which took place in April 2024, was $8,234,125.
Purses for Talladega, including all payouts, all positions plus all charter payouts, contingency awards, etc.:
Cup: $9,222,964
Xfinity: $1,337,574
Truck: $880,113
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) October 2, 2024
Besides this, the purse for the upcoming NASCAR Xfinity Series race, the United Rentals 250, stands at $1,337,574. The prize money for the Truck Series race, the Love’s RV Stop 225 at Talladega, has been set at $880,113. This marks an increase of $100,323 from last year’s figure.
Previewing the NASCAR YellaWood 500 race at Talladega Superspeedway
Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano, each with three victories at the track, are the favorites to win among the elite. However, Denny Hamlin also demands attention with an average finish of 16.8 across 37 starts. He has shown consistency in playoff races at Talladega, placing seventh or better in his last eight playoff appearances, including a P3 finish last October.
In addition to the Team Penske drivers, Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott will be a strong competitor. Having an average finish of 13.7 over 17 starts, the No. 9 driver has secured two wins, five top-5s, and eight top-10s so far. In his last five races at the track, Elliott has won one race and finished two races in the top 10.
Despite having a modest average finish of 19.2, Tyler Reddick clinched the GEICO 500 in April and secured himself a playoff seat. This opens up the possibility for another less-established driver to win the upcoming race. Nevertheless, the Talladega Superspeedway is known for its unpredictability and is one of NASCAR’s most capricious tracks. There is no telling what surprises it could be packing.
