Talladega stage changes
NASCAR shortened the final two stages of the upcoming Cup race at Talladega to 45 laps each in an effort to reduce fuel‑saving strategies and tighten late‑race competition. Separately, Rockstar Energy will sponsor Tyler Reddick’s No. 45 for select races with the first primary scheme set to debut at Talladega on April 26 (motorsportswire.usatoday.com) (on3.com).
NASCAR has rewritten the shape of its April 26 Cup race at Talladega, stretching Stage 1 to 98 laps and cutting the final two stages to 45 laps each. (nascar.com) The Jack Link’s 500 at the 2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway was originally set at stage breaks of 60, 120 and 188 laps. NASCAR now has Stage 1 ending on Lap 98, Stage 2 on Lap 143 and the race ending on Lap 188. (nascar.com) John Probst, NASCAR’s executive vice president and chief racing development officer, said the change is aimed at fuel saving on superspeedways, where drivers can run below full throttle to stretch a tank. He said the final two stages are now short enough to finish without a fuel stop. (nascar.com) Talladega and Daytona are the two longest ovals on the Cup schedule, and the draft lets cars save fuel by staying tucked together in line. NASCAR said fans had pushed back on the three-wide fuel-saving style that developed at those tracks. (nascar.com) The new setup shifts the strategy fight to the opening segment. Probst said some teams may try to complete the 98-lap first stage with one stop while others make two, creating a split in tactics before the race reaches its shorter closing runs. (nascar.com) NASCAR also noted that the race becomes official at the end of Stage 2 or at halfway, whichever comes first under the rule book. With the revised format, the halfway point moves to Lap 94. (nascar.com) The sanctioning body is treating Talladega as one part of a broader superspeedway review. Probst said NASCAR plans a preseason test at Daytona before the 2027 Rolex 24 to study car changes such as spoiler and power adjustments that could also affect fuel-saving behavior. (nascar.com) The same Talladega weekend will also bring a new look for Tyler Reddick’s No. 45 Toyota. Rockstar Energy has signed on to sponsor 23XI Racing’s No. 45 in select Cup races, with its first primary paint scheme scheduled to debut at Talladega. (on3.com) Reddick enters that weekend as one of the sport’s fastest drivers and a past Talladega winner. 23XI Racing lists him as the full-time driver of the No. 45 Toyota, notes his 2024 Talladega victory, and credits him with the 2026 Daytona 500 win and a spring Darlington win. (23xiracing.com) Talladega’s spring Cup race is scheduled for Sunday, April 26, with NASCAR listing a 2 p.m. Eastern start on its weekend schedule page. The track will look the same, but the race is set up to unfold very differently. (nascar.com)
