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The third of ten races that will be a part of the Chase for the Cup in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series is the Talladega 500 at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama. The track is 2.66 miles around in the typical oval shape and will be 188 laps from start to finish. The drivers should be familiar with the course as it’s also the home of the Aaron’s 499 that will take place five months prior to the Talladega 500. Last year, the race was called the EA Sports 500 and saw a stirring finish to an unbelievable day. Joe Nemechek started on the pole but Dale Earnhardt Jr. managed to lead or be in touch with the leaders most of the day. A late caution gave the crew a chance to gamble and they elected to take on two right-side tires while most other drivers elected to only take on fuel. Junior dropped back to 11 th with five laps left before taking the lead on lap 186 and holding on to win the 2004 EA Sports 500. The win allowed Junior to move up to second in points, only 12 behind Kurt Busch with seven races left in the season. The win was Junior’s fifth at Talladega, all in the last three years, which puts him second all-time behind only his father, the legendary Dale Earnhardt, who managed to win eight times at Talladega. The past winners list at Talladega reads like a racing hall of fame including names like Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin, Ernie Irvan, Davey Allison, David Pearson, and even the King himself, Richard Petty.
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