Talladega Chassis Selections

Not all teams announce their weekly race chassis'. Here is a list of those teams that do reveal the chassis in the teams race preview:

#1- Jamie McMurray - Chassis #1009. Crew Chief Kevin “Bono” Manion and the No. 1 Bass Pro Shops/Allstate team will use Chassis #1009 for Talladega. Chassis #1009 has been used previously this season at Talladega finishing 32nd.

#2- Brad Keselowski - The No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger team will race chassis PRS-644 during Sunday’s Good Sam Roadside Assistance 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. This chassis is new to the No. 2 fleet.

#5- Kasey Kahne - For Sunday’s race, crew chief Kenny Francis will unload Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 5-703. Kahne has raced this car to two top-10 finishes at superspeedways this season. Kahne scored a fourth-place result at Talladega in May and crossed the line seventh at Daytona in July. Kahne qualified inside the top five at both events with this car.

#9- Marcos Ambrose - The No. 9 RPM team has prepared chassis No. 715 for this weekend's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race at Talladega. This DEWALT Ford was run previously this season in the Budweiser Shootout in Daytona. 

#10- David Reutimann - This weekend, Reutimann will pilot the same chassis he raced at Daytona in July of this year, finishing 11th, chassis No.19 and will have Tommy Baldwin atop the pit box. Geoffrey Bodine also competed at Daytona International Speedway in last year's Coke Zero 400 in this chassis. He started 35th and looked to have a solid day before the wheel bearing broke, relegating the team to a 38th-place finish.

#14-Tony Stewart - Chassis No. 14-565: This car debuted during Daytona Speedweeks in 2010. Its first race was the non-points Gatorade Duel, where it started 11th and led two laps before finishing second, which slotted it sixth in the Daytona 500. In the Great American Race, Chassis No. 14-565 finished 22nd. Its third career start came in April at Talladega  Superspeedway, where it qualified 13th and finished an unscathed 16th in the crash-marred race. It was refitted with a new body and wind-tunnel tested for its return to Daytona via July’s Coke Zero 400. It performed well, as its seven laps led attest, but a multi-car accident on lap 148 collected Chassis No. 14-565 and relegated it to a 25th -place finish. The car had served as a backup ever since, but was completely rebuilt in preparation for the 2012 season. The 54th Daytona 500 marked Chassis No. 14-565’s fifth career start and first since July 2010. It performed admirably, finishing 16th after leading two laps. It sat idle for the series’ second restrictor-plate race of the year at Talladega, but returned to action in July for the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona where it rallied from its 42nd-place starting spot to lead twice for 22 laps en route to the win.

#15- Clint Bowyer - Primary chassis No. 705 finished eighth in the season opening Budweiser Shootout. No. 705 also served as backup for the Spring Talladega and July Daytona races. Backup chassis No. 709 finished 11th in the Daytona 500. The pink paint scheme that makes its first appearance this weekend in Talladega calls attention to the Avon Foundation for Breast Cancer Crusade as well as 5-hour ENERGY’s newest flavor—Pink Lemonade.

#16- Greg Biffle -  October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and in honor of that the 3M Ford will run a special pink paint scheme this weekend in Talladega. The car, chassis RK-798 is a brand new chassis.

#17- Matt Kenseth - This weekend at Talladega, Kenseth will pilot the No. 17 National Breast Cancer Foundation Ford EcoBoost Fusion, Chassis: RK-793, last ran at Daytona, sterted 1st and finished 3rd.

#24- Jeff Gordon - Gordon will race chassis No.24-631 this weekend. The car has run the last 5 plate races and finished 33rd at Talladega in 2012; finished 28th and sixth at Daytona, and third and 27th at Talladega in 2011.

#27- Paul Menard - Paul Menard will pilot Chassis No. 388 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable in this weekend’s Good Sam Road Assistance 500. This Chevrolet was last raced at Daytona International Speedway in July, where he started 13th and finished 14th. It was also utilized earlier this season at Talladega Superspeedway (May) where Menard finished 17th and in the 2012 Daytona 500 where he drove it to a sixth-place finish.

#29- Kevin Harvick -  Kevin Harvick will pilot Chassis No.387 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable in this weekend’s Good Sam Roadside Assistance 500. Built new for competition in 2012, Harvick raced this Chevrolet to a seventh-place finish in the season’s kickoff event, the Daytona 500, after starting from the 13th-position.

#31- Jeff Burton - Jeff Burton will race Chassis No. 343 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. This chassis, built in 2011 for RCR’s No. 29 entry with driver Kevin Harvick, competed in three superspeedway events last season including the Daytona 500 where an engine failure relegated Harvick to a 42nd-place finish. Harvick also guided this machine to a top-five finish at Talladega in April 2011 and a top-10 finish in last season’s Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway. Burton got behind the wheel of this Chevrolet in the 2012 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona where he was involved in an early incident, but battled to an 11th-place finish. He also brought home a top-10 finish at Talladega in April and a runner-up effort in the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona in July.

#36- Dave Blaney - Blaney will pilot the No. 331 chassis, a new chassis made by Richard Childress Racing during the off-season. He drove the chassis in this year’s Daytona 500, where he led six laps and finished in 15th place, and in the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona, where he finished 22nd. Reutimann drove the chassis at Talladega and finished 22nd in the event.

#39- Ryan Newman - Chassis No. 39-606: Chassis 39-606 has four combined starts at the two restrictor-plate tracks on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule – three at Talladega Superspeedway and one at Daytona International Speedway. In its four previous starts, the chassis’ best effort came at Daytona this past July, when Newman qualified on the outside pole and finished fifth. Prior to that, Newman’s best effort came in October 2010 when, after qualifying eighth, he attempted to make a late-race charge but had to settle for 23rd . That result marked the first superspeedway finish for the driver and team in more than a year. The chassis returned to Talladega in April 2011. Newman, who had one of the strongest race cars in the field, was spun twice in two laps – due to bump drafts gone bad – with just a handful of laps remaining. While he was able to save his racecar from damage, the incidents put him too far back in the pack. He finished 25th. The car returned to Talladega this past May, but Newman never had the chance to show how strong his car was as his engine expired after 42 laps.

#42- Juan Pablo Montoya - Chassis #1204. Crew Chief Chris “Shine” Heroy and the No. 42 Target team will travel to Talladega with Chassis #1204. This chassis will make its season debut this weekend in Talladega.

#43- Aric Almirola - The No. 43 team has prepared chassis No. 716 for Talladega.  This chassis also ran at the team's first race at Talladega this season. 

#47- Bobby Labonte - According to #47 crew chief Brian Burns, his driver’s confidence is at its highest levels this season.  “We’re bringing car No. 237 sponsored by SCOTT Products that we raced at the first Talladega,” Burns said. “Bobby was doing a great job until we had a problem with the exhaust and then a flat tire. It was just bad luck. We’re bringing the same car because we were comfortable with it the last time.” The car started 42nd and finished 21st in April at the track.

#48- Jimmie Johnson - Chassis No. 698 serves as the primary for Johnson at Talladega. Chassis No. 482 serves as the backup. No. 698 finished 36th(accident) at Daytona in July and 35th(engine) at Talladega in May. Chassis 482 has not raced since Talladega in November of 2009.

#88- Dale Earnhardt Jr - This weekend at Talladega, crew chief Steve Letarte and the No. 88 team will unload Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 88-699. Earnhardt raced this chassis three times this season, collecting an average 8.7th-place finish at the two restrictor-plate racetracks on the schedule: Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway (second-place in February and 15th-place in July) and Talladega Superspeedway (ninth in May).

#99- Carl Edwards - The No. 99 Subway team will be unloading chassis RK-792 this weekend at Talladega.  This car ran at Daytona in July where Edwards finished sixth.

- Reported in Team News/Press Releases

Talladega Driver Statistics

Not all teams announce their weekly race previews'. Here is a list of those teams that do reveal the information in the teams race preview: 

#1- Jamie McMurray - McMurray has made 20 NSCS starts at Talladega, earning one win (2009), five top-five, six top-10 finishes and eight top-15 finishes. He has completed 3,466 laps out of a possible 3,795 or 91.3 percent, and has led 183 laps. McMurray’s average start at Talladega is 20.6 and his average finish is 19.4. His best finish was first in 2009.

#2- Brad Keselowski - Keselowski has 7 starts at Talladega in the Cup series, scoring 2 wins, 3 top 5's, 5 top 10's and only 1 DNF. Brad's most recent win came in May of this year. On Friday night, Keselowski will be inducted into the Talladega Walk of Fame, along with inactive driver Bill Rexford. The induction ceremony is open to the public and will take place at the Davey Allison Memorial Park in Talladega, Ala. At 7 pm. 

#5- Kasey Kahne -  In 17 Sprint Cup starts at Talladega Superspeedway, Kahne has recorded three top-five finishes and four top-10s. He has led 40 laps at the high-banked oval. Kahne recorded a fourth-place result in the May event at the Alabama oval and finished sixth in this race one year ago.

#9- Marcos Ambrose - Ambrose will be making his eighth career start at Talladega Superspeedway this weekend. He has 1 top 5 and 1 top 10. The Australian native's best start (third) at the Alabama track came earlier this season and his best finish (fourth) came in the 2009. Ambrose sits in 17th place in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings heading into this weekend's 500-mile race.

#10-David Reutimann - Reutimann has made 11 Cup starts at Talladega scoring one top 5 and one top 10, a 4th place finish in October of 2010. He has led 27 laps at the super speedway.

#14-Tony Stewart - Stewart has one win, six second-place finishes, nine top-fives, 13 top-10s and has led a total of 316 laps in his 27 career Sprint Cup starts at Talladega. His average start is 17.0, his average finish is 15.5 and he has a lap completion rate of 97.7 percent.

#15- Clint Bowyer -  Bowyer will make his 14th NSCS start at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday. In his previous 13 starts Bowyer has two wins, four top-five and seven top-10 finishes while leading 88 laps. He finished sixth in June. Bowyer averages a 20th place starting position and finish of 16th.

#16- Greg Biffle - Biffle has 19 cup starts at Talladega and has tallied 2 top 5's, 4 top 10's and  5 DNF's. Biffle's best 4th place finish came in november of 2009. he has led 44 laps at the track and has an average finish of 19.737.

#17- Matt Kenseth -  In 25 Cup starts at Talladega, Kenseth has completed 4,442 of 4,735 laps (93.8 percent) and led for 261 laps.  Kenseth has an average starting position of 21.7 and an average finishing position of 18.6 at Talladega.  Kenseth has achieved four top-five and seven top-10 finishes at Talladega in the Cup series.

#18- Kyle Busch - Busch has tallied one win, two top-five and three top-10 finishes and has led a total of 140 laps in 15 career Sprint Cup starts at Talladega. Busch’s average Talladega finish is 23.3. 

#24- Jeff Gordon - Along with six victories, Gordon has three poles, 14 top-five finishes and 18 top-10s in 39 starts at the 2.66-mile track. He also has paced the field for 832 laps

#27- Paul Menard -   In 12 starts at Talladega Superspeedway, Menard has earned one top-five and six top-15 finishes, completed 81.7 percent of his laps (1,865 of 2,283) and led for 28 circuits. He has an average starting position of 20.1 and an average finishing position of 22.1. His best finish of second was recorded in his October 2008 visit to the 2.66-mile race track. Menard recorded his best start of fifth on two occasions: October 2008 and April 2011. He also earned one pole award (April 2005) in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and one win (September 2003) in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards. 

#29- Kevin Harvick - This weekend’s event at Dover International Speedway marks Harvick’s 424th career start in the Sprint Cup Series and 24th at the 2.66-mile superspeedway. Since 2001, the 36-year-old driver has collected one win (April 2010), one pole award (May 2005), six top-five and 10 top-10 finishes. The Bakersfield, Calif., native maintains a 22nd-place average starting position, coupled with an average finishing position of 15.6, has completed 97.7 percent (4,257 of 4,359) of laps contested and is credited with 143 laps led.

#31- Jeff Burton - The Good Sam Roadside Assistance 500 marks Burton’s 38th start at the 2.66-mile superspeedway and 649th-career Sprint Cup Series entry. He earned five top-five and 15 top-10 finishes along with 150 laps led at the historic track. He leads all drivers entered for the 500-mile event with a Driver Rating of 90.7, has the most Green Flag Passes with 5,839 (4,048 of those passes coming while running in the top 15), theseventh-best Average Running Position (15.871) and has spent 1,676 Laps In The Top 15, ranking him fourth.

#39- Ryan Newman - The Good Sam Roadside Assistance 500 will mark Newman’s 398
th career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start his 22nd Sprint Cup start at Talladega Superspeedway. Newman has four top-fives and seven top-10s in 21 starts at the 2.66-mile superspeedway.

#42- Juan Pablo Montoya -  In his NSCS career, Montoya has made 11 starts at Talladega. Montoya has won two poles at Talladega (2009, 2010) three top-fives and three top-tens. He has completed 2,010 laps out of a possible 2,095 laps, or 95.9 percent, and has led 60 laps. Montoya’s average start at Talladega is 14.2, while his average finish is 18.5

#43- Aric Almirola -  In his five Sprint Cup starts at the 2.66-mile superspeedway, Almirola's top finish (12th) and top qualifying effort (fourth) came in May this season.

#47- Bobby Labonte -  It has been feast or famine for 2000 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion driver Bobby Labonte, who has one win from the pole (4/26/98), six top-five, 13 top-10 finishes and has led 154 laps at the 2.66 tri-oval.

#48- Jimmie Johnson - Two wins (May 2006 and April 2011).  Four poles (April and October 2002, October 2009 and April 2010). Five top-five finishes (23.8 percent) and nine top-10s (42.9 percent) in 21 starts.  Eight DNFs (did not finish – October 2002, 2003 and 2004, April 2005, October 2006, April 2009, 2010 and 2012). Average start of 9.9 and average finish of 17.7.

#88- Dale Earnhardt Jr -  In 25 Cup starts at Talladega, Earnhardt has recorded five wins, nine top-five finishes and 13 top-10s. He scored a record-setting four consecutive wins at the 2.66-mile superspeedway from October 2001 to April 2003.

#99- Carl Edwards - In his previous 16 starts at Talladega, Edwards has one top-five and four top-10 finishes. Edwards’ average start at Talladega is 15.4, his average finish is 20.9. Edwards has completed 88 percent of his laps attempted at Talladega, and led 25 laps.

- Reported in Team News/Press Releases

Kyle Busch Apologizes For Dover Comments

Statement from Kyle Busch: "I made some remarks out of frustration on my radio at the end of last weekend's race in Dover that were very misguided," Busch said. "I owe my friends at Toyota and TRD an apology. We have a great partnership with TRD and they built me a motor that helped me lead over 300 laps and nearly lap the field. It's just frustrating that the caution fell where it did and suddenly it became a fuel mileage race and we were set up for maximum horsepower. Obviously, that worked well for most of the day and you can't control when the cautions will fall.

"I think we have a great partnership with TRD and we will continue to communicate with them on what our team is looking for.  I'm looking forward to getting down to Talladega this weekend and focusing on the race." 

Lee White, President and General Manager of Toyota Racing Development USA:

 “We understand Kyle's passion for racing -- and winning.  At TRD and Toyota, we have that same zeal for racing -- and winning.  We were disappointed with Kyle's post-race comments from Dover -- a race that he dominated.  Kyle's had a frustrating year with several car and engine mechanical failures which were not his responsibility, and we're working extremely hard on our end to improve our products and processes.  We will continue to address these issues, but we're ready to put this behind us and move forward with the remainder of the season, including the Toyota drivers battling for the championship."

Team owner Joe Gibbs:

 “We have a great relationship with Toyota and obviously they are a major part of everything we do at Joe Gibbs Racing.  Toyota is first class in every aspect of their company and they share our passion for winning.  It has been a frustrating season for Kyle in many ways when you think about some of the issues we've had with that 18 team this year and obviously some of those frustrations carried over to his finish last week in Dover.  We were able to lead over 300 laps, but unfortunately the cautions didn't fall our way and certainly you can understand the frustration of having to give up the lead late in the race. 

"However, Kyle recognizes that his comments and the tone of his comments were misguided. We've been able to work through this issue and I think everyone is ready to get back to the focus being on racing and Talladega." 

Ed Laukes, Vice President of Marketing Communications & Motorsports for Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A.:

 “We've had a fabulous relationship with Kyle Busch and Joe Gibbs Racing over the last five years.  Kyle is a talented driver who wins races and can compete for championships, and he is a very important part of the Toyota brand.  We look forward to a long-term relationship with Kyle and Joe Gibbs Racing for years to come."

NASCAR Driver Press Conference Schedule - Talladega

Press Conference Schedule, 

NASCAR schedules driver press conferences at every race weekend event. These normally include the Top 12 drivers in championship points in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, along with other drivers of note. The press conferences will last approximately 15 minutes each and may be viewed at NASCAR.com. Times listed are local time.

Friday, October 5:

11 a.m. – Clint Bowyer (No. 15 5-Hour Energy Benefiting Avon Foundation for Women Toyota), 4^th in points (2117)/2 wins – Media Center

11:30 a.m. – Tony Stewart (No. 14 Mobil 1/Office Depot Chevrolet), 5^th in points (2110)/3 wins (team announcement) – Media Center

12:15 p.m. – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet), 10^th in points (2094)/1 win - #24 hauler

12:30 p.m. – Matt Kenseth (No. 17 Ford EcoBoost/National Breast Cancer Foundation Ford), 12^th in points (2070)/1 win - #17 hauler

12:45 p.m.  – Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet), 9^th in points (2096)/0 wins (team announcement) – Media Center

12:45 p.m. – Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 Diet Mountain Dew Paint the 88/National Guard Chevrolet), 7^th in points (2103)/1 win - #88 hauler

1 p.m. – Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge), 1^st in points (2142)/5 wins – Media Center

3:30 p.m. – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Freight Toyota), 3^rd in points (2126)/5 wins – Media Center

Saturday, October 6:

Note: Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet), 2^nd in points (2137)/3 wins will be available at his car following his qualifying lap (qualifying begins at 11:15 a.m.)

- NASCAR 

Miller Lite Infield Track Bar Returns To Talladega

One of the main attractions at this year’s Good Sam Roadside Assistance 500 Weekend is the return of the Miller Lite Infield Track Bar. Open until 2 a.m. Friday through Sunday, the bar serves up the coldest beer at the track and is a huge hub of excitement among race fans all weekend long. Over the years the bar has become the place to party and watch college football on Saturday.

The Miller Lite Infield Track Bar is located at the intersection of Talladega and Eastaboga Boulevards, putting it at the center of the famous Talladega infield action. The bar opens at 4 p.m. on Friday and at 11 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Extra TV’s are being brought in this year to make sure fans catch all the college football action on Saturday.

“One of the highlights of race weekend at Talladega Superspeedway has to be the Miller Lite Infield Track Bar,” said track Chairman Grant Lynch. “The bar is open late and provides a great atmosphere for fans to hang out and watch their favorite football teams duke it out. At the Miller Lite Infield Track Bar fans don’t have to miss a minute of the action on the track or the gridiron.

- Talladega SuperSpeedway Press release

Talladega Superspeedway History and Notes

At Talladega Superspeedway:
History

· Construction began on what was then known as the Alabama International Motor Speedway on May 23, 1968.

· The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was held on Sept. 14, 1969.

· The name changed to Talladega Superspeedway in 1989.

· Fourth repaving completed on Sept. 19, 2006.

Notebook
· There have been 86 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Talladega Superspeedway since the track opened in 1969; two a year every year except the inaugural season, which had just one.

· Richard Brickhouse won the first NASCAR Sprint Cup race.

· Bobby Isaac won the first NASCAR Sprint Cup pole in September 1969. Isaac won the first three poles there.

· 35 different drivers have won poles. Bill Elliott leads all drivers with eight poles.

· 41 different drivers have posted victories, led by Dale Earnhardt Sr. (10). Twenty-one drivers have won more than once.

· Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers in victories, with six. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is second among active drivers with five.

· Richard Childress Racing has won more than any other organization at Talladega with 12 wins.

· 33 of 86 races have been won from a top-two starting positions, including 13 from the pole; 24 have been won from a starting position outside the top 10. The most recent driver to win from the pole was Jeff Gordon in 2007 (spring).

· The furthest back in the field a race winner started was 36th, by Jeff Gordon in 2000.

· Brad Keselowski leads the series among active drivers in average finishing position at Talladega with a 13.0. Trevor Bayne leads the series among active drivers in average starting position with an 8.6.

· Mark Martin’s pace in the 1997 spring race set an all-time NASCAR Sprint Cup record for the fastest race ever. He won the caution-free race with an average speed of 188.354 mph and covered the 500-mile distance in two hours, 39 minutes and 18 seconds.

· The 2010 spring race set the all-time and track records for lead changes (88) and lap leaders (29). Last season’s spring race tied the 2010 record for most lead changes with 88 (amongst 26 lap leaders). The previous highs were 75 lead changes (set on May 6, 1984) and 28 lap leaders (set on Oct. 5, 2008). Both previous records also were set at Talladega.

· Dale Earnhardt Jr. had four consecutive victories (October 2001 through April 2003), the most ever by a driver at Talladega Superspeedway. Buddy Baker (three – May 1975 through May 1976) is the only other driver to win more than two consecutive races there.

· Since the inception of electronic scoring in 1993, every race that has ended under green has had a margin of victory under half a second.

· The 2011 spring race tied the 03/16/2003 Darlington race won by Ricky Craven for the all-time record of the closest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series finish (0.002 seconds) since the inception of electronic scoring.

· Youngest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Talladega Superspeedway winner: Bobby Hillin Jr. (07/27/1986 – 22 years, 1 month, 22 days).

· Oldest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Talladega Superspeedway winner: Harry Gant (05/06/1991 – 51 years, 3 months, 26 days)

Talladega Superspeedway Data
Chase Race #: 4 of 10Season Race #: 30 of 36 (10-07-12)
Track Size: 2.66-mile
Banking/Turns: 33 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 16.5 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 2 degrees
Frontstretch Length: 4,300 feet
Backstretch Length: 4,000 feet
Race Length: 188 laps / 500 miles

Top 12 Driver Rating at Talladega
Jeff Burton................................. 90.7
Dale Earnhardt Jr........................ 90.0
Denny Hamlin............................. 87.0
David Ragan............................... 87.0
Kurt Busch.................................. 86.8
Matt Kenseth.............................. 86.7
Brad Keselowski......................... 86.2
Joey Logano.............................. 84.8
Tony Stewart............................... 84.5
Jimmie Johnson.......................... 81.5
Jeff Gordon................................ 81.5
Juan Pablo Montoya................... 80.4

Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2012 races (15 total) among active drivers at Talladega Superspeedway.

- NASCAR Statistics

NASCAR This Week on ESPN

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Talladega on ESPN

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series visits Talladega Superspeedway, NASCAR’s biggest track, for a 500-mile race on Sunday, Oct. 7, the fourth of 10 races in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. ESPN will have a live telecast with NASCAR Countdown at 1 p.m. ET and the race’s green flag at 2:19 p.m.  The telecast is presented by Pennzoil. All NASCAR programming on ESPN is also available on computers, smartphones and tablets with the WatchESPN app and WatchESPN.com.

Announcers:

Booth: Lap-by-Lap announcer Allen Bestwick; analysts Dale Jarrett, Andy Petree.

Pit reporters: Jamie Little, Mike Massaro, Dr. Jerry Punch, Vince Welch.

NASCAR Countdown: Nicole Briscoe (host); Rusty Wallace, Ray Evernham, Brad Daugherty (analysts).

 

NASCAR Now Schedule

ESPN2’s daily NASCAR news and information program NASCAR Now will preview the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway in the one-hour edition airing Sunday, Oct. 7, at 9 a.m. ET. Host Marty Reid will be joined in the studio by ESPN NASCAR analyst Ricky Craven with reporters Marty Smith and Shannon Spake at the track. The weekend wrap-up edition, with highlights of the Talladega race, airs that night at 11 p.m. ESPN analyst Dale Jarrett joins Craven and Spake to review the race on Monday, Oct. 8, at 3 p.m. The week’s schedule:

 

Date Time                 Show                 Host         Network

Mon., Oct. 1 2 p.m.         NASCAR Now Marty Reid ESPN2

Tue., Oct. 2 3:30 p.m. NASCAR Now Marty Reid ESPN2

Wed., Oct. 3 3 p.m.         NASCAR Now Marty Reid ESPN2

Thu., Oct. 4 3 p.m.         NASCAR Now Marty Reid ESPN2

Fri., Oct. 5 3:30 p.m. NASCAR Now Marty Reid ESPN2

Sun., Oct. 7 9 a.m.         NASCAR Now Marty Reid ESPN2

Sun., Oct. 7 11 p.m.         NASCAR Now Marty Reid ESPN2

Mon., Oct. 8 3 p.m.         NASCAR Now Marty Reid ESPN2

- ESPN Media Zone Press Release