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Sunday will mark a tough crossroads for NASCAR. As a number of of its high drivers specific critical issues about security, the Cup Collection is at Talladega Superspeedway, the circuit’s greatest observe and website of many huge wrecks over its 53 years of existence.
Including to the stress is the truth that Sunday’s 188-lap, 500-mile race is the center occasion within the second spherical of the playoffs. With a win robotically advancing any of the 12 playoff drivers to the subsequent spherical, the ultimate laps are more likely to be frantic.
Sunday’s race (2 p.m. ET, NBC) will start with Joey Logano atop the playoff level standings. Following him within the high eight are Ross Chastain, Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, Denny Hamlin, Daniel Suarez, Chase Elliott and Chase Briscoe.
Under the cutline are Austin Cindric, William Byron, Christopher Bell and Alex Bowman. Byron fell beneath the road this week when NASCAR penalized him for bumping Hamlin beneath warning throughout final Sunday’s race at Texas Motor Speedway. Hendrick Motorsports has appealed the penalty.
Bowman will miss Sunday’s race due to concussion-like signs he has skilled after a crash at Texas. Noah Gragson will substitute him.
Bell received the pole Saturday with a pace of 180.591 mph.
Particulars for Sunday’s race:
START: The command to begin engines shall be given by Jimmy Rane, president of Nice Southern Wooden Preserving, at 1:52 p.m. (ET). … Inexperienced flag is scheduled to wave at 2:04 p.m.
PRERACE: Cup storage opens at 11 a.m. … Driver introductions are at 1:15 p.m. … The invocation shall be given by Barbara Embry, chaplin of Residents Baptist Medical Middle, at 1:43 p.m. … The nationwide anthem shall be carried out by the 313th U.S. Military Band at 1:45 p.m.
DISTANCE: The race is 188 laps (500 miles) on the two.66-mile speedway.
STAGES: Stage 1 ends at Lap 60. Stage 2 ends at Lap 120.
STARTING LINEUP: Talladega Cup starting lineup
TV/RADIO: NBC will broadcast the race at 2 p.m. Countdown to Inexperienced begins at 1 p.m. … Motor Racing Community protection begins at 1 p.m. … SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will carry the MRN broadcast.
STREAMING: NBCsports.com
FORECAST: Weather Underground — Primarily sunny. Excessive of 78. 5% likelihood of rain.
LAST TIME: Bubba Wallace received final October’s race, which was shortened to 117 laps by rain. Brad Keselowski was second.
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