The NASCAR Cup Series shifts gears and heads to the legendary Talladega Superspeedway for Sunday’s YellaWood 500.
Back in the 2024 edition, Michael McDowell blazed through qualifying with a blistering lap of 183.063 mph (52.310 seconds) to grab the pole. But when the dust settled, it was Ricky Stenhouse Jr. who stole the show, leading five times for 19 laps before outdueling Brad Keselowski in a nail-biting photo finish during an overtime thriller to claim the win.
McDowell, Christopher Bell, and Chase Elliott have proven to be the kings of qualifying at Talladega, each boasting two poles apiece. Elliott, in particular, etched his name in the record books as the youngest pole winner at the track, doing so on May 1, 2016, at just 20 years, five months, and three days old.
Among current drivers, Austin Cindric has been remarkably consistent, holding the best average starting spot at Talladega with a 9.714 across seven races. Meanwhile, Kyle Busch leads the veteran pack with 40 starts under his belt — a true ironman on the high banks.
Rounding out the top five in career Talladega starts among active racers are Busch (40), Denny Hamlin (39), Brad Keselowski (33), Joey Logano (33), and McDowell (29), all ready to chase another chapter of superspeedway glory.
Here is everything you need to know about the Talladega playoff race, including the TV channel and streaming platforms for the race.
What channel is NASCAR on today?
- TV Channel: NBC | TSN, RDS (Canada)
- Live stream: Fubo | TSN+ (Canada)
The Talladega playoff race is available for live TV broadcast on NBC in the United States. Streaming options are available on Fubo for fans in the US.
Fubo offers a free trial for new subscribers, so you can try the service before you buy. Stream ESPN, ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and 100+ top channels of live TV and sports without cable. (Participating plans only. Taxes and fees may apply.)
What time does the NASCAR race start today?
- Track: Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama
- Date: Sunday, October 19, 2025
- Time: 2:00 p.m. ET or 11:00 a.m. PT
- Length: 188 laps (500 miles) on the 2.66-mile oval
- Purse: $9,797,935
The Talladega playoff race is scheduled to start at 2:00 p.m. ET or 11:00 a.m. PT on Sunday, October 19.
The race will be held at Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama. Stage 1 ends at Lap 60. Stage 2 ends at Lap 120. Stage 3 ends at Lap 188.
NASCAR radio station for Talladega playoff race
Listen to the 2025 Talladega playoff race and every race of the NASCAR season on SiriusXM.
New subscribers can enjoy SiriusXM for free for four months. Listen to live NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL games, plus NASCAR, college sports and more. Stay updated with all the news and get all the analysis on multiple sport-specific channels.
NASCAR Talladega playoff race 2025 starting grid
| Position | Driver | Car No. | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael McDowell | 71 | Spire Motorsports Chevrolet |
| 2 | Chase Briscoe | 19 | Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota |
| 3 | Kyle Busch | 8 | Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet |
| 4 | Austin Cindric | 2 | Team Penske Ford |
| 5 | Ryan Preece | 60 | RFK Racing Ford |
| 6 | Josh Berry | 21 | Wood Brothers Racing Ford |
| 7 | Christopher Bell | 20 | Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota |
| 8 | Ryan Blaney | 12 | Team Penske Ford |
| 9 | Riley Herbst | 35 | 23XI Racing Toyota |
| 10 | Bubba Wallace | 23 | 23XI Racing Toyota |
| 11 | Alex Bowman | 48 | Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet |
| 12 | Cole Custer | 41 | Haas Factory Team Ford |
| 13 | William Byron | 24 | Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet |
| 14 | Chris Buescher | 17 | Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford |
| 15 | Tyler Reddick | 45 | 23XI Racing Toyota |
| 16 | Joey Logano | 22 | Team Penske Ford |
| 17 | Denny Hamlin | 11 | Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota |
| 18 | Ty Gibbs | 54 | Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota |
| 19 | Kyle Larson | 5 | Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet |
| 20 | Brad Keselowski | 6 | Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford |
| 21 | Austin Dillon | 3 | Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet |
| 22 | Justin Haley | 7 | Spire Motorsports Chevrolet |
| 23 | Zane Smith | 38 | Front Row Motorsports Ford |
| 24 | Ross Chastain | 1 | Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet |
| 25 | Chase Elliott | 9 | Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet |
| 26 | Daniel Suarez | 99 | Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet |
| 27 | Todd Gilliland | 34 | Front Row Motorsports Ford |
| 28 | John Hunter Nemechek | 42 | Legacy Motor Club Toyota |
| 29 | Ty Dillon | 10 | Kaulig Racing Chevrolet |
| 30 | Erik Jones | 43 | Legacy Motor Club Toyota |
| 31 | Shane van Gisbergen | 88 | Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet |
| 32 | Carson Hocevar | 77 | Spire Motorsports Chevrolet |
| 33 | Austin Hill | 33 | Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet |
| 34 | AJ Allmendinger | 16 | Kaulig Racing Chevrolet |
| 35 | Cody Ware | 51 | Rick Ware Racing Ford |
| 36 | Noah Gragson | 4 | Front Row Motorsports Ford |
| 37 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 47 | HYAK Motorsports Chevrolet |
| 38 | Anthony Alfredo | 62 | Beard Motorsports Chevrolet |
| 39 | BJ McLeod | 78 | Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet |
| 40 | Casey Mears | 66 | Garage 66 Ford |
NASCAR point standings 2025
Below are the updated standings ahead of NASCAR at Talladega.
| Rank | Driver | Points |
| 1 | Denny Hamlin | 4090 |
| 2 | Kyle Larson | 4086 |
| 3 | Christopher Bell | 4071 |
| 4 | Chase Briscoe | 4066 |
| 5 | William Byron | 4051 |
| 6 | Chase Elliott | 4043 |
| 7 | Joey Logano | 4042 |
| 8 | Ryan Blaney | 4035 |
| 9 | Tyler Reddick | 2231 |
| 10 | Bubba Wallace | 2197 |
NASCAR Cup Series playoff race schedule 2025
(All times Eastern)
| Date | Race | Track | Time | TV/Winner |
| Oct. 19 | NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Race at Talladega | Talladega Superspeedway | 2 p.m. | NBC, Fubo |
| Oct. 26 | NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Race at Martinsville | Martinsville Speedway | 2 p.m. | NBC, Fubo |
| Nov. 2 | NASCAR Cup Series Championship | Phoenix Raceway | 3 p.m. | NBC, Fubo |
