Haas Factory Team

Talladega Superspeedway

NASCAR Cup Series Notes

Race Information

●  Event:  YellaWood 500 (Round 34 of 36)

●  Date/Time:  Sunday, October 25 | 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT

●  TV/Radio:  NBC | Motor Racing Network | SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (channel 90)

●  Location:  Talladega Superspeedway, Lincoln, Alabama

●  Layout:  2.66-mile asphalt tri-oval

●  Laps/Miles:  188 laps/500.08 miles (Stages: 98-45-45)

●  Track Activity:

Saturday, October 24

Qualifying

1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT

TruTV | MRN | SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (channel 90)

Notes of Interest

● Only three races remain on the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series calendar, and Haas Factory Team and Cole Custer now stop at Talladega Superspeedway, one of the most unpredictable tracks on the circuit. The 2.66-mile asphalt tri-oval is known for collecting racecars in bulk when the ‘big one’ occurs.

● Cole Custer has an affinity for superspeedways, posting fourth and fifth place finishes at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega, respectively, in 2025, and most recently hustled to a top-10 finish in the No. 41 Standard Nuclear Chevrolet Camaro at Daytona in August.

● Talladega Superspeedway features the most banking of any NASCAR venue. With 33 degrees of banking in its turns and 16.5 degrees in the tri-oval section, the track offers high-speed racing, with cars drafting and racing mere inches apart. A slight lapse in concentration or a tug on the wheel can lead to major high-speed crashes.

● Built in 1969, Talladega Superspeedway’s property now covers 3,000 acres, including the track site and parking areas. The infield area is 247 acres.

● Richard Brickhouse raced to victory in the first-ever NASCAR Cup Series race held at the Alabama track on September 14, 1969, while legendary NASCAR team owner Richard Childress also made his first career start at the inaugural Talladega 500. Childress later credited his winnings from the race for the formation of Richard Childress Racing.

● DIECAST ANNOUNCEMENT: On August 29, Cole Custer wheeled his No. 41 Standard Nuclear Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 to a top-10 finish under the lights at Daytona International Speedway. Lionel has announced the production of a diecast of Custer’s Standard Nuclear car, and you can order yours herehttps://www.lionelracing.com/search?keywords=Standard%20Nuclear.

By the Numbers

● Custer will make his 10th NASCAR Cup Series start at Talladega Superspeedway this weekend, where he has led 12 laps and averages a top-20 finish.

● In his 33 Cup starts this season, the California native has completed 8,615 of a possible 8,974 laps, resulting in an impressive 96% lap completion percentage.

● In 10 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races at Talladega, Custer has an average starting position of 11.5 and has recorded three top-10 and a top-5 finish.

● This weekend’s race at Talladega Superspeedway will feature a new left-side Goodyear Racing Eagle tire paired with the same right-side tire previously used at the track. The left-side tire has an updated construction, but the compound remains the same as previously used. The right-side tire has been used at Talladega and Daytona International Speedway since the beginning of the 2025 season. Each team receives seven sets of tires for the race weekend (six new race sets and one qualifying set transferred to the race).

No. 41 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Driver and Crew Chief 

Driver: Cole Custer

Hometown: Ladera Ranch, California

Crew Chief: Aaron Kramer

Hometown: Wellsville, New York