Talladega 500

Lore & Background

Through 1996, this race was normally held in early August or late July. In 1997, it was moved to early October due to the uncomfortably hot summer temperatures, and sometimes unpredictable summertime thunderstorms in the Alabama area. In 2009, the race moved again, this time to November 1 as part of a realignment agreement with Atlanta and Fontana (where Fontana earned a race in the Chase and Atlanta gained the Labor Day weekend race). In 1998, the name of the race was swapped with that of the Talladega spring race. The fall race became known as the Winston 500 for three years to promote the Winston No Bull 5 program.

Reader's Guide

This race has been on average the most consistently competitive in NASCAR history. The race has broken 40 official lead changes in 1971, 1973, 1975–1978, 1983–1984, 1989, 2000, every year in the period spanning 2003–2013, 2019–20, and once again from 2022 to 2024. In 13 of these, the race exceeded 60 lead changes, most recently in 2024 with 66, and in 2010 the race reached 87 lead changes, one short of the motorsports record set in April. The 2000 running of the race is especially notable for being the final career victory for Dale Earnhardt, charging from 18th to the lead in the final 6 laps of the race.

Did You Know?

• 1971: In the 1971 race, Bobby Allison collided with Richard Petty and Pete Hamilton on the last lap, sending Hamilton into the inside wall.
• 1973: In 1973 Dick Brooks survived heat and humidity to himself as well as an overheating engine and shot down heavy favorites Buddy Baker and David Pearson to his only career win.
• 1974: Before the race, crewmen found slashed tires, tampered alignments, and dirt clogging fuel lines in the garage area.
• 1977: Darrell Waltrip relieved Donnie Allison for the final 40 laps and grabbed the win over Cale Yarborough; it is the most recent time a relief driver won a Winston Cup race.