2021 Talladega betting preview, presented by BetMGM

Posted on April 23, 2021April 24, 2021 by Staff Report

The following article is brought to you by BetMGM.

Folks, it’s Talladega Superspeedway week — and it’s a great time to break down the race field and take a shot at who might just be the best idea to check out when you bet NASCAR online. There’s no question some NASCAR Cup Series drivers are better than others on superspeedway tracks like ‘Dega, and we break it down.

Who does like full-blown drafting action? Who avoids it so they can race for another day in a long season? There are many strategies on how to approach venues like Talladega and Daytona International Speedway — the two superspeedway locations.

NASCAR went to restrictor plates in the late 1980s when there were worries after Bill Elliott’s incredible — and troubling — pole-qualifying numbers were going above 210 mph. The track this happened on in 1987? You guessed it, Talladega. The pack-racing style of superspeedway racing makes for an exciting brand of racing where all sorts of names will have a shot … if they can make it to the end.

If you’re following the NASCAR odds this week, you’ll see some unique names atop the odds, which we’ll discuss below.

THE FAVORITE: Denny Hamlin (+650)

I was in the stands in Daytona when Hamlin kicked off his full-time NASCAR Cup Series career with a win in the 2006 Bud Shootout. The guy knows how to scoot around a restrictor-plate track, nobody questions it. Today, he’s one of the top veterans out there and has five plate-track wins on his resume and 25 top-10 finishes out of 61 starts.

That’s pretty incredible consistency at tracks that truly don’t allow for consistency. He also will start in the No. 1 position based on NASCAR’s 2021 formula for establishing the starting order (as opposed to the usual qualifying setup). But the truth is, starting in the No. 1 position — whether you earned it on speed or not — isn’t really a huge help at Talladega.

Race fans know that in superspeedway racing, strokers can win these from the 30th starting position. And veterans can easily win them from the 10th position. That’s the glory of this type of racing. Some drivers hate it, some drivers love it because it gives them a chance to get in the NASCAR postseason with a win. But again, one thing is for sure, the fans love it — and Hamlin leads the NASCAR betting lines this week.

OTHERS: Calling Brad Keselowski (+1100) an “other” candidate to win this race just feels dumb. He has won at Talladega in the NASCAR Cup Series five times, and he has won at Daytona once, too. He’s just short of batting .500 for top-10 finishes here when … so … many … things … can go wrong in a race here.

You could be sitting in sixth, minding your own business, and “The Big One” could take you out when you had nothing to do with it. That doesn’t happen as often outside of superspeedways — but it happens here all the time.

Also? Joey Logano (+900) is good at these venues, too (four superspeedway wins in the Cup Series).

THE DARK HORSE THREAT: Ricky Stenhouse (+1600)

Stenhouse just seems to like this place. He has captured one of his two career NASCAR Cup Series wins here (the other being Daytona, the other superspeedway), and he has the third-highest average finish there (12.7). For a place this unpredictable, that tells you how much he enjoys this style of racing when so many others don’t like it at all.

Stenhouse has nine top-10 finishes out of 15 attempts at Talladega and six top fives. He qualified well, too, before COVID-19 scrapped that last year. He’s an interesting guy to keep an eye on.

OTHER: Here we are stuck on Ryan Blaney (+1000) again, right? But the stats are legit. Blaney has already won two Cup races here, he is consistent at a track that doesn’t typically allow consistency (didn’t I already type that?). He’s a solid pick for a spot like this. He also starts in the No. 7 spot.

THE INTRIGUING LONGSHOT: Ryan Preece (+3500)

Preece is a fascinating youngster in this spot, and he may not be all that fascinating after this — who knows? It could go either way. But he’s in the race, starting in the No. 29 spot — but again, that depth in the starting lineup means nothing at Talladega or Daytona. Preece has run four times in the Cup Series at ‘Dega, and he has two top 10s and leads all current drivers with an 11.5 average finish. He also has two top 10s at Daytona in five attempts.

OTHERS: Good ‘ole Aric Almirola (+1600). He loves this place. His only two Cup Series wins are at superspeedways (one at Daytona, one at Talladega). And in the Xfinity Series? Two of his three career wins were at the same two tracks. He’s in solid equipment with Stewart-Haas Racing and could be a serious factor in this. Can he shed his rep of being a NASCAR journeyman? In races like this, he certainly can.

Also, Chris Buescher (+5000) is a guy whose career resume proves he likes this type of racing.

Posted on April 23, 2021 by Jason Christley

STAFFORD, Conn. — Due to impending inclement weather for Sunday, NASCAR and Stafford Motor Speedway officials have postponed the NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.

The event will be held on Friday, April 30.

With the new schedule, Whelen Modified Tour practice will be held from 4:35-5:35 p.m. Mayhew Tools Dominator Pole Award qualifying will be at 6:30 p.m., with the green flag for the NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler set for 8:30 p.m.

The race will stream live on TrackPass on NBC Gold, and air on delay on NBCSN at a date to be announced.

Posted on April 23, 2021April 23, 2021 by Dustin Albino

Ross Chastain is a race-car driver who has seen it all during his time in NASCAR. But this year, he finds himself with the best opportunity of his racing career.

After making a staple of overachieving in underfunded equipment for nearly a decade, Chastain got the break he was hoping for last fall, when he was announced as the full-time driver of the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet in the Cup Series. The opportunity obviously created additional internal pressure, one unlike any other.

“I don’t think I should be coasting right now by any means,” Chastain told NASCAR.com. “We’ve been preparing for this for several years here at CGR, trying to figure out how to make this happen. We didn’t know what year it was going to happen, and it might have been in 10 more years, the goal was to do this.”

TALLADEGA: Weekend schedule | Betting odds | Paint schemes

In 2018, Chastain scored a three-race opportunity in the Xfinity Series for CGR by impressing team owner Chip Ganassi. In those three starts, the Florida native showcased his true potential by leading 180 of 200 laps en route to his first victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He backed that up with a runner-up finish at Richmond Raceway. And in his debut at Darlington Raceway, he won the pole before being wrecked by Kevin Harvick late in the race after leading 90 laps.

There was no doubt, at some point, Ganassi was going to find a place inside of his Cup shop for Chastain. But like the majority of Chastain’s NASCAR career, the 2021 season hasn’t been filled with dandelions, unicorns and roses. Instead, it has been much of the opposite.

Chastain kicked off the season by finishing seventh in the Daytona 500, despite being caught up in the last-lap fiery crash, triggered by Team Penske teammates Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski. In the eight races since Daytona International Speedway, the No. 42 car has a best finish of 14th at Atlanta Motor Speedway, while having two crash-related DNFs at the Daytona Road Course and Bristol Motor Speedway dirt track.

“Humbling,” Chastain said of his 2021 season. “We’re just building and trying to compete at the top level of our sport. There are a lot of things I’ve been able to learn and try to implement into the next week. We learn on the fly in the race every week.”

Admittedly so, Chastain has been having to “really grasp” what makes the Cup cars go fast. Because of SMT data, he and the team have pinpointed bad habits the driver makes, something he said he has struggled with his whole racing career.

“When I enter the corner, I turn left and then I immediately turn right and then I turn back left and I immediately turn back right, jerk the wheel all the way down into the corner,” Chastain said. “I’m just not smooth putting the wheel into it. It’s always been a problem and I’m trying to make sure I don’t spin out on entry, so I’m constantly catching the car from getting too sideways.”

But Kurt Busch, veteran Cup driver and the 2004 Cup Series champion, has also struggled at CGR this season. The No. 1 team has just a pair of top 10s to its credit, coming off seasons of 18 and 19 top-10 finishes between 2019-20, respectively.

Known to be an ultra-consistent driver, Busch’s 2021 statistics are a tad concerning due to the lack of speed throughout CGR in the first quarter of the season.

“That’s where the humbling part comes in because I’m a race-car driver, and I go on track to do the best I can and put in the effort to prepare and be ready for when we go on track,” Chastain said. “The speed and results just haven’t been there. There have been things I’ve struggled with that have kept us from competing at the very front.”

Chastain vows the team will not let up. After all, CGR is home to nearly 200 employees and coming off back-to-back years with at least one of its teams making the Round of 8 in the postseason.

Members of the CGR management team, including Ganassi, have told Chastain multiple times this season to “just go drive,” assuring him everyone is doing their respective job.

“The biggest thing, as we’ve gotten into the season, is guys like Doug Duchardt (chief operating officer), Tony Lunders (competition manager), even my internal crew on the 42 with my crew chief Phil Surgen,” Chastain said. “Their biggest feedback to me is, ‘Let everybody do their jobs, you do yours and we’ll be fine. Tell us what you need, be ready to drive the car at 100% or as close to your full capacity every week.’”

And since Las Vegas, Chastain has seen an uptick in performance, with the stat sheet speaking for itself: four top 20s in the last five races.

“We’re on a path and you’re going to keep seeing it,” he said. “What I feel in the car hasn’t translated to the results just yet, but from Las Vegas to now, we’ve definitely moved the needle.”

Entering Sunday’s wild-card race at Talladega Superspeedway (2 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), Chastain sits 24th in the championship standings, 62 markers outside the bubble. Currently, it is Busch who hand onto the coveted 16th seed.

Even with the points deficit, the primary goal for Chastain hasn’t changed from the start of the year: win a race.

“That’s still the goal, that has to be the goal,” Chastain said. “It’s what gets us all out of bed. (Chip Ganassi Racing) wakes up competitors. That’s what drives us to do this.

“We’re racing cars for a living, you can take the easy street, but we’re not. We’re going to figure this stuff out.”

In 88 career Cup starts, Chastain has picked up both of his top-10 finishes at superspeedway tracks.

Posted on April 23, 2021 by Marcus DiNitto

With eight top-five finishes through the first nine races of the season – and having last week’s race in Richmond practically stolen from him on a late restart – Denny Hamlin is poised for a visit to Victory Lane. Since he performs well at Talladega Superspeedway, Sunday’s GEICO 500 (2 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) looks like a good spot for Hamlin to claim his first win of 2021.

But if you’re a bettor who believes in the randomness that often transpires at Talladega, Hamlin’s +650 odds (bet $100 to win $650) are probably not for you. Save for Joey Logano (9/1), every other driver is offered at double-digit odds by BetMGM (a NASCAR betting partner) and Barstool Sportsbook.

Hamlin has two Talladega wins over his career, including the most recent race at this track, last October’s YellaWood 500, and his 11.3 average finish over the last 10 events here ranks second only to Aric Almirola.

He’s also won two of the last five Daytona races and his 13.5 average finish over the last 10 there ranks third among drivers with more than two starts, further evidence of his superspeedway strength.

“Hamlin’s always good on this stuff,” said Ed Salmons, who handles NASCAR oddsmaking at SuperBook USA in Las Vegas.

Hamlin certainly has the betting market’s respect this week. He is listed in four of 20 head-to-head matchup props posted at the SuperBook, and he is the -125 favorite (bet $125 to win $100) in all four (vs. Joey Logano, Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson and Ryan Blaney, all of whom are priced at +105 in these head-to-heads). The remaining 16 matchups all opened pick ‘em, -110 juice attached to either side of those wagers, proverbial flips of the coin.

Kyle Busch vs. Almirola? Coinflip. Kurt Busch vs. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.? Coinflip. Martin Truex Jr. vs. Christopher Bell? Coin flip.

Bigger disparities in pricing can be found at Barstool, where Kevin Harvick is -109 vs. Kyle Busch (-122), Elliott is -109 vs. Ryan Blaney (-122), Michael McDowell is -109 vs. Chris Buescher (-122), and Truex is -109 vs. Almirola (-122).

Without divulging which matchups he’s targeting, sharp NASCAR bettor Blake Phillips said his strategy for superspeedways is to identify spots where oddsmakers may overvalue drivers on such unpredictable tracks.

“I just don’t think the concept of big disparity between drivers exists to the degree the sportsbooks would make it at a race like Daytona or Talladega,” Phillips said. “These races are fundamentally difficult to handicap and to predict, so I don’t envy the sportsbooks having to put up lines for them.”

Any patterns to identify?

Almirola is not the driver one would expect to see with the highest average finishing position at any track on the Cup circuit, but this is Talladega, and following Almirola and Hamlin in this stat over the 10 most recent races here is not exactly a who’s who of NASCAR drivers: Ryan Preece, Ty Dillon, Logano, Stenhouse, Kurt Busch and Tyler Reddick round out the top eight — only Dillon is not entered in Sunday’s race.

With a sixth-place finish last week at Richmond, Almirola flashed some of the form he displayed last summer, but bettors looking to back him this week will get relatively skinny odds on the No. 10 Ford.

As mentioned above, he’s favored over Truex at Barstool. He’s also rather large +210 chalk in a group matchup over Bell (+260), Matt DiBenedetto (+275), and Austin Dillon (+275), and his +650 price to be the top Ford car is shorter than Harvick, who has been far from his usual dominant self this season but still must be respected.

Speaking of Fords, if there’s one pattern that jumps off the page for Talladega, it’s that these engines have owned this track of late, winning nine of the most recent 11 Talladega events. To no one’s surprise, Penske has led the way, with Logano, Keselowski and Blaney accounting for seven of those victories.

If you want to ride this trend Sunday, of course, you’ll have to pay for it, as Barstool is dealing Ford as the +145 favorite (bet $100 to win $145) to be the winning manufacturer, followed by Chevrolet (+155) and Toyota (+250). The +325 on Penske as to be the winning team, while tied with Gibbs as the shortest price, may offer more value.

And if you’re looking for a driver with a poor superspeedway record to fade this week, Kyle Busch has one win and a 20.9 average finish over 31 races at this Alabama track. A wreck ruined his chances last October at Talladega, and he’s finished on the lead lap in just two of the six most recent runs at Daytona, thanks to three wrecks and one bad engine.

“It’s crazy,” said Salmons. “Kyle runs these races, and he’ll run top five the whole race, and every one of these races, somewhere in the last 20 laps, he wrecks out. I keep thinking that at one of these superspeedway races, he won’t wreck because he’s always right there, but he always catches a wreck.”

Marcus DiNitto is a writer and editor living in Charlotte, North Carolina. He has been covering sports for nearly two-and-a-half decades and sports betting for more than 10 years. His first NASCAR betting experience was in 1995 at North Wilkesboro Speedway, where he went 0-for-3 on his matchup picks. Read his articles and follow him on Twitter; do not bet his picks.

Posted on April 23, 2021April 23, 2021 by Terrin Waack

Despite the glaring zero in the win column, Denny Hamlin is annihilating the 2021 leaderboard.

Actually, he’s even dominating select categories in the all-time statistics book through nine races.

The No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota pilot not only has the most laps led out of the current NASCAR Cup Series garage, he has led the most laps ever for a driver without a win at this point in the season, topping David Pearson’s mark of 595 in 1975. Hamlin has the most top-five results (eight) out of his competition, and that marks the second most ever, falling only to Cale Yarborough, who had nine in 1974. Hamlin’s five stage wins are the most right now and matches the most all time (stage racing was introduced in 2017). His 434 points has him atop the current standings, with the series’ only two-time winner, Martin Truex Jr., trailing him in second by 81.

TALLADEGA: Weekend schedule | Betting odds | Paints schemes

Hamlin is showing consistency throughout races, too. His average running position this year stands at 4.55 – the only driver running within the top five like that. Truex is the next best at 7.05. Hamlin’s average finish is a 4.22. Joey Logano is next at 8.33.

Out of the 2,594 laps run in 2021, all of which Hamlin has completed, he has been in the top five for 1,977 – that’s 76 percent. His top-10 time turns out to be 90 percent. Both are series-best marks.

That’s good.

No, that’s really good.

And his marks are bound to get even better this Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway (2 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Hamlin has two career wins – 2014 spring and 2020 fall (most recent race) – at the 2.66-mile Alabama track in 30 career starts. Those wins also double as Toyota’s only in the last 24 events. There are six Toyotas entered in Sunday’s field, and that matters because of the superspeedway style of racing that requires teammates and manufactures to work together for success. There are many more Chevrolets (18) and Fords (16). Hamlin has proved he can overcome that deficit.

In fact, Hamlin has won five total and two of the last five superspeedway races, the other track being Daytona International Speedway at 2.5 miles. Between the two venues, he has placed in the top five in the last six races, including fifth at Daytona in this season’s opener where he led a race-high 98 of the 200 laps.

BetMGM has Hamlin as Sunday’s favorite at 13-2 odds.

If Hamlin wins at Talladega, he would mark the series’ ninth different winner in 10 races. In order to do that, he’ll have to turn around his recent late-race luck.

Hamlin has been passed for the final lead in the last two races with 16 or less laps to go until the checkered flag. Alex Bowman took over with 10 remaining at Richmond Raceway last weekend, while Truex did so with 16 left at Martinsville Speedway the week before.

The point is, Hamlin has performed really well this season – but he hasn’t been able to complete the job on track.

Posted on April 23, 2021April 23, 2021 by Staff Report

After a three-race run at short tracks, the NASCAR Cup Series heads to the high banks of Talladega Superspeedway for Sunday’s GEICO 500 (2 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Before enjoying the thrill of high speeds, take a moment to find out the need-to-know details in this week’s 101.

WHO’S ON THE POLE?

Series points leader Denny Hamlin starts on the Busch Pole for the third time this season — still searching for his first trip to Victory Lane in 2021. Joey Logano joins Hamlin on the front row, followed by Martin Truex Jr., William Byron and Alex Bowman rounding out the top five.

Where does your favorite driver line up? See the full lineup and starting grid.

TICKETS, FAN GUIDE

Grandstand tickets for the GEICO 500 are sold out. However, premium packages for a modified garage experience and a new infield drive-in experience are still available for fans who wish to attend. For those who have already purchased tickets, get an early start by looking at the interactive fan guide for safety protocols, scanner rentals and more.

For more information on other special offers and future events, visit the Talladega Superspeedway event site.

WHAT ARE THE ODDS?

Oddsmakers favor Hamlin to finally get over the winless streak after dazzling performances in nearly every race this season. The No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing wheelman tops the chart at 13-2, with rival Logano just off the pace at 9-1. Two-time Talladega winner Ryan Blaney at 10-1 edges out teammate Brad Keselowski and reigning series champion Chase Elliott — both 11-1 — to complete the list of frontrunners.

As fans know, superspeedways tend to produce electric moments from the underdogs. William Byron (20-1), Ryan Newman (30-1) and Erik Jones (40-1) each present intriguing value based on recent performances at the track.

Byron has led a lap in five of six career starts at Talladega and has a pair of consecutive finishes in 11th or better, Newman has five finishes of ninth or better in the last seven races — including two runner-ups — and Erik Jones has finished in the top five in each of the last two races.

Who’s your best bet? See the full list of BetMGM odds for the GEICO 500.

GOODYEAR TIRES

Cup Series teams have seven sets of Goodyear Eagle Speedway Radials for the 188-lap race on the 2.66-mile circuit. The length of the track allows for the possibility of drivers pitting under green without going a lap down.

Last repaved in 2010, the surface has increased its effect on tire wear over time, but the grip is still sustainable over longer runs — meaning two-tire and fuel-only stops should definitely be in play throughout the afternoon.

The minimum recommended inflation is 26 psi for the left side tires, 50 psi for the right front and 48 psi for the right rear.

FORD, TEAM PENSKE DOMINANT AT ‘DEGA

— In the last 11 races at Talladega, a Ford driver has reached Victory Lane nine times.

— During the 2018 race, Stewart-Haas Racing drivers ran 1-2-3-4 for 122 of 162 green flag laps and Aric Almirola won after taking the lead on the final lap.

— Team Penske and Team Penske-related drivers (No. 21) have either won or been passed for the win in six of the last seven Talladega races.

— Blaney led a race-high 63 laps in last year’s spring victory and has won two out of the last three races at Talladega.

Source: Racing Insights

FANTASY LIVE

Join NASCAR Fantasy Live to compete weekly for points and bragging rights. Already signed up? Go ahead and build your lineup for Talladega.

The 2021 Fantasy Live points leaders are Hamlin (434), Truex (353) and Logano (345).

ALSO ON NASCAR.COM

Get additional camera views by logging on to NASCAR Drive, where each week a select number of in-car cameras will be available – as well as a battle cam and an overhead look.

New for this season, NASCAR has partnered with LiveLike to add fan engagement in the NASCAR Mobile App. Log in to the mobile app during the race for polls, quizzes, the cheer meter and more – and see instant results from NASCAR fans like you.

Posted on April 22, 2021April 22, 2021 by Staff Report

Netflix announced Thursday it is teaming up with NASCAR Cup Series driver Bubba Wallace for a documentary series as he competes for the newly formed 23XI Racing team co-owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin.

The series will take viewers behind the scenes of the 2021 NASCAR season through the eyes of Wallace, who has been at the forefront of NASCAR’s efforts to advocate for inclusion and equality in racing.

You know me…I like to keep things real and raw. Pumped to have @netflix capture these moments to share with you guys. 🤘🏾

— Bubba Wallace (@BubbaWallace) April 22, 2021

The production companies are 300 Studios and Boardwalk Pictures. The director is Erik Parker, previously known for directing “L.A. Burning: The Riots 25 Years Later.”

Executive producers include Kevin Liles, Nolan Baynes and Kelly G. Griffin for 300 Studios; Andrew Fried, Dane Lillegard, Jordan Wynn and Sarina Roma for Boardwalk Pictures; and Matt Summers, Tim Clark and Tally Hair for NASCAR.

The release date of the documentary will be announced at a later time.

This docuseries marks NASCAR’s second project with Netflix. The comedy series, “The Crew,” debuted earlier this year, starring Kevin James and featuring cameos from drivers Ryan Blaney, Austin Dillon and Cole Custer.

FROM 2020: Lasting images | Bubba Wallace picking up speed on, off track

Posted on April 22, 2021 by Reid Spencer

No current NASCAR Xfinity Series driver has attained mastery over superspeedways to the extent achieved by Kaulig Racing’s Justin Haley, who will try for his third straight Talladega Superspeedway win in Saturday’s Ag-Pro 300 (4 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Haley, who will start fifth, swept both Talladega races last year. His only other Xfinity Series win came at Daytona International Speedway, where the driver of the No. 11 Chevrolet also scored an unlikely NASCAR Cup Series win in the rain-shortened 2019 summer race.

Haley should have plenty of help at Talladega from teammates AJ Allmendinger and Jeb Burton. As a unit, the Kaulig Racing cars have been the dominant force in Xfinity Series superspeedway racing over the past two years.

“I’m hoping to have the speed at Talladega that we’ve had in the past,” Haley said. “It’s always been one of my favorites, and I’m excited to get back on track with my teammates and working together again to get (team owner) Matt Kaulig more trophies.”

Chevrolets, which have massive strength in numbers (28 of the 40 cars in the field), boast a four-race winning streak at Talladega.

Though Austin Cindric is starting on the pole due to metric qualifying, that’s not necessarily an advantage. In 30 Xfinity Series races at the 2.66-mile track, the No. 1 spot on the grid has produced only three winners: Joe Nemechek in 1998, Tony Stewart in 2008 and Haley in last year’s first race at the superspeedway.

And unlike Haley, Cindric has no teammates — a distinct liability in the draft.

The Ag-Pro 300 is the second Xfinity Dash 4 Cash races of the season. Noah Gragson won the first $100,000 bonus at Martinsville Speedway and will try for two straight at Talladega. The other three eligible Dash 4 Cash drivers are Martinsville winner Josh Berry (Gragson’s JR Motorsports teammate) and Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Daniel Hemric and Brandon Jones.

Posted on April 22, 2021 by Terrin Waack

At just 5 years old, Harrison Burton decided his career goal was to be a NASCAR Cup Series driver.

A decade later, he made his first start in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. He ran three part-time seasons before his full run in 2019. That same year, at age 18, Burton made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut. He turned full time there in 2020 and carried that job into this season.

On Sunday, Burton will accomplish his goal and race in Cup’s GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway (2 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM). He’s 20 years old.

“I’m here,” Burton said Wednesday on Zoom. “Obviously it’s awesome to be in this situation and awesome to have this opportunity. But, you know, that’s not what I’m necessarily satisfied with, if that makes sense. I want to make the most of it. For me, riding around for most of the race, I feel like if I get to the end of the race doing that, I’m not going to have the experience I need to make the moves I need to win the race.”

Odds are this is just the beginning of Burton’s Cup journey. His ride this weekend is a one-off gig with Gaunt Brothers Racing in its No. 96 Toyota. He’ll continue in the Xfinity ranks otherwise, driving his normal No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.

Burton didn’t specifically ask for Talladega as his first Cup attempt, but he welcomed it.

“I don’t know if this is right or not, but I think Jon Gruden always says in football, ‘The best ability is availability,’ ” Burton said. “In racing, I guess it’s the same, right? When the opportunity comes, no matter what track whether it’s a road course, dirt track, oval or whatever, you have to be ready for it.”

And Burton is ready. Even if his opportunity happens to be coming at the 2.66-mile Alabama track known for its high banks and high speed — which inevitably lead to wrecks.

That’s a theme Burton’s father, Jeff Burton, remembers all too well from his Cup days.

“Listen, as mom and dad, it’s going to be a little nerve wracking,” Jeff said. “Obviously Talladega is a nerve-wracking place. Harrison was working with some of his guys a little while ago, watching footage of some old races. I walked in, and hell, I got nervous watching replays and I knew what was going to happen. It’s just a crazy race track. It always has been.”

Harrison has ran it in Xfinity and Trucks. In his two Xfinity starts, he placed 23rd and 32nd (crashed out); he’ll race in Saturday’s event, too. He finished 11th in his sole Truck race.

Since there will be no practice or qualifying due to COVID-19 protocols, the fact Talladega is NASCAR’s longest oval actually could be beneficial for Harrison.

“It creates opportunity to gradually get to know your car and get to know your competition,” Jeff said. “So, just like everything in life, it has pluses and minuses. When I looked at the whole thing, I thought wow, this is actually a good opportunity for him to get some experience in the race without all the pressure.”

Through 40 Cup starts from 1994-2013, Jeff pulled out five top-five and 16 top-10 finishes at Talladega. His average start was 24.1, which turned into a 18.4 average finish.

Harrison is set to fire off 39th in Sunday’s 40-car field.

“It’s exciting for me to be here,” Harrison said. “But my goal since I was 5 years old wasn’t just to be here, right? So, finding a way to make the most of it, get after it and learn as fast as I can is important.”

Posted on April 21, 2021January 19, 2022 by Steve Luvender

Brad Keselowski is known as a superspeedway expert in NASCAR circles, and after winning the GEICO 70 in the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series in a late-race pass, his status holds true in the sim world, too.

The 2012 NASCAR Cup Series champ passed race-dominant James Davison on a late-race restart as chaos unfolded deep in the pack during the run to the checkered flag in the exhibition race.

The virtual 2.66-mile superspeedway hosted the second race of this year’s Pro Invitational Series Wednesday night and featured a full field of NASCAR Cup Series stars — plus a few special guests — four days before Sunday’s GEICO 500 (2 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM).

Six-time Talladega winner Dale Earnhardt Jr., FOX Sports broadcaster Clint Bowyer and fan-vote winner Jesse Iwuji joined 36 NASCAR Cup Series regulars for 70 scheduled laps of action on FS1, featuring iRacing’s laser-scanned version of Talladega with as-real-as-it-gets Cup cars.

Keelan Harvick, eight-year-old son of NASCAR champion Kevin Harvick, was also invited to race alongside his dad.

James Davison qualified on pole after a round of single-car qualifying alongside Anthony Alfredo — underdogs by Cup Series standards, but experts when it comes to iRacing.

Rick Ware Racing’s Davison, combined with teammate Garrett Smithley, put their Chevrolets at the front of the pack to open up the evening.

The race’s first caution flew when Austin Dillon and William Byron tangled, snarling Kevin Harvick in the process. Luckily, the drivers were afforded two fast-repair damage resets each, enabling the drivers to continue.

Shortly after, in-race reporter Bowyer went for a spin thanks to a bump-draft gone wrong with Daniel Suarez, who sported a Red Farmer tribute paint scheme for the evening. Despite the available resets, the crash knocked Bowyer out of contention — though he admits he didn’t enter the race with high hopes.

Throughout the intermediate portions of the race, the leaders remained in single-file formation — Davison and Smithley out in front — waiting patiently to make a move until later.

A round of green-flag pit stops — a surprise to some drivers — brought the field to pit road to make it to the finish with enough fuel. Still, Australia’s Davison persisted at the front of the field.

A flurry of cautions bunched up the field with less than 25 laps to go, setting up for a sprint to the finish, pit stops no longer a question.

On each ensuing restart, it didn’t take long for action to take on the familiar side-by-side, ultra-competitive look of any race at Talladega.

Talladega’s famous “Big One” struck not long after, a multi-car crash triggered when Denny Hamlin and Corey LaJoie made contact, tagging Iwuji, Kyle Larson, Matt DiBenedetto, and others.

Intensity ramped up as the lap count dwindled. The caution flew again with less than 10 to go when Larson, Hamlin and Chase Briscoe collided, sending Joey Logano’s car into the air in a manner reminiscent of Jeff Gordon’s crash in last year’s running of the sim race.

Of course, another crash meant another caution — and another restart. This time, six laps from the finish.

Teammates Davison and Smithley struggled to coordinate the restart, putting the brakes on Smithley’s outside lane and breaking up the unstoppable pair. But another caution flew shortly after when Byron and Justin Haley made contact and crashed with Hamlin, Bubba Wallace, Martin Truex Jr. and others, setting up yet another restart — the race’s final.

Keselowski, who’d patiently waited behind Davison in previous runs, was able to quickly make his way to the preferred bottom lane, the veteran faking out the race’s dominant driver.

Keselowski, the 34-time Cup Series race winner, held off a hungry Christopher Bell to cross the finish line first, picking up his first Pro Invitational Series victory.

Bell’s Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, Kyle Busch, surged to third on the last lap, while Timmy Hill and defending race winner Alex Bowman rounded out the top five. Davison came home eighth after leading 61 laps.

Keelan Harvick finished the race — though deep in the field in 38th position.

While no points or money is on the line in the Pro Invitational Series, iRacing will make a $5,000 donation to Keselowski’s Checkered Flag Foundation.

The iRacing Pro Invitational Series was created last year as NASCAR looked for alternative forms of racing after the start of the COVID-19 outbreak. The series returned for 2021 and features a 10-race schedule, with events airing on FOX Sports and NBC Sports.

The next iRacing Pro Invitational Series race is set for May 5 at the virtual Darlington Raceway.