About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The NASCAR Cup Series continues the Chase for the championship with the YellaWood 500 on Oct. 25 at Talladega Superspeedway.
While not quite the same frantic wild-card race as in the playoffs, Talladega is set to shake up the top of the standings with a chance to set the table for the final couple race weekends.
In the points standings, six drivers are within 59 points of Kyle Larson with three races to go.
Here are The Tennessean's expert picks for Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega:
CUP POINTS: NASCAR points standings, Cup Series points update after Phoenix race, Chase picture
TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: Honorary pace car driver, Eladio Carrion poses for photos on track prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images) (David Jensen, Getty Images) TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: NASCAR Cup Series driver, Kyle Larson (L) and honorary pace car driver, Eladio Carrion pose for photos in the #5 hauler prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images) (Paras Griffin, Getty Images) TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: NASCAR Cup Series driver, Kyle Larson speak to guest in the #5 hauler prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images) (Paras Griffin, Getty Images) TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: Alex Bowman, driver of the #48 Ally Chevrolet, signs autographs for NASCAR fans prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images) (David Jensen, Getty Images) TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: Alex Bowman, driver of the #48 Ally Chevrolet, walks the grid prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images) (David Jensen, Getty Images) TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: Carson Hocevar, driver of the #77 Chili's Ride the 'Dente Chevrolet, waves to fans as he walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) (Sean Gardner, Getty Images) TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: Austin Cindric, driver of the #2 Menards/FrogTape Ford, waves to fans as he walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) (Sean Gardner, Getty Images) TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Wurth Ford, waves to fans as he walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) (Sean Gardner, Getty Images) TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: Austin Dillon, driver of the #3 Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Long Beard XR Chevrolet, waves to fans as he walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) (Sean Gardner, Getty Images) 1 / 9 NASCAR Talladega race best photos, including Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: Honorary pace car driver, Eladio Carrion poses for photos on track prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images) (David Jensen, Getty Images) 1 / 9 NASCAR Talladega race best photos, including Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: Honorary pace car driver, Eladio Carrion poses for photos on track prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images) (David Jensen, Getty Images) 2 / 9 NASCAR Talladega race best photos, including Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: NASCAR Cup Series driver, Kyle Larson (L) and honorary pace car driver, Eladio Carrion pose for photos in the #5 hauler prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images) (Paras Griffin, Getty Images) 3 / 9 NASCAR Talladega race best photos, including Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: NASCAR Cup Series driver, Kyle Larson speak to guest in the #5 hauler prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images) (Paras Griffin, Getty Images) 4 / 9 NASCAR Talladega race best photos, including Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: Alex Bowman, driver of the #48 Ally Chevrolet, signs autographs for NASCAR fans prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images) (David Jensen, Getty Images) 5 / 9 NASCAR Talladega race best photos, including Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: Alex Bowman, driver of the #48 Ally Chevrolet, walks the grid prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images) (David Jensen, Getty Images) 6 / 9 NASCAR Talladega race best photos, including Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: Carson Hocevar, driver of the #77 Chili's Ride the 'Dente Chevrolet, waves to fans as he walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) (Sean Gardner, Getty Images) 7 / 9 NASCAR Talladega race best photos, including Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: Austin Cindric, driver of the #2 Menards/FrogTape Ford, waves to fans as he walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) (Sean Gardner, Getty Images) 8 / 9 NASCAR Talladega race best photos, including Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Wurth Ford, waves to fans as he walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) (Sean Gardner, Getty Images) 9 / 9 NASCAR Talladega race best photos, including Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: Austin Dillon, driver of the #3 Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Long Beard XR Chevrolet, waves to fans as he walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) (Sean Gardner, Getty Images) NASCAR predictions for Talladega Cup Series race: Here's who wins the YellaWood 500 Mike Organ's pick: Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Larson held onto the top spot in the Chase standings after Phoenix, barely. He had one of his worst races of the season there, starting outside the top 20 and finishing 34th. Where was he worse? At Talladega in the spring. He will come roaring back this week.
After a summer (and fall) filled with bad luck, Chase Elliott wins at Talladega. Why? Because it's Talladega, that's why. And Elliott is a sneaky good drafting driver.
Hocevar a win at Talladega again? Hey, anything can happen on the drafting track. His racing style is just crazy enough to work this weekend.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: NASCAR Talladega predictions 2026, expert picks for Cup Series race
Source: Sports
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