For the first time in two years, NASCAR returns

Aric Almirola won the 2024 playoff opener at Kansas Speedway last week, but since he is ineligible for the playoffs, this second race of the three-race round will be even more crucial in determining which eight drivers advance.

Playoff driver AJ Allmendinger won the final playoff race at Talladega in 2022. Jordan Anderson Racing’s Jeb Burton is a two-time Talladega winner, joining playoff rookie Jesse Love, who became the only current full-time drivers to win at the major track in April Hoist a Talladega trophy.

Seated at the start of the race are regular season champion Cole Custer of Stewart-Haas Racing, Chandler Smith of Joe Gibbs Racing, Austin Hill of Richard Childress Racing, Sam Mayer of JR Motorsports, Sheldon Creed of JGR, Shane van Gisbergen of Kaulig Racing , RCR’s Love and SHR’s Riley Herbst above the playoff elimination line.

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Meanwhile, two preseason title favorites – JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier and Kaulig’s Allmendinger – are currently just under that limit. Allgaier, a two-time race winner this season, trails Herbst by a single point, has only four top-five finishes in 17 starts at Talladega and has never lifted a trophy there.

A win this week would also be a big step for Allmendinger, who is still fighting for his first win of the season and is currently in 10th place in the playoff standings, 13 points below the elimination line.

“Anything can and usually does happen in Talladega. JR Motorsports has always had an incredibly strong superspeedway program and I know that will continue to be the case on Saturday,” said Allgaier.

“We just have to be smart out there and not get into a bad position in the middle of the field. If we can keep our noses clean and stay at the front all day, I see no reason why we can’t fight with our JRM teammates for the win and advance to the next round of the playoffs as soon as the checkered flag falls.”

Qualifying is scheduled for Saturday at 11:30 a.m. ET (USA Network, NBC Sports App). Austin Hill secured pole position back in April. Mayer won the pole for the final playoff race at Talladega two years ago.