NASCAR will return to Talladega Superspeedway for its second visit of the season, but this weekend’s race carries much higher stakes. Serving as the second event of the Round of 8 and the 113th NASCAR Cup Series race ever held at the superspeedway, it marks the 34th race of the 2025 season.
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While non-playoff drivers will have their eyes on Victory Lane and the hefty purse that comes with it, for playoff contenders, it’s one of the final two do-or-die opportunities before Martinsville. A win at Talladega would not only mean a big payday but also a ticket to the Championship 4 finale in Phoenix.
Fox Sports reporter Bob Pockrass revealed on X that the total purse for the YellaWood 500 stands at $9,797,935. The amount will be split among teams based on their finish, charter payouts, and performance metrics. The figure closely mirrors last season’s purse of $9,222,964. Earlier this year, the spring Talladega event, the Jack’s Link 500, carried a richer purse of $11,055,250.
Purses for Talladega weekend, all payouts, all positions, including contingency awards and year-end points fund contribution. For Cup, includes all charter payouts:
Cup: $9,797,935
Xfinity: $1,651,939
Truck: $782,900
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) October 15, 2025
The payout for the Xfinity Series race has also seen a bump, rising to $1,651,939 from last year’s $1,337,574. Meanwhile, the Truck Series 225 purse drops slightly to $782,900, down from $880,113 in 2024.
Favorites for the weekend
Last year, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. edged Brad Keselowski and William Byron by merely 0.006 seconds in a photo finish to capture glory in Talladega. However, 2025 has been a rough patch for him, with just one top-five and three top-ten finishes to his name. Still, given his knack for superspeedways, his fans will hope he can find lightning in a bottle again.
Statistically, William Byron looks like the driver to beat. With an average finish of 13.7 across 15 Talladega starts, including five top-fives and seven top-tens, the Hendrick Motorsports driver has been knocking on the door of victory, though he’s yet to seal the deal at the Alabama oval.
Among playoff hopefuls, Chase Elliott, Chase Briscoe, Denny Hamlin, and Ryan Blaney also could be the potential frontrunners. Their average finishes of 14.1, 16.2, 16.7, and 16.9, respectively, suggest they know how to stay out of trouble at the speedy chess match Talladega demands. For them, Sunday isn’t just another race; it’s a chance to seal their spot in Phoenix and keep their championship dreams alive.
