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The Big If ...
Two things can ensure that Chase Elliott advances to the Round of 8 in NASCAR's Chase -- his first career series victory or a set of highly unusual circumstances.
Elliott is 12th in the standings, 25 points behind the cutoff for advancing to the next round. If he can advance, Elliott said he's '100 percent' sure his No. 24 team can be a title contender.
'I think if you don't feel that way, you need to go home,' he said. Read on for more story lines at Talladega.
Two things can ensure that Chase Elliott advances to the Round of 8 in NASCAR's Chase -- his first career series victory or a set of highly unusual circumstances.
Elliott is 12th in the standings, 25 points behind the cutoff for advancing to the next round. If he can advance, Elliott said he's '100 percent' sure his No. 24 team can be a title contender.
'I think if you don't feel that way, you need to go home,' he said. Read on for more story lines at Talladega.
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At A Glance
What: 48th annual Hellmann's 500
Where: Talladega Superspeedway, a 2.66-mile layout located in Talladega, Alabama
When: Sunday, Oct. 23, 2016
Green flag: 2:19 p.m. ET
TV/Radio: NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR
Forecast: Sunny with a high near 78 degrees. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. (NOAA.gov)
National anthem: 313th United States Army Brass Quintet, Birmingham, AlabamaGrand marshal: Bobby Allison, 1983 premier series champion
Honorary starter: Donnie Allison, 10-time premier series race winner
Race Distance: 188 laps, 500.8 miles
Pit road speed: 55 mph
Caution car speed: 70 mph
What: 48th annual Hellmann's 500
Where: Talladega Superspeedway, a 2.66-mile layout located in Talladega, Alabama
When: Sunday, Oct. 23, 2016
Green flag: 2:19 p.m. ET
TV/Radio: NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR
Forecast: Sunny with a high near 78 degrees. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. (NOAA.gov)
National anthem: 313th United States Army Brass Quintet, Birmingham, AlabamaGrand marshal: Bobby Allison, 1983 premier series champion
Honorary starter: Donnie Allison, 10-time premier series race winner
Race Distance: 188 laps, 500.8 miles
Pit road speed: 55 mph
Caution car speed: 70 mph
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An Earnhardt Streak Ends
For the first time since he began his Sprint Cup career in 2000, Dale Earnhardt Jr. will miss a restrictor-plate race. Sidelined as he continues his recovery from concussion-like symptoms, the driver of the No. 88 Chevrolet made 67 consecutive plate-race starts. During that time, he won 10 times, including a pair of Daytona 500 titles.
Alex Bowman will drive in place of Earnhardt in Sunday's Hellman's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Bowman has four career starts at Talladega with a best finish of 16th.
For the first time since he began his Sprint Cup career in 2000, Dale Earnhardt Jr. will miss a restrictor-plate race. Sidelined as he continues his recovery from concussion-like symptoms, the driver of the No. 88 Chevrolet made 67 consecutive plate-race starts. During that time, he won 10 times, including a pair of Daytona 500 titles.
Alex Bowman will drive in place of Earnhardt in Sunday's Hellman's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Bowman has four career starts at Talladega with a best finish of 16th.
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Plate Chasing
Three of the 12 Chase drivers in today's Hellman’s 500 at Talladega Superspeedway have yet to win at Daytona or Talladega, the only two tracks where NASCAR requires the use of restrictor plates to limit speeds.
Kurt Busch (Stewart-Haas Racing No. 41 Chevrolet) has 28 career wins, yet the 2004 series champion is winless in plate races. Carl Edwards (Joe Gibbs Racing No. 19 Toyota) has 27 career wins, but is also winless at Daytona and Talladega. And Martin Truex Jr. (Furniture Row Racing No. 78 Toyota) has yet to find Victory Lane in a plate race, although he has seven career victories.
Three of the 12 Chase drivers in today's Hellman’s 500 at Talladega Superspeedway have yet to win at Daytona or Talladega, the only two tracks where NASCAR requires the use of restrictor plates to limit speeds.
Kurt Busch (Stewart-Haas Racing No. 41 Chevrolet) has 28 career wins, yet the 2004 series champion is winless in plate races. Carl Edwards (Joe Gibbs Racing No. 19 Toyota) has 27 career wins, but is also winless at Daytona and Talladega. And Martin Truex Jr. (Furniture Row Racing No. 78 Toyota) has yet to find Victory Lane in a plate race, although he has seven career victories.
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Salvage Operation
Martin Truex Jr.'s Furniture Row Racing No. 78 Toyota has been a beast on the intermediate tracks this season, winning three times and earning six top 10s. But results in the past two Chase races, at Charlotte (13th) and Kansas (11th), felt like missed opportunities to the group.
The team overcame fueling problems and a tire issue at Kansas, but Truex, sixth in points and on the pole for Talladega, said the team could have done better.
'We could have easily finished 38th to 40th if you really want to look at it that way,' he said. 'We were able to salvage something.'
Martin Truex Jr.'s Furniture Row Racing No. 78 Toyota has been a beast on the intermediate tracks this season, winning three times and earning six top 10s. But results in the past two Chase races, at Charlotte (13th) and Kansas (11th), felt like missed opportunities to the group.
The team overcame fueling problems and a tire issue at Kansas, but Truex, sixth in points and on the pole for Talladega, said the team could have done better.
'We could have easily finished 38th to 40th if you really want to look at it that way,' he said. 'We were able to salvage something.'
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Chevrolet Shutout?
With Toyota and Ford teams winning previous restrictor-plate races this season, Chevrolet teams are looking to avoid being shut out on the big tracks here Sunday.
A Chevrolet team has won at least one of the four annual races each year since 2009. Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota) won this year's Daytona 500 while Brad Keselowski (Team Penske Ford) won the summer stop at DIS as well as the spring race here at Talladega.
With Toyota and Ford teams winning previous restrictor-plate races this season, Chevrolet teams are looking to avoid being shut out on the big tracks here Sunday.
A Chevrolet team has won at least one of the four annual races each year since 2009. Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota) won this year's Daytona 500 while Brad Keselowski (Team Penske Ford) won the summer stop at DIS as well as the spring race here at Talladega.
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Milestone for Toyota
Sunday's race marks the 1,000th start for Toyota across all three of NASCAR's national series. The automaker has scored eight driver championships and 376 victories since its debut in the 2004 Camping World Truck Series. Eleven different drivers have earned wins for Toyota in NASCAR's premier series.
'The way that they contribute with the team is not just write a check,' driver Carl Edwards said. 'The way they do things through TRD (Toyota Racing Development) ... building our engines, owning the equipment that we use, the simulator ... it's a true team. It's not a sponsor or a logo on the car.'
Sunday's race marks the 1,000th start for Toyota across all three of NASCAR's national series. The automaker has scored eight driver championships and 376 victories since its debut in the 2004 Camping World Truck Series. Eleven different drivers have earned wins for Toyota in NASCAR's premier series.
'The way that they contribute with the team is not just write a check,' driver Carl Edwards said. 'The way they do things through TRD (Toyota Racing Development) ... building our engines, owning the equipment that we use, the simulator ... it's a true team. It's not a sponsor or a logo on the car.'