Credit: Autostock

By the Numbers: Talladega

TALLADEGA, Ala. -- Talladega Superspeedway has a 36-year history in NASCAR Cup racing, and with its position as the third event in the 2004 Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup, its most notable event might be Sunday's EA Sports 500.

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Talladega's Sunday afternoon race is the 29th event of the 36-race Nextel Cup season, making it the third race in the 10-event "playoff" series that will determine the first Nextel Cup champion.

While 10 drivers have a lot more at stake than winning the EA Sports 500, 47 entries were scheduled to try to make the latest statistical mark at Talladega.

Jeff Gordon, the most recent Talladega Cup winner and Dale Earnhardt Incorporated teammates Michael Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt Jr., who swept the five previous Cup races here -- are the ones most likely to add to Talladega's statistical legacy.

The following numbers refer to Talladega, unless otherwise noted.

0 -- The number of victories scored by Ricky Rudd and Rusty Wallace in the 67 restrictor plate races held at Daytona and Talladega.

Credit: Autostock

2 -- Jeff Gordon's number of consecutive 2004 restrictor plate victories, at Talladega and Daytona.

3 -- The number of caution free races in 70 Cup events, most recently in October 2002.

3 -- The number of times an Earnhardt has swept both Cup races in a season, by Dale (1990, 1999) and Dale Jr. (2002).

3 -- Jeremy Mayfield's number of pole positions with different owners: Ray Evernham (2003), Penske-Kranefuss (2000) and Cale Yarborough (1996).

4 -- Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s leading total of career Cup victories by an active driver.

6 -- The number of times a driver has swept both Cup races in a season, most recently by Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2002.

6 -- Jamie McMurray's consecutive number of top-10 finishes coming into Talladega.

8 -- Bill Elliott's leading total of Bud Poles by an active driver, including six consecutive from 1985-1987.

9 -- Richard Childress' leading number of car owner victories.

11 -- The consecutive number of Cup races won by Chevrolet.

12 -- The number of 70 Cup races won from the pole, or 17 percent.

Credit: Autostock

13 -- The number of times a driver has swept both poles in a season, most recently by Stacy Compton in 2001.

13 -- The number of races since a driver won from the pole position, by Bobby Labonte in May 1998.

17 -- Ricky Rudd's leading number of DNFs by an active driver, in 55 starts.

27 -- The leading number of Modern Era Cup victories, by Chevrolet.

33 -- The degree of banking in the corners.

36 -- Jeff Gordon's starting position for the April 2000 DieHard 500, the furthest back a winner has started.

44 -- Dale Earnhardt's total of career starts, in which he accrued leading totals of 23 top-five and 27 top-10 finishes.

51 -- The number of 70 Cup races won from starting positions inside the top-10, or 73 percent.

55 -- The pit road speed limit, in miles per hour. Under caution, the pace vehicle will travel 70 mph.

55 -- Ricky Rudd's leading number of starts by an active driver.

99 -- Eleventh place Jamie McMurray's margin in the Nextel Cup standings over 12th place Kevin Harvick.

188 -- The number of laps it takes to cover 500 miles.

199.388 -- Bill Elliott's restrictor plate Bud Pole Qualifying lap record, in miles per hour, set in 48.128 seconds in May 1990.

212.809 -- Bill Elliott's all-time Cup Bud Pole Qualifying lap record, in miles per hour, set in 44.998 seconds in April 1987.

489 -- Jeff Gordon's leading number of laps led by an active driver.

1976 -- The last time a Dodge won at Talladega, by Dave Marcis in the August Talladega 500.

1994 -- The year in which Jimmy Spencer scored his last Cup victory, in the July DieHard 500.

$5,199,159 -- Posted awards for the EA Sports 500.