Talladega Superspeedway
Track data
Race: #9 of 36 (4-30-06)
Event: Aaron's 499
Location: Talladega, AL
Track Size: 2.66 Mile
Number of Laps: 188
Length of Event: 500.08 Miles
Length of Front Stretch: 4,300 Feet
Length of Back Stretch: 4,000 Feet
Degree of Banking in Corners: 33 degrees
Degree of Banking on Straights: Tri-Oval 18 degrees/Back 2 degrees
Qualifying/Race Data:
Last year's event pole winner: Kevin Harvick 189.804 mph 4-29-05 50.452 seconds
Last year's event winner: Jeff Gordon 146.904 mph 5-01-05 3 hrs, 30 min, 46 sec
Restrictor Plate qualifying record: Bill Elliott 199.388 mph 5-4-90 48.128 seconds
Restrictor Plate race record: Mark Martin 188.354 mph** 5-10-97 2hrs, 39min, 18sec
Track qualifying record: Bill Elliott 212.809 mph* 4-30-87 44.998 seconds
Track race record: Mark Martin 188.354 mph** 5-10-97 2hrs, 39min, 18sec
* Before Restrictor Plates
** All-time NASCAR average speed record
Historical data:
Previous winners at Talladega:
Dale Earnhardt (10) Dale Earnhardt Jr. (5) Darrell Waltrip (4) Buddy Baker (4) Bobby Allison (4)
Jeff Gordon (4) Davey Allison (3) David Pearson (3) Cale Yarborough (3) Donnie Allison (2)
Pete Hamilton (2) Richard Petty (2) Bill Elliott (2) Ernie Irvan (2) Sterling Marlin (2)
Mark Martin (2) Terry Labonte (2) Dale Jarrett (2) Dave Marcis (1) Dick Brooks (1)
James Hylton (1) Richard Brickhouse (1) Lenny Pond (1) Neil Bonnett (1) Ron Bouchard (1)
Bobby Hillin Jr. (1) Phil Parsons (1) Ken Schrader (1) Harry Gant (1) Jimmy Spencer (1)
Bobby Labonte (1) Bobby Hamilton (1) Michael Waltrip (1)
Races won from the pole: 12 of 73 events (16%)
Races won from in top 10: 54 of 73 events (74%)
Races won from outside top 10: 19 of 73 events (26%)
Track Milestones
Bobby Isaac won the first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Bud Pole at Talladega in 1969.
Richard Brickhouse, driving a Dodge, won the first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup (Grand National) race at
Talladega Superspeedway in 1969.
Qualifying has been canceled due to weather once at Talladega: October 2002.
The 1996 DieHard 500 was shortened to 129 laps due to darkness.
The 2005 Aaron's 499 was extended to 194 laps by a green-white-checkered finish.
There have been three caution free races at Talladega: April 1997, April 2001 and October 2002.
The Winston/DieHard sponsorship at Talladega was flip-flopped beginning in 1998, in conjunction with the
Winston Million bonus with Winston moving to the fall race.
Qualifying Update
There have been seven different Bud Pole winners in the last 10 races at Talladega. Elliott Sadler (fall 2003
and fall 2005) is the only repeat Bud Pole winner there since Stacy Compton swept both Talladega Bud Poles in
2001. Qualifying was canceled in the fall of 2002.
Track Update
Dale Earnhardt Jr., finished 42nd and 14th in his first two races at Talladega (2000). In his 10 races there
since, he finished eighth or better eight times, including five victories and two second-place finishes. His other
finishes were 15th and 40th in 2005. His four consecutive victories (October 2001 through April 2003) are the
most ever by a driver at Talladega. Buddy Baker (three - May 1975 through May 1976) is the only other driver to
win more than two consecutive races there.
Manufacturer Update
Chevrolet won the 13 straight races at Talladega between Ford wins in the 1998 Winston 500 and the 2005
UAW-Ford 500 (both fall races). Both of those Ford victories were posted by Dale Jarrett. Dodge last won there
with Dave Marcis in the Talladega 500 (August 1976).
Would You Believe?
Dale Earnhardt still leads all drivers with 10 victories, 23 top-five and 27 top-10 finishes in 44 career races
at Talladega. His victory total is twice that of Dale Earnhardt Jr., his nearest competitor. Earnhardt Jr., has posted
five victories, seven top-five finishes and eight top-10s in 12 Talladega appearances and has led in all but two of
his races there.
The Money
Purse $5,951,372
NASCAR NEXTEL Leader Bonus $60,000
Tire/Fuel Data
Goodyear Tire Codes: Left-side - D-4004; Right-side - D-4006
Other Nextel Cup Tracks With Same Tire Combinations: None
Estimated Pit Window: every 34-36 laps, based on fuel mileage
Consistency
Of the 146 drivers that have made six or more starts at Talladega, only four have posted top five finishes in at
least half of their races: Dale Earnhardt (23/44), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (7/12), Tony Stewart (7/14) and Bobby
Isaac (4/8).
Notebook
There have been 73 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races at Talladega; two a year except for 1969, the inaugural
year, which had only one race.
Three hundred and ninety-five different drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR NEXTEL Cup
race at Talladega since 1969. One hundred and thirty four have completed in just one race there.
Thirty different drivers have won Bud Poles at Talladega. Nineteen drivers have won more than one Bud
Pole there.
Bill Elliott leads all drivers with eight Bud Poles at Talladega.
Sterling Marlin, Jeremy Mayfield and Joe Nemechek (three each) lead all other active drivers in Bud Poles
at Talladega.
In the 10 races between 1983 and 1987 there were only two Bud Pole winners at Talladega. Cale Yarborough
swept 1983 and 1984, while Bill Elliott posted six straight Bud Poles between 1985 and 1987.
Stacy Compton won both Bud Poles at Talladega in 2001 – the most recent driver to sweep both poles there.
Kevin Harvick is the defending Bud Pole winner for the Aaron's 499.
Thirty-three different drivers have won races at Talladega. Eighteen drivers have won more than once there.
Six drivers scored their only NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series victory at Talladega: Ron Bouchard, Richard
Brickhouse, Dick Brooks, Bobby Hillin Jr., Phil Parsons and Lennie Pond.
Dale Earnhardt leads all drivers with 10 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup victories at Talladega, including victories
in both races there in 1990 and 1999. His Talladega victory in the fall of 2000 was his final victory.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (five) leads all active drivers in Talladega victories. Jeff Gordon has four while Dale
Jarrett, Sterling Marlin, and Mark Martin all have two. Part-timer Terry Labonte also has two wins there.
Dale Earnhardt Jr., finished first or second in seven consecutive races at Talladega between October 2001
and October 2004. He led 428 of the 1,316 laps in those seven races (33 percent).
Bobby Labonte (May 1998) is the last driver to win from the Bud Pole at Talladega.
Jeff Gordon is the defending champion of the Aaron's 499.
Nine of the last 14 races at Talladega have been won from a starting position of 11th or worse.
Eight of the last 14 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races at Talladega have been won by an Earnhardt: Dale
Earnhardt Jr., (five) and Dale Earnhardt (three).
Bobby Hamilton won the caution-free 2001 Talladega 500 with an average speed of 184.008 mph. His
average speed for 188 laps was just 0.853 mph slower than the Bud Pole speed for that race set by Stacy
Compton.
Mark Martin's pace in the 1997 Winston 500 set an all-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup record for the
fastest race ever run. He won the caution-free race with an average speed of 188.354 mph and covered the
500-mile distance in two hours, 39 minutes and 18 seconds.
In the 35 years of twice-a-year NASCAR NEXTEL Cup racing at Talladega, a sweep has occurred six times:
Pete Hamilton (1970), Buddy Baker (1975), Darrell Waltrip (1982), Dale Earnhardt (1990 and 1999) and
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2002).
Forty-two of the 73 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races at Talladega have been won from the first four starting
positions (58 percent).
The furthest back a winner has started at Talladega was when Jeff Gordon won the DieHard 500 (April 2000)
from the 36th-place starting position.
Spreading the Wealth
Jeremy Mayfield has scored three Bud Poles at Talladega. All three came with different team owners: Cale
Yarborough (July 1996), Roger Penske (April 2000) and Ray Evernham (April 2003). His Bud Pole with
Yarborough was the first of two straight Bud Poles for the former NASCAR NEXTEL Cup champion as a carowner.
John Andretti won the Bud Pole for Yarborough the following April.
Starting Up Front Not Always Important at Talladega Superspeedway
Four of the last seven races at Talladega have been won from starting positions outside the top 10. All seven
were won from a top-20 starting position including two from the front row (second-place) both in 2005. No
driver has won a race at Talladega from the Bud Pole since Bobby Labonte won the 1998 DieHard 500 from the
Bud Pole 16 Talladega races ago.
Owner Wins at Talladega Superspeedway
Dale Earnhardt Inc., has won six of the last nine races at Talladega Superspeedway. Five of those victories
were scored by Dale Earnhardt Jr., and the other was scored by Michael Waltrip. Richard Childress leads all
car owners with nine Talladega victories, all by Dale Earnhardt. Earnhardt's 10th Talladega victory (the most
among all drivers) came in 1983 while driving for the legendary Bud Moore.
Recent Domination at Talladega Superspeedway
Jeff Gordon has won the last two spring races at Talladega.
Dale Earnhardt Jr., has won five of the last nine races at Talladega.
Leading The Way at Talladega Superspeedway
Dale Earnhardt led 1,377 laps in 44 races at Talladega Superspeedway, more than any other driver. Jeff
Gordon leads all active drivers with 640 laps led in 26 races there.
Would you believe?
Eighteen races at Talladega have been won from the second-place starting position, the most of any starting
position. Both races at Talladega in 2005 were won from the second-place starting position.
Manufacturers at Talladega Superspeedway
A Chevrolet has won 13 of the last 14 races at Talladega. Ford ended Chevrolet's 13-race winning streak
with a victory there last October by Dale Jarrett. A Dodge has not won at Talladega since August 1976 when
Dave Marcis won the Talladega 500.
Talladega Standouts
Dave Marcis had 61 career starts at Talladega, more than any other driver.
Kyle Petty leads all full-time drivers with 48 starts.
Bill Elliott scored eight Bud Poles at Talladega, leading all drivers. Joe Nemechek, Sterling Marlin and
Jeremy Mayfield lead all active drivers, each with three Bud Poles at Talladega.
Dale Earnhardt leads all drivers with 10 victories in 44 races at Talladega Superspeedway. His 23 top-fives
and 27 top-10 finishes are also the most of any driver at Talladega Superspeedway. Dale Earnhardt Jr., has
scored five Talladega victories, leading all active drivers.
Jeff Gordon leads all full time, active drivers with 11 top-five finishes at Talladega.
Mark Martin has scored 21 top-10 finishes at Talladega Superspeedway, the most among full time, active
drivers.
Scott Riggs leads all active drivers with a 5.0 starting average in four races at Talladega.
Dale Earnhardt Jr., has a 10.66 finishing average in his 12 races at Talladega, the best of all active drivers.
Kurt Busch, Dale Jarrett and Tony Stewart have each posted three straight top-10 finishes at Talladega
Superspeedway, the longest current streaks.
Kevin Harvick has posted six straight top-15 finishes at Talladega, the longest current streak by any driver
there.
Milestones
Mark Martin will make his 590th consecutive NASCAR NEXTEL Cup start if he competes in the Aaron's
499 at Talladega Superspeedway. Ricky Rudd set the standard with 788 consecutive starts that ended with his
retirement last November.
Restrictor-Plate Nuggets
There have been 73 restrictor-plate races at Talladega and Daytona since 1988. Only Ken Schrader, Michael
Waltrip and Mark Martin have competed in all 73. All three have at least one victory in a restrictor-plate
race.
Sterling Marlin leads all drivers with seven restrictor-plate Bud Poles.
Dale Earnhardt leads all drivers with 11 restrictor-plate victories followed by Jeff Gordon with 10.
Dale Earnhardt had a 9.377 average finish in 53 restrictor-plate races. Dale Earnhardt Jr., leads all active
drivers with an 11.0 average finish in 25 restrictor-plate races.
Restrictor-Plate History
Since 1988 the primary method of limiting the speeds of NASCAR NEXTEL Cup cars on the Daytona
and Talladega superspeedways has been the reduction of the airflow through the carburetor by the use of
restrictor-plates.
There have been 73 restrictor-plate races since 1988: 37 at Daytona International Speedway and 36 at
Talladega Superspeedway.
Three drivers have competed in all 73 restrictor-plate races: Mark Martin, Ken Schrader and Michael
Waltrip.
Twenty-nine different drivers have won Bud Poles for restrictor-plate events; 18 have won more than one
restrictor-plate pole.
Three drivers have accounted for 19 restrictor-plate poles: Sterling Marlin (seven) along with Ernie Irvan
and Dale Earnhardt (six each).
Twenty-six different drivers have won restrictor-plate races led by Dale Earnhardt with 11 victories
followed by Jeff Gordon (10), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (seven), Dale Jarrett (six) and Sterling Marlin (five).
Dale Earnhardt had a 9.377 average finish in 53 restrictor-plate races. Only Bobby Allison, who compiled a
1.5 average finish in only two restrictor-plate races, posted a better average finish.
Dale Earnhardt (Talladega 1990 and '99) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Talladega 2002) are the only drivers to
sweep both restrictor-plate races at a track in a single season.
Qualifying Update
There have been nine different Bud Pole winners in the last nine restrictor-plate races beginning at Daytona
in 2004. Four of those nine drivers posted their career-first restrictor-plate Bud Pole: Greg Biffle, Jeff Burton,
Ricky Rudd and Tony Stewart.
Manufacturer Update
Chevrolet has won 18 of the last 21 restrictor-plate races, from 2001. Ford has had just two restrictor-plate
victories since 2001 and Dodge has one.
Notebook Items
Fifty-three restrictor-plate races have been won from a top-10 starting position but only seven have been won
from the Bud Pole.
Jeff Gordon (2004 Pepsi 400) and Tony Stewart (2005 Pepsi 400) are the only drivers in the past five years
to win a restrictor-plate race from the Bud Pole.
Ten of the 21 restrictor-plate races since 2001, have been won from a starting position outside the top 10, but
four of the past seven have been won from the front row.
The average starting position of the race winner in the 73 restrictor-plate races is 8.03.
Restrictor-Plate Victories
No driver has ever won all four restrictor-plate races in a season. Dale Earnhardt won three of the four
restrictor-plate races in 1990. Including Earnhardt's three, a driver has won two restrictor-plate races in the same
season 15 times – including each of the past five seasons.
Restrictor-Plate Would You Believe?
Dale Earnhardt is the all-time lap leader with 2,135 laps led in 53 restrictor-plate races. The next three
places on the all-time list are active drivers. Jeff Gordon is second all-time and leads all active drivers with 1,110
laps led in 53 restrictor-plate events. Sterling Marlin is third with 1,004 laps led in his 72 restrictor-plate races.
Dale Earnhardt Jr., fourth all-time, has led 802 laps in just 25 restrictor-plate races.
Mr. Restrictor-Plate
Dale Earnhardt was undoubtedly the master of restrictor-plate racing. He still leads all other drivers in
five of the seven restrictor-plate performance categories and is second in the other two.
Poles – 6 (tied with Ernie Irvan; second to Sterling Marlin - 7)
Wins - 11
Top 5s - 32
Top 10s - 40
Avg. Start - 8.6 (second only to Davey Allison – 5.7 among drivers with 20 or more restrictor-plate starts)
Avg. Finish - 9.3**
Laps Led - 2,135
** Drivers with 3 or more starts
Mr. Restrictor-Plate – Page Two
Dale Earnhardt Jr., has assumed the restrictor-plate crown, winning seven restrictor-plate races since his
father's death. Earnhardt Jr., led 229 of the 736 restrictor-plate laps raced in 2001 and was the only driver to score
four restrictor-plate top-10s that season. He out-scored his nearest competitor, Jeff Burton, by 135 points in
points earned in restrictor-plate races (692-557). He continued his winning restrictor-plate program into 2002,
posting three top 10 finishes, including two more Talladega victories, in the four restrictor-plate races that season.
Earnhardt Jr., won the first Talladega race in 2003 – his record-setting fourth consecutive victory at the Alabama
superspeedway - and went on to post three top-10 finishes in the four restrictor-plate races in 2003. Earnhardt Jr.,
led 102 of 645 laps, second only to teammate Michael Waltrip who led 103. The 2004 season-opening Daytona
500 saw Earnhardt Jr., post his sixth restrictor-plate victory and he followed that with a second-place finish at
Talladega, a third Daytona in July and his seventh restrictor-plate victory at Talladega in October. He was the only
driver to post a top-five finish in each of the four races and led 216 of 736 restrictor-plate laps raced in 2004.
Page Three and Four
After being shut-out of the restrictor-plate victory lanes for three years during the height of the Dale Earnhardt
Inc. dominance (2001-2003), Jeff Gordon has recently regained his restrictor-plate form. Gordon has won four of
the last nine restrictor-plate races.
Tony Stewart has also gained success in recent restrictor-plate races. Stewart has posted eight top-10 finishes
in his last nine restrictor-plate races, including a victory in the 2005 Pepsi 400 - his first restrictor-plate victory. He
has also led the most laps (465) and posted the best average finish (5.77) over those nine races.
Back-to-Back
A driver has won consecutive restrictor-plate races 13 times:
Davey Allison 1989 Winston 500 and Pepsi 400
Dale Earnhardt 1990 Winston 500, Pepsi 400 and DieHard 500 (three straight)
Davey Allison 1992 Daytona 500 and Winston 500
Ernie Irvan 1992 Pepsi 400 and DieHard 500
Dale Earnhardt 1993 Pepsi 400 and DieHard 500
Jimmy Spencer 1994 Pepsi 400 and DieHard 500
Sterling Marlin 1996 Winston Select 500 and Pepsi 400
Jeff Gordon 1996 DieHard 500, 1997 Daytona 500
Jeff Gordon 1998 Pepsi 400 and 1999 Daytona 500
Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2001 Pepsi 400 and 2001 EA Sports 500
Jeff Gordon 2004 Aaron's 499 and 2004 Pepsi 400
Jeff Gordon 2005 Daytona 500 and 2005 Aaron's 499
Who's Hot
Matt Kenseth took over the point lead after Phoenix. After eight races one year ago, he ranked 28th in the
point standings.
Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne have each won two races in 2006, the most among all drivers.
Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne are the only drivers to score six top-10 finishes in the first eight races
in 2006.
Mark Martin is the only driver to score top-15 finishes in each of the eight races in 2006.
Mark Martin has scored 12 straight top-15 finishes; extending a streak that began at Atlanta last October.
Matt Kenseth, Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne have each scored top-15 finishes in seven of the eight
races in 2006.
Tony Stewart is the only driver to lead at least one lap in all eight races this season.
Tony Stewart has moved from 22nd to fifth in the point standings since California.
Kevin Harvick has moved from 23rd to eighth in the point standings in the last four races.
Top 10 in 2005 Points at This Track
First
Matt Kenseth finished third in the Subway Fresh 500 at Phoenix International Raceway scoring his fifth top-
10 finish, all top-fives, in the first eight races. He has scored seven top-15 finishes this season. Kenseth climbed
from second to first in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. One year ago he ranked 28th in the point
standings after eight races. Kenseth has scored one victory in 2006 (California). Kenseth has ranked among
the top-three drivers since his victory in Race No. 2 at California. He has competed in 12 races at Talladega
Superspeedway, scoring four top-10 finishes. Kenseth has scored top-15 finishes in his last three races at
Talladega. Kenseth finished 11th in this race one year ago and third there last October, his best Talladega finish.
He has a 17.25 finishing average at Talladega Superspeedway. Kenseth has never won a restrictor-plate race and
has scored only two top-five finishes in 25 restrictor-plate races. Kenseth has won at least one race each season for
five consecutive years (2002-2006).
Second
Jimmie Johnson finished seventh in the Subway Fresh 500 at Phoenix International Raceway and dropped
from first to second in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings, just nine points behind new point leader Matt
Kenseth. Johnson is one of just two drivers to score six top-10 finishes in eight races this season. He has lost 68
points and the point lead which he had held since Martinsville. Johnson and Kasey Kahne are the only drivers to
score two victories this season. One year ago Johnson began the 2005 season with eight straight top-15 finishes.
In 2006 Johnson has scored seven top-15s in the first eight races. Johnson ranked first in the point standings after
Race No. 8 in 2005 with a 173-point lead over second-place Kurt Busch. Johnson has ranked among the top-10
for 77 straight races, since Atlanta in March 2004. He has competed in eight races at Talladega Superspeedway,
scoring three straight finishes if 20th or worse in his last three races there including two DNFs. Johnson has a
23.125 average finish at Talladega Superspeedway; reflective of his recent struggles there. His best Talladega
finish (fourth) came there in April 2004. Johnson finished 20th at Talladega in this race one year ago and 31st
there last October. His only restrictor-plate victory came in the Daytona 500 this year. Johnson has won at least
one race each season for five consecutive years (2002-2006).
Third
Kasey Kahne finished sixth in the Subway Fresh 500 at Phoenix International Raceway scoring his sixth top-
10 finish of the season. Kahne has won two races in 2006, (Atlanta and Texas) both from the Bud pole starting
position. His career-first victory came at Richmond last May also from a Bud pole starting position. He remained
third in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. Kahne has scored seven top-15 finishes in the first eight
races in 2006. One year ago he ranked 20th in the point standings. Kahne has competed in four races at Talladega
and has never cracked the top 10. He finished 24th in this race one year ago and 13th there last October, his best
Talladega finish. Kahne has a 23.5 average finish at Talladega Superspeedway. He has never led at Talladega. He
has competed in nine career restrictor-plate races and has never posted a restrictor-plate top-10 finish. Kahne has
won at least one race each season for two consecutive years (2005-2006).
Fourth
Mark Martin finished 11th in the Subway Fresh 500 at Phoenix International Raceway and remained fourth
in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. At this point one year ago he ranked sixth in the point standings.
Martin has scored 12 straight top-15 finishes since Atlanta last October. He has had only one DNF (Talladega in
October 2005 - Accident) in the 32 races since Dover in June 2005. Martin has competed in 40 races at Talladega
Superspeedway, scoring two victories - most recently in May 1997. Martin has scored 21 top-10 finishes at
Talladega superspeedway the most of all full time drivers. He finished 33rd in this race one year ago and 41st
there last October. Those two finishes were his worst season effort at Talladega. Martin's last top five at Talladega
was a fourth-place finish in April 2001. Martin holds the distinction of winning the fastest race in NASCAR
history, the 1997 Winston 500 which had an average speed of 188.354 mph. Martin has a 15.175 average finish
at Talladega. He is the only driver among the current top-10 to compete in all 73 restrictor-plate races. Martin has
scored 34 top-10 finishes in 73 restrictor-plate races, second only to the late Dale Earnhardt who scored 40 in 53
restrictor-plate races.
Fifth
Tony Stewart finished second in the Subway Fresh 500 at Phoenix International Raceway and remained fifth
in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. It was his sixth top-15 finish in the first eight races of the season.
Stewart has led at least one lap in all eight races this season, the only driver to do so. His 55 lap leader bonus
points are the most of all drivers. Stewart has led 790 laps, the most of all drivers. He has competed in 14 races
at Talladega Superspeedway, scoring nine top-10 finishes. Stewart finished second in both races at Talladega
Superspeedway in 2005. He has scored five second-place finishes at the Alabama superspeedway but has yet to
visit victory lane there. His only victory in 29 restrictor-plate races came at Daytona in July 2005. Stewart has
competed in 29 career restrictor-plate races scoring 17 top-10 finishes (59 percent). He has an 11.928 finishing
average at Talladega Superspeedway. He has led at least one lap in his last four races at Talladega. Stewart has
won at least one race each season for eight consecutive years (1999-2006).
Sixth
Jeff Gordon finished 10th in the Subway Fresh 500 at Phoenix International Raceway and climbed from
eighth to sixth in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. Gordon ranked 26th in the point standings after
Daytona. He ranked fourth in the point standings at this point one year ago. Gordon has competed in 26 races at
Talladega Superspeedway, scoring four victories and 14 top-10 finishes. His last Talladega victory came in this
race one year ago. Gordon has won the last two spring races at Talladega. He finished 37th there last October
posting his sixth Talladega DNF. Gordon has a 15.153 average finish at Talladega Superspeedway. He has led
640 laps at Talladega, the most among active drivers. Gordon has competed in 53 restrictor-pate races scoring 10
victories. He ranks second behind Dale Earnhardt who had 11 restrictor-plate victories. Gordon scored 29 top-10
finishes in those 53 restrictor-plate races (55 percent). Gordon has not won since Martinsville last October, 12
races ago.
Seventh
Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished 23rd in the Subway Fresh 500 at Phoenix International Raceway and dropped
from sixth to seventh in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. One year ago he ranked 12th in the point
standings. Earnhardt has scored six top-15 finishes in the eight races in 2006. He has competed in 12 races
at Talladega Superspeedway, scoring five victories and two second-place finishes between October 2001 and
October 2004. His 42nd –place finish in his first race (April 2000) and his 40th-place finish in his last race
(October 2005) are his worst Talladega finishes and only DNFs at the Alabama superspeedway. These were also
the only Talladega races in which Earnhardt Jr. failed to lead. Earnhardt Jr. has won seven of the 25 restrictor-plate
races that he competed ranking third among all drivers in restrictor-plate victories. He finished 15th in this race
one year ago. Earnhardt Jr. has a 10.67 average finish at Talladega Superspeedway.
Eighth
Kevin Harvick finished first in the Subway Fresh 500 at Phoenix International Raceway and climbed from
ninth to eighth in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. He has climbed from 23rd to eighth in the point
standings in the last four races. One year ago he ranked 11th in the point standings. Harvick has scored four top-
10 finishes in 2006. He has competed in 10 races at Talladega Superspeedway posting five top-10 finishes. He
finished 12th in this race one year ago and 10th there last October. Harvick holds the longest current streak at
Talladega, posting top-15 finishes in his last six races there. Harvick has been running at the finish in all 10 of his
races there. Harvick has a 13.5 average finish at Talladega Superspeedway. He has led in his last seven races at
Talladega Superspeedway. Harvick has competed in 20 restrictor-plate races posting eight top-10 finishes but has
never won a restrictor-plate race. His best restrictor-plate finish (second twice) came at Talladega Superspeedway
most recently in October 2004.
Ninth
Kyle Busch finished 36th in the Subway Fresh 500 at Phoenix International Raceway and dropped from
seventh to ninth in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. This marked his worst finish of the 2006 season.
One year ago he ranked 25th in the point standings. Busch has scored six top-15 finishes in the eight races in
2006. He has competed in just two races at Talladega, finishing 41st in this race one year ago and 33rd there last
October; both DNFs. Busch has a 37.0 average finish in his two races at Talladega Superspeedway and has never
led there. He has competed in five restrictor-plate races and has never scored a top-10 finish.
10th
Casey Mears finished 20th in the Subway Fresh 500 at Phoenix International Raceway and remained 10th in
the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings for the third straight race. Mears scored top-10 finishes in the first
three races in 2006 but has cracked the top-20 only once since that three-race streak (14th at Texas). One year ago
he ranked 26th in the point standings. Mears has competed in six races at Talladega Superspeedway, scoring two
top-10 finishes. He finished eighth in both Talladega races in 2004. He has a 24.16 average finish at Talladega.
Mears has led a total of five laps in three separate races at Talladega. He has competed in 13 restrictor-plate races.
His best restrictor-plate finish (second) came at Daytona this past February.
