After a wild race at Texas Motor Speedway that saw Chase Elliott claim his first victory in over a year, chaos sets up to continue as the theme this weekend. NASCAR heads to Talladega Superspeedway for the 2024 GEICO 500 where anything can happen and surprises come as expected.
Will Hendrick Motorsports continue their hot start to 2024? Can JGR keep pace with the HMS win list? Or will we see yet another surprise winner on Sunday?
2024 GEICO 500 Entry List
We’ve got a full cast of characters for the Sunday action but of particular note, international sensation Shane Van Gisbergen makes his first Cup start on a Superspeedway. This race will mark a big learning opportunity for the Kiwi driver as he competes in the Xfinity Series full-time and prepares to jump to the Cup series for all races. Also of note – BJ McLeod in the #78 and Anthony Alfredo in the #62 hopping back in the field for the first time in a while.
Who would you want to spot you through three-wide racing at @TALLADEGA?
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) April 17, 2024
Tag a friend 👇 pic.twitter.com/6zQ7ehUXfX
Keep an eye peeled for some of the fuel strategy we witnessed at Daytona earlier this year. Other than that, expect a typical superspeedway NASCAR race. The pack racing will create the opportunity for carnage but should cooler heads prevail we will see a lot of biding time. Once we get within about 10-20 laps left in the race, all hell will break loose. Some similar racing may take place at the ends of the stages as well.
2024 GEICO 500 Race Odds and Predictions
In short, your predictions likely hold as much chance of success as mine. Winning a NASCAR race at superspeedways takes skill. Recognizing runs in the draft and knowing when to throw a block matters and certain drivers accomplish this better than others. However, luck plays a massive role in making it to the end. At any point, the trademark Big One can break out. One small mistake committed by one driver might junk half the field. And so, while the odds favor Ryan Blaney at +850 to win – an accident looms just as likely.
For my race winner, I opted for Brad Keselowski. RFK Racing will likely be near the front and as I’ve said multiple times this year, Brad K just feels due for a win. The odds don’t really make too much of a difference here but the #6 is at +1000 to win on Sunday. Denny Hamlin tends to find success at drafting-style tracks so consider sprinkling a bit on him at +350 to finish in the top three. The #11 represents a regular front-pack fixture at the end of these races.
An elite spotter can save a race.
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) April 17, 2024
They'll showcase their talent at @TALLADEGA. pic.twitter.com/WxfImJdq8d
As mentioned above, the nature of drafting style tracks also means just about anyone can win come Sunday. As a dark horse threat on Sunday, I’m considering Noah Gragson at +4500. Tune in for chaos and calamity at one of the most incredible atmospheres on the NASCAR circuit and make sure you stay tuned for Talladega’s post-race weekend Twitter thread for some incredible content.
Check out the schedule below so you don’t miss any on-track action!
Friday 04/19
NASCAR Xfinity Series Qualifying – 4:30 p.m. CT on FS1
Saturday 04/20
NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying – 9:30 a.m. CT on FS1
General Tire 200 (ARCA Menards Series) – 11:30 a.m. CT on FS1
Ag-Pro 300 (NASCAR Xfinity Series) – 3:00 p.m. on FOX
Sunday 04/21
GEICO 500 (NASCAR Cup Series) – 2:00 p.m. CT on FOX
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