NASCAR qualifying results: Denny Hamlin on pole alongside Aric Almirola at Talladega

The NASCAR Cup Series transitions from the smallest track on the calendar to its most massive as it heads to the high banks of Talladega Superspeedway this weekend. Following another lackluster Martinsville Spring race, expect the typical fireworks from tightly bunched racing at 180 mph.

Here’s everything to know ahead of the GEICO 500:

GEICO 500 starting grid

1. Denny Hamlin (11), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

2. Aric Almirola (10), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

3. Ty Gibbs (54), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

4. Chase Briscoe (14), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

5. Ryan Blaney (12), Team Penske Ford

6. Christopher Bell (20), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

7. Martin Truex Jr. (19), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

8. Joey Logano (22), Team Penske Ford

9. Kyle Larson (5), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

10. Chris Buescher (17), RFK Racing Ford

11. Kevin Harvick (4), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

12. Bubba Wallace (23), 23XI Racing Toyota

13. Tyler Reddick (45), 23XI Racing Toyota

14. Austin Dillon (3), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

15. Austin Cindric (2), Team Penske Ford

16. Ryan Preece (41), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

17. Kyle Busch (8), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

18. William Byron (24), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

19. A.J. Allmendinger (16), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

20. Brad Keselowski (6), RFK Racing Ford

21. Michael McDowell (34), Front Row Motorsports Ford

22. Daniel Suárez (99), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

23. Ross Chastain (1), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

24. Erik Jones (43), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet

25. Harrison Burton (21), Wood Brothers Racing Ford

26. Justin Haley (31), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

27. Alex Bowman (48), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

28. Todd Gilliland (36), Front Row Motorsports Ford

29. Chase Elliott (9), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

30. Noah Gragson (42), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet

31. Austin Hilll (62), Beard Motorsports Chevrolet

32. Ty Dillon (77), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

33. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47), JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet

34. Corey LaJoie (7), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

35. Zane Smith (38), Front Row Motorsports Ford

36. Riley Herbst (15), Rick Ware Racing Ford

37. BJ McLeod (78), Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet

38. J.J. Yeley (51), Rick Ware Racing Ford

Story continues

GEICO 500 TV/streaming schedule

All times Eastern

Saturday, April 22
10:30 a.m. – Noon: Qualifying (FS1, FoxNow, MRN, SiriusXM)

Sunday, April 23
2 – 3 p.m.: Pre-race show (Fox, FoxNow, MRN, SiriusXM)
3 – 6:30 p.m.: GEICO 500 (Fox, FoxNow, MRN, SiriusXM)

GEICO 500 details

Track: Talladega Superspeedway (2.66-mile tri-oval)
Banking:
• Turns 1-2: 33 degrees
• Turns 3-4: 32 degrees
• Tri-oval: 16.5 degrees
• Backstretch: 3 degrees
Length: 188 laps for 500.08 miles
Defending champion: Ross Chastain

Top drivers and best bets for the GEICO 500

The last six races at Talladega have produced six different winners ever since Ryan Blaney went back-to-back in the Fall 2019 race and Spring 2020. That parity along with the unpredictability of superspeedway racing is represented in BetMGM’s odds to win as no driver opened at better than 10-to-1.

Best odds to win
• Joey Logano +1000
• Ryan Blaney +1200
• Chase Elliott +1400
• Denny Hamlin +1400
• Brad Keselowski +1400
• William Byron +1600
• Ross Chastain +1600

Yahoo Sports’ Nick Bromberg suggests you can find good mid-tier value in Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell (+1800) and Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman (+2200), who has won three Daytona 500 poles. Bromberg warns against betting on Martin Truex Jr. (+2800), who has not won in 72 Cup Series superspeedway starts.

Austin Dillon docked 60 points

NASCAR penalized Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Dillon 60 points for car setup infractions after he finished 12th at Martinsville last weekend. NASCAR said it found an illegal underwing assembly in post-race inspection. Additionally, Dillon will lose five playoff points if he qualifies for the postseason. The governing body also suspended Dillon’s crew chief Keith Rodden $75,000 and suspended him for two races.

GEICO 500 entries list

Ross Chastain (1), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Austin Cindric (2), Team Penske Ford
Austin Dillon (3), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Kevin Harvick (4), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Kyle Larson (5), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Brad Keselowski (6), RFK Racing Ford
Corey LaJoie (7), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Kyle Busch (8), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Chase Elliott (9), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Aric Almirola (10), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Denny Hamlin (11), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Ryan Blaney (12), Team Penske Ford
Chase Briscoe (14), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Riley Herbst (15), Rick Ware Racing Ford
A.J. Allmendinger (16), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Chris Buescher (17), RFK Racing Ford
Martin Truex Jr. (19), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Christopher Bell (20), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Harrison Burton (21), Wood Brothers Racing Ford
Joey Logano (22), Team Penske Ford
Bubba Wallace (23), 23XI Racing Toyota
William Byron (24), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Justin Haley (31), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Michael McDowell (34), Front Row Motorsports Ford
Todd Gilliland (36), Front Row Motorsports Ford
Zane Smith (38), Front Row Motorsports Ford
Ryan Preece (41), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Noah Gragson (42), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
Erik Jones (43), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
Tyler Reddick (45), 23XI Racing Toyota
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47), JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
Alex Bowman (48), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
JJ Yeley (51), Rick Ware Racing Ford
Ty Gibbs (54), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Austin Hilll (62), Beard Motorsports Chevrolet
Ty Dillon (77), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
BJ McLeod (78), Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet
Daniel Suárez (99), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Weather for the GEICO 500

Warm temperatures for the ARCA Menards and NASCAR Xfinity support series practices and qualifying Friday will give way to cooler, overcast conditions Saturday and Sunday. The forecast calls for temperatures in the low 60s with a slight chance of rain Saturday and a minuscule chance Sunday. With those cooler conditions, grip and tire degradation will be better, which is always beneficial with high-speed, tight pack racing.

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