This week the NASCAR Cup Series goes from one of the smallest tracks on the circuit to the largest when they travel to Alabama and Talladega Superspeedway for the Geico 500.

There was no practice this week so the single car one lap qualifying runs are the first time the drivers will take to the track.

JJ Yeley got the qualifying run started with a time of 55.682 seconds around the 2.66 mile track.

Once all 39 drivers have made an attempt to qualify, the top 10 drivers will make a second run to determine the pole position.

After two rounds of qualifying, Christopher Bell puts his number 20 Joe Gibbs Racing on the pole with a time of 52.927 seconds for his second career pole. JGR team mate Martin Truex Jr will start alongside on the front row.

The Spire Motorsports number 77 car driven by Landon Cassill hailed the pre-race inspection process three times with a rear spoiler issue. As a result, Cassill loses his chance to qualify the car, loses a crew member for the weekend, has to start the race from the back of the field, and will have to serve a pass through penalty once the race starts.

The number 19 Joe Gibbs Racing car driven by Martin Truex Jr and the number 47 JTG Daugherty car driven by Ricky Stenhouse Jr failed the inspection process twice. While the drivers will get to qualify their cars and keep their starting spots, they lose a crew member for the weekend and the opportunity to choose a pit stall.

Brad Keselowski has the most wins of the active drivers in today’s race with six.

A special track requires a special guest commentator in the FOX Sports broadcast booth. Joining Mike Joy and Clint Bowyer this week is Hall of Fame driver and Xfinity team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr.

The starting lineup for the Geico 500:
Christopher Bell
Martin Truex Jr
Daniel Hemric
Daniel Suarez
Kyle Larson
Kurt Busch
Denny Hamlin
William Byron
Bubba Wallace
Tyler Reddick
Justin Haley
Kyle Busch
Joey Logano
Austin Dillon
Brad Keselowski
Erik Jones
Chase Briscoe
Austin Cindric
Ross Chastain
Ty Dillon
Michael McDowell
Ryan Blaney
Aric Almirola
Kevin Harvick
Harrison Burton
Rickiy Stenhouse Jr
Alex Bowman
Chase Elliott
Cole Custer
Chris Buescher
Noah Gragson
Todd Gilliland
Corey LaJoie
Cody Ware
Greg Biffle
David Ragan
BJ McLeod
JJ Yeley
Landon Cassill

Stages one and two of the race are 60 laps each with stage three lasting 68 laps for a total of 188 laps around th 2.66 mile track. The drivers can run around 40 laps on a single load of fuel. They will have to make at least one pit stop in each of the three stages.

After a very rousing command to start the engines, Christopher Bell brings the field down for the green flag start of the race. With a packed house, Christopher Bell jumps out in front for the lead on the inside lane, Daniel Suarez leads the pack on the outside lane.

Christopher Bell leads the first lap.

Lap two Christopher Bell leads the race with Daniel Suarez in second; Kurt Busch, Martin Truex Jr, and William Byron round out the top five.

Lap two, Daniel Suarez and Christopher Bell swap the lead back and forth.

Lap four, the battle for the lead between Christopher Bell and Daniel Suarez continues; depending on which lane moves out in front.

Lap five, Christopher Bell has the lead with Daniel Suarez in second; Martin Truex Jr, Daniel Hemirc, and Kurt Busch round out the top five.

Lap six, after having to make a pass through penalty at the beginning of the race, Landon Cassill is over 40 seconds back in last place.

With balance and handling issues, Kevin Harvick has lost 12 spots since the race start.

Lap seven, Christopher Bell has the lead with Daniel Suarez in second; Martin Truex Jr, Daniel Hemric, and Kurt Busch round out the top five.

The drivers have finally formed three lanes.

Lap eight, drivers are getting four wide across the track.



Lap 10, Landon Cassill has gone one lap down.

Kevin Harvick has managed to overcome some of his handling issues and is now in 16th place.

Lap eleven, Daniel Suarez is the new leader with William Byron in second; Christopher Bell, Martin Truex Jr, and Daniel Hemric round out the top five.

Lap 14, Daniel Suarez leads the race with William Byron in second; Christopher Bell, Martin Truex Jr, and Daniel Hemric round out the top five.

Lap 16, leaders are single file with the drivers double wide through the field.

Lap 17, Daniel Suarez continues to lead the race with William Byron in second; Christopher Bell, Martin Truex Jr, and Ty Dillon round out the top five. Dillon leads the outside lane

Lap 19, Daniel Suarez has a lead of just a tenth of a second on William Byron; Christopher Bell, Martin Truex Jr, and Daniel Hemric round out the top five.

Lap 23, Daniel Suarez continues to lead the race. He has led 15 laps so far – the most in his career at Talladega.

Lap 25, the top five are Daniel Suarez, William Byron, Christopher Bell, Martin Truex Jr, and Daniel Hemric.

Less than three seconds separates the field of 38 drivers on the lead lap.

Lap 28, Daniel Suarez leads the race with William Byron in second; Christopher Bell, Martin Truex Jr, and Daneil Hemric round out the top five.

Lap 33, Tyler Reddick comes down pit road and the hood comes up. Drivers are now in their pit window to make it to the end of the stage.

Tyler Reddick thinks that the engine is blowing up.

The pack is beginning to break up halfway through stage one.

Lap 34, some of the Fords come down pit road for service. The 51 car of Cody Ware spins out coming on pit road.

Brad Keselowski was caught speeding on pit road and will have to serve a pass through penalty.

The Chevrolets make their pit stops as green flag pit stops continue.

Lap 36, more drivers make their green flag pit stops including leader Daniel Suarez. Cole Custer is the new leader.

Lap 37, Kyle Busch is the leader as the final group of cars makes their pit stops.

Ross Chastain was caught speeding on pit road and will have to serve a pass through penalty.

Tyler Reddick’s car has been taken to the garage.

Joey Logano leads the race.

Lap 39, Kyle Larson is the new race leader with William Byron in second; Chase Elliott, Erik Jones, and Daniel Hemric round out the top five.

Brad Keselowski has served his penalty but has lost the draft.

Lap 44, Kyle Larson leads the race with team mates William Byron and Chase Elliott behind; Erik Jones, and Bubba Wallace round out the top five.

Lap 45, Brad Keselowski has just gone a lap down after losing the draft. There are 35 cars on the lead lap. Tyler Reddick is the only driver not on the track.

Lap 47, Bubba Wallace leads the drivers on the outside lane in seventh place.

Lap 50, Kyle Larson leads the race with William Byron in second; Chase Elliott, Bubba Wallace, and Erik Jones round out the top five.

Lap 52, Bubba Wallace takes the lead from the outside lane.

Bubba Wallace and Kyle Larson battle back and forth for the lead.

Lap 54, Tyler Reddick is out of the race with a broken timing belt.

Lap 55, Kyle Larson and Bubba Wallace continue to battle for the lead.

Lap 56, drivers get three wide in a battle for position with just four laps remaining in stage one. Kyle Larson and Bubba Wallace continue to battle for the lead.

The caution flag comes out on lap 57 when Chase Briscoe, Chris Buescher, and Daniel Hemric get into a hard hitting wreck that includes the wall. The engine blew on Hemric’s car.

Stage one ends under caution with Bubba Wallace winning the stage for his third career stage win.

The top 10 at the end of stage one:
Bubba Wallace

Kyle Larson
Christopher Bell
William Byron
Martin Truex Jr
Chase Elliott
Kurt Busch
Erik Jones
Alex Bowman
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

Bubba Wallace leads the field down pit road for service with Kyle Larson winning the race off of pit road. Christopher Bell has an extended pit stop for adjustments.

The crew for Ricky Stenhouse Jr has the hood up.

Kyle Busch is charged with leaving his pit stall with equipment when he takes the gas can out of his pit stall.

Daniel Hemric and Chase Briscoe are out of the race.

Kyle Larson brings the field down for the green flag start of stage two on lap 65 from the outside lane and gets out in front for the lead.

Ross Chastain was the “lucky dog” and is back on the lead lap.

Lap 66, Erik Jones leads the race with Bubba Wallace in second; Kyle Larson, William Byron, and Kurt Busch round out the top five.

Getting a push fronm William Byron, Kyle Larson takes the lead.

Lap 67, Erik Jones passes for the lead with Bubba Wallace in second; Kurt Busch, Kyle Larson, and Kevin Harvickround out the top five.

Some of the drivers are having overheating issues.

Drivers are getting three and four wide across the track.

Lap 69, Kyle Larson leads the race with William Byron in second; Erik Jones, Bubba Wallace, and Kurt Busch round out the top five.

After restarting in 25th place, Kyle Busch has moved up 10 spots to 15th.

Lap 70, Erik Jones has the lead with Kyle Larson in second; William Byron, Bubba Wallace, and Chase Elliott round out the top five.

Lap 74, Bubba Wallace takes the lead with Erik Jones in second; Kurt Busch, Kyle Larson, and William Byron round out the top five.

Joey Logano continues to report a loose condition in his car.

Lap 76, Bubba Wallace and Erik Jones swap the lead back and forth with Jones leading the inside lane and Wallace leading the outside lane.

Lap 78, there are 34 cars in the lead pack.

Lap 80, Erik Jones leads the race with Kyle Larson in second; William Byron, Chase Elliott, and Bubba Wallace round out the top five.

Greg Biffle was slowed on the track and had to be pushed to the garage and bringing out the caution flag.

Erik Jones lead the field down pit road for fuel and fresh tires. Taking fuel only, William Byron wins the race off of pit road.

William Byron brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap 86 and gets out in front of Martin Truex Jr for the lead after a push form Chase Elliott.

BJ McLeod brings out the caution flag when he spins out after losing a tire.

William Byron brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap 90and gets out in front but a crash brings out the caution flag. Ricky Stenhouse Jr and Ty Dillon are stopped in the grass. Joey Logano, Daniel Suarez, Austin Cindric, Harrison Burton, Todd Gilliland, Cole Custer, and Joey Logano who hit the wall were all involved.

With 25 cars on the lead lap, Martin Truex Jr brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap 98 with William Byron alongside. William Byron gets a push from Chase Elliott to take the lead.

Lap 99, the top five are William Byron, Chase elliott, Kyle Larson, Martin Truex Jr,and Erik Jones.

Cole Custer brings his smoking car down on to the apron and the track stays green.

Lap 101 Martin Truex Jr and William Byron battle for the lead.

Lap 102, the top five are William Byron, Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, Kurt Busch, and Martin Truex Jr.

Lap 106, Cody Ware brings out the caution flag when he gets into the wall and stops in the grass.

Several drivers from the back of the field come down pit road for service. Bubba Wallace had to make a second stop with a loose wheel.

Christopher Bell was caught speeding on pit road.

Landon Cassill is the “lucky dog” and is back on the lead lap.

William Byron brings the field down for the for the green flag restart with just 10 laps remaining in stage two. William Byron jumps out to take the lead with Chase Elliott in second; Kyle Larson, Alex Bowman, and Martin Truex Ju round out the top five.

Lap 113, the top five drivers have a bit of a breakaway from the field which has gotten single file with William Byron leading the field.

Five laps remain in stage two, William Byron leads the field and the four Hendrick Motorsports drivers. Drivers in the back of the field have lost the lead pack.

Three laps to go in stage two with William Byron leading the race; Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, Alex Bowman, and Martin Truex Jr round out the top five.

Drivers back in the field jump out to try and move forward.

William Bryon wins stage two for his third stage win of the season.

The top 10 at the end of stage two:
William Byron
Chase Elliott
KyleLarson
Martin Truex Jr
Alex Bowman
Kyle Busch
Aric Almirola
Erik Jones
Ross Chastain
Kurt Busch

Drivers come down pit road for service with Erik Jones winning the race off of pit road after taking fuel only. Several drivers did not change tires.

Erik Jones brings the field down for the green flag start of stage three on lap 125 with Kyle Busch alongside. Getting a push form Ryan Blaney, Kyle Busch takes the lead on the outside lane.

Getting a push from Kevin Harvick, Erik Jones gets out in front for the lead.

Lap 127, Erik Jones and Kyle Busch battle for the lead.

Lap 128, Kyle Busch leads the race with Erik Jones in second; Ryan Blaney, Kevin Harvick, and Bubba Wallace round out the top five.

Lap 129, a quarter of the field that started the race are now in the garage.

Lap 130, Ryan Blaney takes the lead with Bubba Wallace in second; Kyle Busch, Austin Cindric, and Chase Elliott round out the top five.

Lap 131, Ryan Blaney leads the race. Austin Cindric was holding up the outside lane with a damaged car.

The top five are Ryan Blaney, Bubba Wallace, Kyle Busch, Eric Jones, and Kevin Harvick.

Lap 135, Ryan Blaney continues to lead the race with Bubba Wallace in second; Kyle Busch, Erik Jones, and Kevin Harvick round off the top five with the field single file.

Fifty to go! Ryan Blaney has the lead with Bubba Wallace in second; Kyle Busch, Erik Jones, and Kevin Harvick round out the top five.

With 44 laps remaining in the race, Ryan Blaney leads the way with Bubba Wallace on his bumper; Kyle Busch, Erik Jones, and Kevin Harvick round out the top five.

Forty to go, the drivers are now in their pit window to make it to the end of the race on a single load of fuel.

Drivers are beginning to jump out to the outside lane to try and move up in the field. Ryan Blaney continues to lead the race with Bubba Wallace in second.

With 37 laps to go, Bubba Wallace jumps out to take the lead with Erik Jones in second; Ryan Blaney, Kyle Busch, and Kevin Harvick round out the top five.

Kyle Busch got out of line and is falling through the field.

Erik Jones takes the lead with Ryan Blaney in second.

Thirty five to go, Erik Jones leads on the inside lane with Ryan Blaney hebind him. Bubba Wallace comes from the outside to take the lead.

Lap 155, Bubba Wallace leads the race with Ross Chastain in second; Erik Jones, Ryan Blaney, and Kevi nHarvick round out the top five.

Lap 158, Bubba Wallace leads the race with Erik Jones in second.

Erik Jones comes up to take the lead

Lap 159, Bubba Wallace and Erik Jones battle for the lead with Wallace on the outside and Jones on the inside.

With 30 laps to go, the Fords come down pit road for their final pit stop.

Bubba Wallace leads the race with Ross Chastain in second; Denny Hamlin, Aric Almirola, and Justin Haley round out the top five.

Burad Keselowski was caught speeding on pit road once again.

Several more drivers come down pit road for service, including leader Bubba Wallace; Corey LaJoie is the new leader.

As more drivers come down pit road Christopher Bell becomes the new leader. Christopher Bell and Kyle Busch make contact on pit road. Bell spins out but the track stays green.

Kyle Busch is in 20th place and Christopher Bell is the last car on the lead lap.

Twenty five to go, Denny Hamlin leads the race with Kyle Larson in second; Erik Jones, William Byron, and Ross Chastain round out the top five.

Lap 168, 20 to go, Denny Hamlinleads the race with Kyle Larson in second; Erik Jones, William Byron, and Ross Chastain round out the top five.

Kyle Larson passes Denny Hamlin for the lead. Hamlin falls back in the field.

Lap 171, the top five are Kyle Larson, Erik Jnes, William Byron, Ross Chastain, and Justin Haley round ou t the top five.

Even with all of his many wins, Kyle Larson has never won a race at Daytona or Talladega.

The top five drivers are in a Chevrolet.

Fifteen to go, Kyle Larson has the lead with Erik Jones on his bumper; William Byron, Ross Chastain, and Justin Haley round out the top five.

With 13 laps to go, Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney jump out on the outside lane to make their move.

With 12 laps to go, William Byron and Erik Jones jump to the outside lane with Kyle Larson leading from the inside lane. Ross Chastain is on Larson’s bumper.

Ten to go, KyleL arson leads the race with Ross Chasain in second as they pass slower traffic; Justin Haley, Denny Hamlin, and Erik Jones round out the top five.

Lap 180, Kyle Larson continues to lead the race from the inside lane with Ross Chastain in second; Justin Haley, Denny Hamlin,and Erik Jones round out the top five.

Getting a push from William Byron, Erik Jones comes up to challenge Kyle Larson for the lead with just six laps to go.

Kyle Larson and Erik Jones battle for the lead with just five laps to go.

Breaking away, William Byron pushed Erik Jones to the lead but Kyle Larson comes from the inside to retake the lead after a push form Ross Chastain.

Erik Jones gets a big push from William Byron, Erik Jones has the leadand comes down to the inside lane in front of Kyle Larson.

Denny Hamlin is slowed on the track out of gas.

Two laps to go, Erik Jones has the lead with Kyle Larson in second; Ross Chastain, Kurt Busch, and William Byron round out the top five.

Erik Jones takes the white flag!

Drivers jockey for position to make a move for the lead. Drivers are four and five wide across the track with Ross Chastain taking the lead and crossing the finish line first! Drivers were wrecking behind Chastain. Kurt Busch got into the wall and Bubba Wallace took a hard hit. Chastain becomes the second driver of the season to win more than one race; joining William Byron.