‘Dega. It looms large every year, not just because it’s the longest track on the senior circuit at 2.66-miles, but because of the “big one” that happens every year. The behemoth is back this week for the first of two races at the track. There are certainly those drivers who have dominated here, but with the threat of massive crashes always looming large, there is really no telling what will happen on Sunday afternoon in Alabama. As you peer through the data below, one name will continue to stand out, but that may not make him a cash game play this week, given the season he has had. Despite there being a couple of other 2+-mile tracks on the schedule, the only really comparison data comes from Daytona International Speedway since it is the other restrictor plate track.
Track Data
| Avg. | Avg. | Laps | High | Low | Avg. | Difference | Laps Led | Laps Led | ||||||||
| Driver | Start | Finish | Races | Wins | Top 5's | Top 10's | Top 20's | Led | Poles | Finish | Finish | DNF | Rating | Pts. | Pts. | Pts./race |
| Joey Logano | 17.3 | 15 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 71 | 0 | 1 | 33 | 1 | 88.7 | 2.3 | 17.75 | 4.44 |
| Brad Keselowski | 8.8 | 16.25 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 136 | 0 | 1 | 38 | 1 | 100.8 | -7.45 | 34 | 8.50 |
| Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 4 | 14.33 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 128 | 0 | 1 | 40 | 1 | 100.9 | -10.33 | 32 | 10.67 |
| Kurt Busch | 14.5 | 8.5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 91.2 | 6 | 0.5 | 0.13 |
| Denny Hamlin | 10.3 | 20 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 27 | 0 | 3 | 37 | 1 | 93.2 | -9.7 | 6.75 | 1.69 |
| Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 14.5 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 26 | 0 | 74 | 0.5 | 2.25 | 0.56 |
| Ryan Blaney | 11.5 | 16.75 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 43 | 1 | 85.9 | -5.25 | 0.75 | 0.19 |
| Paul Menard | 10 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 26 | 1 | 83.5 | -2 | 0.5 | 0.13 |
| Martin Truex Jr. | 23 | 16.25 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 40 | 1 | 74.4 | 6.75 | 0.5 | 0.13 |
| Austin Dillon | 12.8 | 15.25 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 35 | 1 | 74.2 | -2.45 | 0.25 | 0.06 |
| Jimmie Johnson | 7.5 | 16.25 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 84 | 0 | 2 | 23 | 0 | 89.5 | -8.75 | 21 | 5.25 |
| Chase Elliott | 2.5 | 8.5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 36 | 1 | 5 | 12 | 0 | 97.1 | -6 | 9 | 4.50 |
| Kyle Busch | 15.7 | 14.33 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 25 | 0 | 2 | 30 | 0 | 85.9 | 1.37 | 6.25 | 2.08 |
| Jamie McMurray | 26 | 18.25 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 39 | 1 | 83.6 | 7.75 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Kevin Harvick | 20.5 | 11.25 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 15 | 0 | 94.9 | 9.25 | 3.5 | 0.88 |
| Clint Bowyer | 27.3 | 15.75 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 30 | 0 | 71.5 | 11.55 | 0.5 | 0.13 |
| Trevor Bayne | 14 | 22.25 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 22 | 0 | 10 | 41 | 1 | 73.8 | -8.25 | 5.5 | 1.38 |
| Kyle Larson | 21 | 25.25 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 42 | 1 | 73.4 | -4.25 | 2.25 | 0.56 |
| Ryan Newman | 17.8 | 15.25 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 28 | 0 | 62.2 | 2.55 | 0.5 | 0.13 |
| Aric Almirola | 25.5 | 16.5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 27 | 1 | 70.7 | 9 | 0.25 | 0.06 |
| A.J. Allmendinger | 30.5 | 19.25 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 36 | 0 | 52.5 | 11.25 | 0.25 | 0.06 |
| Matt Kenseth | 4.8 | 25.5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 0 | 23 | 28 | 1 | 78.1 | -20.7 | 10.75 | 2.69 |
| Kasey Kahne | 10.5 | 31.75 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 21 | 0 | 19 | 39 | 1 | 74 | -21.25 | 5.25 | 1.31 |
| Cole Whitt | 37 | 17.67 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 22 | 0 | 57.4 | 19.33 | 0.75 | 0.25 |
| Danica Patrick | 28 | 23 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 20 | 27 | 1 | 66.5 | 5 | 0.75 | 0.19 |
| David Ragan | 27.8 | 31.5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 24 | 38 | 1 | 54.9 | -3.7 | 0.75 | 0.19 |
| Michael McDowell | 30.7 | 21.67 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 28 | 0 | 70.2 | 9.03 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Landon Cassill | 33.5 | 26.25 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 39 | 1 | 56.4 | 7.25 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Matt DiBenedetto | 37.3 | 30.25 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 40 | 1 | 43.6 | 7.05 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Chris Buescher | 32.7 | 27.67 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 37 | 1 | 55.8 | 5.03 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Jeffrey Earnhardt | 39 | 34 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 34 | 0 | 44.1 | 5 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Reed Sorenson | 12 | 37 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 37 | 0 | 25.5 | -25 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Brendan Gaughan | 33 | 40 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 40 | 1 | 39.8 | -7 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Timmy Hill | 32 | 41 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 41 | 1 | 26.4 | -9 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Eric Jones | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Daniel Suarez | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| D.J. Kennington | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Elliot Saddler | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Corey LaJoie | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Joey Gase | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Gray Gaulding | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Top-15 Drivers Historically at Talladega
| Avg. | Avg. | Laps | High | Low | Difference | Laps Led | Laps Led | ||||||||
| Driver | Start | Finish | Races | Wins | Top 5's | Top 10's | Top 20's | Led | Poles | Finish | Finish | DNF | Pts. | Pts. | Pts./race |
| Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 15 | 15.42 | 33 | 6 | 12 | 16 | 22 | 960 | 0 | 1 | 42 | 6 | -0.42 | 240 | 7.27 |
| Brad Keselowski | 14.3 | 15.38 | 16 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 10 | 181 | 0 | 1 | 38 | 2 | -1.08 | 45.25 | 2.83 |
| Jimmie Johnson | 9.8 | 17.3 | 30 | 2 | 7 | 11 | 17 | 467 | 1 | 1 | 37 | 8 | -7.5 | 116.75 | 3.89 |
| Jamie McMurray | 22 | 20.07 | 29 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 242 | 0 | 1 | 42 | 5 | 1.93 | 60.5 | 2.09 |
| Clint Bowyer | 21.4 | 14.68 | 22 | 2 | 6 | 12 | 16 | 100 | 0 | 1 | 40 | 3 | 6.72 | 25 | 1.14 |
| Joey Logano | 21.3 | 18.69 | 16 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 127 | 0 | 1 | 36 | 5 | 2.61 | 31.75 | 1.98 |
| Kevin Harvick | 22.3 | 15.06 | 32 | 1 | 6 | 14 | 22 | 187 | 1 | 1 | 40 | 2 | 7.24 | 46.75 | 1.46 |
| Matt Kenseth | 18.5 | 18.71 | 34 | 1 | 6 | 10 | 20 | 513 | 0 | 1 | 42 | 5 | -0.21 | 128.25 | 3.77 |
| Denny Hamlin | 18.2 | 19.18 | 22 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 244 | 0 | 1 | 39 | 4 | -0.98 | 61 | 2.77 |
| Kyle Busch | 20.9 | 21.3 | 23 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 181 | 0 | 1 | 41 | 5 | -0.4 | 45.25 | 1.97 |
| David Ragan | 22 | 19.5 | 20 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 37 | 0 | 1 | 39 | 4 | 2.5 | 9.25 | 0.46 |
| Kurt Busch | 20.2 | 15.91 | 32 | 0 | 7 | 17 | 22 | 150 | 0 | 3 | 39 | 7 | 4.29 | 37.5 | 1.17 |
| Ryan Newman | 13.7 | 20.13 | 30 | 0 | 5 | 11 | 17 | 80 | 0 | 3 | 43 | 8 | -6.43 | 20 | 0.67 |
| Kasey Kahne | 21.3 | 22.73 | 26 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 11 | 83 | 1 | 2 | 42 | 4 | -1.43 | 20.75 | 0.80 |
| Paul Menard | 17.6 | 19.67 | 21 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 41 | 0 | 2 | 43 | 7 | -2.07 | 10.25 | 0.49 |
Top-15 Drivers at Restrictor Plate Tracks
| Avg. | Avg. | Laps | High | Low | Difference | Laps Led | Laps Led | |||||||||
| Driver | Start | Finish | Races | Wins | Top 5's | Top 10's | Top 20's | Led | Poles | Finish | Finish | DNF | Rating | Pts. | Pts. | Pts./race |
| Joey Logano | 15.3 | 11 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 124 | 0 | 1 | 33 | 1 | 92 | 4.3 | 31 | 3.44 |
| Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 4.6 | 17.63 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 279 | 0 | 1 | 40 | 3 | 99.3 | -13.03 | 69.75 | 8.72 |
| Brad Keselowski | 15.9 | 20.33 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 254 | 0 | 1 | 41 | 3 | 93.8 | -4.43 | 63.5 | 7.06 |
| Denny Hamlin | 15.8 | 13.56 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 143 | 0 | 1 | 37 | 1 | 96.1 | 2.24 | 35.75 | 3.97 |
| Kurt Busch | 14 | 9.13 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 23 | 0 | 90.9 | 4.87 | 0.75 | 0.09 |
| Kevin Harvick | 18 | 12.89 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 65 | 0 | 2 | 39 | 1 | 92.2 | 5.11 | 16.25 | 1.81 |
| Jimmie Johnson | 11.3 | 17.44 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 183 | 0 | 2 | 35 | 2 | 89.1 | -6.14 | 45.75 | 5.08 |
| Kyle Busch | 12.6 | 14.71 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 78 | 0 | 2 | 38 | 1 | 86.1 | -2.11 | 19.5 | 2.79 |
| Martin Truex Jr. | 22.1 | 17.22 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 40 | 2 | 82.9 | 4.88 | 2 | 0.22 |
| Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 18.4 | 18 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 31 | 1 | 72.9 | 0.4 | 2.25 | 0.25 |
| Ryan Blaney | 14.1 | 17.63 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 43 | 2 | 85 | -3.53 | 1.25 | 0.16 |
| Paul Menard | 18 | 16.44 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 36 | 2 | 81.3 | 1.56 | 0.5 | 0.06 |
| Austin Dillon | 13.3 | 13 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 17 | 0 | 3 | 35 | 1 | 77.6 | 0.3 | 4.25 | 0.47 |
| Trevor Bayne | 16.1 | 18.78 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 22 | 0 | 3 | 41 | 1 | 71.5 | -2.68 | 5.5 | 0.61 |
| A.J. Allmendinger | 29.2 | 17.22 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 36 | 0 | 58.9 | 11.98 | 1 | 0.11 |
Drivers to watch this week:
Dale Earnhardt Jr.: If any track could get Dale Jr. back on track, so to speak, it’s ‘Dega. In the last three races he’s run, he has a win, two top-fives, two top-10s and a 128 laps led, good for second best. Overall in 33 races here, he has six wins, 12 top-fives, and 16 top-10s, all at or near the top of the category. He has by far the most laps led on the superspeedway too. If only he was coming to the track with a better season already in tow.
Joey Logano: Logano may just be the best Restrictor Plate racer in the Monster Energy Cup Series at the moment. He has two wins here in the last four races and another at Daytona giving him three wins and four top-fives in the last nine plate races. He does have an unusually low average finish of 15.00 for a guy who has two wins at the track, but that’s thanks to a DNF and a 33rd place finish.
Brad Keselowski: Brad is one of the better drivers at plate races as well with a win, two top-fives, and two top-10s in the last four races, and the most laps led at 136. Keselowski is also the second-best 
historic driver at the Bama oval with four wins and nine top-10s in 16 career races. Whether or not missing his normal Crew Chief on the headset will cause issues can’t be determined yet but heading into practice, that’s the only downside here.
Chase Elliott: Chase may only have two MECS races under his fire suit at Talladega but he does have pole, a top-five and a 12th place finish in those two contests. The 36 laps led is good enough for sixth in the field despite having half as many races as the others. The youngster is my favorite out of the young drivers to compete on Sunday.
Cole Whitt: I know, I know I’ve talked about all the better-known and more talented drivers but Whitt offers something no one else does; A near +20 positional differential over the last three races. He starts on average at 37th but has two top-20 finishes in that span. Chalk it up to riding in the back of the pack and avoiding the “big one” but no matter how he does it, it’s hard to turn down a free 19-20 points from a very budget friendly play.