Motorsports
NASCAR JACK LINK’S 500 PREDICTIONS, ODDS & RACE PREVIEW — TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY
Photo By – Imagn Images. NASCAR Cup Series action at Talladega.
The NASCAR Cup Series is back after a one-week respite as the drivers head to tricky Talladega Superspeedway for the 2025 Jack Link’s 500 on Sunday, April 27.
The chaotic pack racing that’s prevalent at the 2.66-mile oval has shaped this week’s NASCAR odds and free betting picks. See which drivers we’re putting our stock in this Sunday below.
Odds to win 2025 Jack Link’s 500
Odds as of 4-26.
Jack Link’s 500 field
Ryan Blaney is about as consistent a driver as you’ll find when it comes to superspeedway racing, and that’s why he’s high on the betting board for the Jack Link’s 500, albeit at a much bigger price than usual when it comes to NASCAR betting favorites.
In close pursuit among the 39 drivers lining up for this race are Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, and William Byron. With the exception of Byron, each of these five drivers has at least one win here since 2018, although Byron boasts two runner-up finishes in that span.
Jack Link’s 500 expert picks and predictions
Odds listed below courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook as of 4-26.
Jack Link’s 500 pre-qualifying favorites
Ryan Blaney (+1000)
The Team Penske driver has an astounding five Top-2 finishes in his last 11 Talladega tries, three in the last five. He also has victories in 2019, 2020, 2023. Ryan Blaney finished seventh in the Daytona 500 and fourth in Atlanta this season.
Brad Keselowski (+1200)
Brad Keselowski has finished 23rd or worse in three of his last six Talladega starts, however, he finished runner-up in both races last season and is a six-time race winner on the high-banked 2.66-mile oval.
William Byron (+1200)
William Byron has eight Top-12 finishes in his last 10 Talladega starts, including a runner-up finish in the spring of 2021 and fall of 2023 and placed third last fall. He won the last two Daytona 500s.
Jack Link’s 500 sleepers
Austin Cindric (+1600)
Despite finishing 21st, 26th, and 23rd in the spring race, Austin Cindric has finished ninth, fifth and 32nd in the fall race. He also had a chance to win at both Daytona and Atlanta this season.
Christopher Bell (+1600)
Great value here. Christopher Bell finished sixth lastfFall, was third in both Daytona races last season, and won this season in Atlanta.
Chase Briscoe (+1600)
Chase Briscoe finished 10th, fourth, 13th, 12th, and 30th, respectively, in his last five starts here. He also qualified on the pole and finished fourth in the Daytona 500.
Todd Gilliland (+2500)
He’s been quietly good here. Todd Gilliland has finished seventh, 10th, 12th, eighth, and 23rd, respectively, in his last five Talladega starts. He was 27th and 15th in the two drafting track starts this season.
Erik Jones (+4500)
Jones has seven Top-10 finishes in his last 10 Talladega starts, including four Top-6 results in the last six.
John Hunter Nemechek (+7000)
He has two Top-10 finishes in as many tries on drafting tracks this season and two eighth place finishes in four career Talladega starts.
Jack Link’s 500 fades
Joey Logano (+1100)
Joey Logano is a three-time Talladega winner, but even of his last nine races here have seen him finish 24th or worse, with just one Top-10 finish in his last 10.
Kyle Busch (+1100)
Kyle Busch has finished third, first, and 26th, respectively, in the last three spring Talladega races. However, those are also his only Top-5 finishes in his last 15 Talladega starts.
Kyle Larson (+1400)
Kyle Larson is only 3-for-49 in terms of earning Top 5s on superspeedways. In fact, his last 10 finishes at Talladega are 39th, 40th, 40th, 37th, fourth, 18th, 33rd, 15th, 21st and fourth. He finished 20th in Daytona and third in Atlanta.
Denny Hamlin (+1400)
He can win at any given time on a superspeedway. Denny Hamlin has seven Top-7 finishes in his last 13 Talladega tries, including a third place run in the 2023 fall race. But my concern is he’s struggled in this spring race, finishing 31st, 11th, 14th, 36th, fourth, 32nd, 18th, 17th, and 37th in his last nine tries.
Tyler Reddick (+1600)
Tyler Reddick won this race last year and was runner-up in the Daytona 500, but the win is his only Top-5 finish in 10 Talladega starts.
Chase Elliott (+1600)
Chase Elliott has two trips to victory lane in his last 11 Talladega starts. However, he’s trending the wrong way on superspeedways. Elliott’s pair of Talladega finishes in 2022 were seventh and first, respectively, while being 12th and seventh in 2023 and 15th and 29th last year. He placed 15th in the Daytona 500 and 20th in Atlanta.
Bubba Wallace (+1800)
Bubba Wallace won here in 2021. My only pause is that and his ninth-place finish here last fall are his only finishes better than 14th at Talladega in his 14 Cup tries.
Jack Link’s 500 prop pick: Alex Bowman Top 5 finish
Alex Bowman (+2000 outright) finished fifth at Talladega last spring and sixth in the season-opening Daytona 500. At this price, a Top 5 finish is worth a flier.
Pick: Alex Bowman Top 5 finish (+250 at DraftKings)
Popular motor sports futures odds
Talladega Superspeedway track analysis
Talladega is similar to Daytona, and now Atlanta too, which is why you’ll see the similar trends here. In saying that, don’t overthink it this week.
Chevrolet has won four of the last six Talladega races. With the Next Gen car, they’re 12-for-20 in superspeedway victories (5-for-6 in 2022, 3-for-6 in 2023, 3-for-6 in 2024 and 1-for-2 this season).
Ford has won 12 of the last 20 Talladega races and scored the last two victories last season on superspeedways with Harrison Burton (Wood Brothers) and Joey Logano (Penske) at Daytona and Atlanta, respectively.
By comparison, Toyota has only won four times in the last 31 Talladega races overall, but one was last spring from Tyler Reddick.
Jack Link’s 500 trends
- The last seven winners started 19th, 19th, 16th, 17th, 10th, 18th, 32nd. Thirteen of the previous 14 races were won by the Top 6 rows. Only two pole winners (Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 2017, Denny Hamlin 2020) won in the last 40 Cup races at Talladega. Those are the only two front-row starters to win since 2011’s playoff race (27 races).
- Previously, five of the 13 races before were won by front-row starters. On top of that, only one Daytona pole winner has won there since 2011 (Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2016) too.
- Since 1995, only eight drivers have earned their first or second career wins at Talladega.
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Jack Link’s 500 info
| Location: | Talladega Superspeedway, Lincoln, AL |
| Date: | Sunday, 4-27-2025 |
| Start time: | 3:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | FOX |
Previous Jack Link’s 500 winners
Tyler Reddick picked up Toyota’s first Talladega spring victory since 2014 (Denny Hamlin) last year.
| Year | Winner |
| 2024 | Tyler Reddick |
| 2023 | Kyle Busch |
| 2022 | Ross Chastain |
| 2021 | Brad Keselowski |
| 2020 | Ryan Blaney |
| 2019 | Chase Elliott |
| 2018 | Joey Logano |
| 2017 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. |
| 2016 | Brad Keselowski |
| 2015 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
How to make Jack Link’s 500 picks
NASCAR betting is a nuanced process that can take any number of factors into account, and spans several different types of bets. Fortunately, our How to Bet NASCAR guide walks you through the basics, including how to read odds, different markets that are available, and what to consider when making your bets.
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Kenny Brightbill Tribute To Be Part Of 39th Annual Pioneer Pole Buildings Motorsports Show – Speedway Digest
Kenny Brightbill, a member of six different Motorsports Hall of Fames, will be a special guest at the 39th Annual Pioneer Pole Buildings (PPB) Motorsports Race Car & Trade Show presented by Can-Am, returning to the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA, on Friday, January 23 (2 PM – 9 PM), and Saturday, January 24 (10 AM – 7 PM), 2026.
A special tribute honoring the 77-year-old Brightbill will be featured at the show and will include the iconic Pinto No. 19 Modified that the Sinking Springs, PA, native built and drove to many of his 426 career victories — including 135 at his home track, the Reading Fairgrounds. The original car has been fully restored to its racing-day condition and is part of John Mason’s extensive collection.
The tribute area will also feature a 30-foot backdrop wall showcasing photos from Brightbill’s remarkable 57-year racing career, highlighting his success in Modifieds, Late Models, Sprint Cars, SpeedSTRs, and appearances in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Brightbill will join Steve Post on stage both days of the show, along with several special guests, to share memorable stories from his career. He will also be available for autographs and photos, including signing a commemorative poster being produced for the event.
Career accomplishments include winning $50,000-to-win races on the mile tracks at Syracuse, NY, and Nazareth, PA, as well as capturing the Mr. DIRT Track USA title race at New York’s Lebanon Valley Speedway. His dirt Modified career also included 200-lap victories at Reading; New York’s Orange County, Fonda, Fulton, and Weedsport; and New Jersey’s Flemington and Bridgeport Speedways.
Over the past three years, the PPB Motorsports Show has honored legendary figures including Billy “The Kid” Pauch, famed sprint car owner Bob Weikert, and NASCAR Hall of Fame crew chief Ray Evernham. For the first time in show history, two tribute displays will be featured in 2026.
It was previously announced that NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Geoff Bodine will also be honored for his accomplishments in asphalt Modifieds and at NASCAR’s highest level, including his victory in the 1986 Daytona 500.
Friday evening will be highlighted by the Aqua Duck Water Transport–sponsored Ms. Motorsports Competition at 8 PM, with $2,500 awarded to the winner. Applications are available now on the show’s website.
Saturday afternoon will spotlight the younger generation with the Little Miss Motorsports Competition and the annual RAACE Foundation Big Wheel Races, both long-standing family favorites.
Pioneer Pole Buildings, based in Schuylkill Haven, PA, will serve as the title sponsor for the 15th consecutive year. Their expansive exhibit will once again welcome attendees at the show entrance, featuring company displays, PPB-sponsored race cars, and autograph sessions with many of their drivers.
The 2026 edition of the show will again offer a wide variety of attractions for racers and fans, including the Hard Core Racer Section with dozens of race cars on display; exhibits from speedways and racing series; collectibles and memorabilia vendors; and a schedule of free racer seminars.
For information on exhibit space, visit motorsportstradeshow.com, email [email protected] or call Danny Sammons at 609-888-3618 before the event space sells out.
Special host hotel rates are available at the Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton Inn of Valley Forge/Oaks, both located on the Expo Center property. On Friday night, following the close of the show, the Hilton Garden Inn bar and banquet room will host the official Motorsports After Party, open to racers, fans, and exhibitors.
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Kyle Larson opens door to 24 Hours of Daytona comeback – Motorsport – Sports
Reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson has a laundry list of racing achievements across a plethora of series, including 32 Cup Series wins, 17 O’Reilly’s Auto Parts Series wins, four Craftsman Truck Series wins, and two attempts at “Double Duty” between the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600.
However, one of his most prestigious wins arguably came in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, competing in the 24 Hours of Daytona three times from 2014 through 2016, winning the title, and with it a Rolex, in 2015 with Chip Ganassi Racing.
Larson won in the Ford Riley DP alongside co-drivers Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan — both of whom are IndyCar champions — and Jamie McMurray, a fellow NASCAR Cup Series race winner.
Larson has yet to return to the wonderful world of the SportsCar Championship, having focused on NASCAR, his Sprint Car series, High Limit Racing, and occasional Midget races over the past decade.
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“I think at this stage in my career, yeah, I would do it again,” he said on the ‘Dinner with Racers’ podcast. “I had fun those three years I did it. I didn’t want to keep doing it every year.
“And the offseasons have only gotten busier. There’s more races and stuff. I go to Australia now, Chili Bowl and West Coast Midget races. It’s just a lot and I, kind of, want time off.
“But it’s been so long since I ran it that you almost get to the point where you forget a little bit about it, right? And I just remember having a blast doing that race, so I just want to go there and relive it.
“And have my family there with me again because Owen, I think, was just born the year we won it and he’s gonna be 11 now this year. So have my kids a part of it would be cool.”
Larson and his wife, Katelyn Sweet, now have three children, Owen, Audrey, and Cooper, with both Owen and Audrey having followed in their dad’s footsteps in beginning to forge their own racing careers of late.
But while Larson later reiterated that he would “definitely” want to give it another shot, he’d understandably “want to be in the best car.”
He went on to add, “It ranks really high on my list of wins for sure. It’s such a unique win too, I’m the fourth string guy on the team, probably back then, but I just remember I’ve never won a race with a teammate, so it’s a really special, unique sort of win.”
While Larson’s NASCAR team, Hendrick Motorsports, has yet to compete in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Chip Ganassi remains a constant in the series, although it has yet to win again at Daytona in the renamed Grand Touring Prototype class.
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5 possible additions to the Daytona 500 lineup (to guarantee disappointment)
Early in the NASCAR Cup Series offseason, JR Motorsports confirmed that they plan to make another attempt at the Daytona 500 after successfully qualifying in their first attempt this past February.
For the second year in a row, Justin Allgaier is set to pilot the No. 40 Chevrolet. He finished in an impressive ninth place in the team’s first ever Cup appearance in 2025.
A week ago, it was then announced that Jimmie Johnson is also set to return for another shot at the “Great American Race”, a race he’s won twice, after recording his best finish in any Cup race since 2017 with his third place effort in 2025. For the fourth straight year, he is set to drive the No. 84 entry for the Legacy Motor Club team he co-owns.
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All of these confirmations mean that there are already three non-chartered (open) cars on the entry list even before the calendar turns to 2026. And with just four total (five if Johnson gets the provisional and doesn’t qualify) spots open alongside the 36 chartered cars, there will likely once again be several drivers who fail to qualify.
Who else could be added to the entry list? Here are five strong candidates.
Garage 66
Some sources have already reported that Garage 66’s Daytona 500 entry is confirmed, with Casey Mears expected to drive the No. 66 Ford. Mears returned to the Cup Series for the first time since 2019 in 2025, though he hasn’t run the Daytona 500 since 2019.
Garage 66, formerly MBM Motorsports, haven’t successfully qualified for the race since 2020, with a total of five DNQs since then.
23XI Racing
23XI Racing have not fielded an extra Daytona 500 entry since Travis Pastrana ran the race in 2023, but that is expected to change as they continue to put together a partial schedule for development driver Corey Heim, who is somehow still without a full-time ride in any national series for 2026, in the No. 67 Toyota.
The 2025 Truck Series champion ran four races for the team this past year, and he twice finished higher than all three of the team’s full-time drivers.
Richard Childress Racing
Richard Childress Racing are another team that haven’t fielded an extra Daytona 500 in quite a few years (2019), but that is expected to change in a month and a half.
Xfinity (O’Reilly Auto Parts) Series superspeedway ace Austin Hill, who tried but failed to qualify for the Daytona 500 in 2023 with Beard Motorsports, is expected to get the nod to drive the No. 33 Chevrolet in 2026, after running two superspeedway Cup series for Richard Childress’ team toward the end of the 2025 campaign.
Beard Motorsports
Speaking of Beard Motorsports, they have regularly competed in Cup Series superspeedway races, including the Daytona 500, every year since 2017, and that isn’t expected to change in February.
Anthony Alfredo drove the No. 62 Chevrolet for the team in both 2024 and 2025, though he failed to qualify for the race in 2025. Beard Motorsports have never failed to qualify for the Daytona 500 in back-to-back years, however. Will Alfredo return, or could newly crowned Xfinity Series champion Jesse Love, who also ran two races in the No. 62 car this past year, get his first crack at Daytona?
NY Racing Team
The team that returned to the Daytona 500 for the first time in 2015 with the late Greg Biffle behind the wheel of the No. 44 Chevrolet in 2022 are expected to be back again, despite failing to qualify with J.J. Yeley in both 2024 and 2025.
It would be quite the story if Yeley, or whoever drives the car, can get into the race for the first time since Biffle’s final Daytona 500 appearance.
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‟K1 Speed hosts thousands of motorsports enthusiasts each year and all of us at PMNA look forward to connecting with them,” Volker Holzmeyer, President and CEO of Porsche Motorsport North America, said. ‟Whether they are casual fans of motorsport or are searching for a path into professional racing, we are excited to introduce them all to the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid and the opportunities that it offers.”
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The Longest NASCAR Team Losing Streaks Entering the 2026 Season
What’s Happening?
Despite fielding two, three, and even four cars throughout a NASCAR season, teams competing in the sport’s highest level can fall into a winless drought. Some of these teams have long histories, while others are just getting started. Here are the longest team losing streaks in NASCAR entering the 2026 season.
- To qualify for this list, you must be a NASCAR Cup Series team competing full-time in the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season and have won a race during your time in the sport.
- Teams will be added to this list on a week-to-week basis based on the time since their most recent win. Teams that have not won in 35 or fewer races will not be featured on this list, but will be added should they fail to win race 36.
- Teams like Legacy Motor Club (formerly Petty GMS Racing) and Hyak Motorsports (formerly JTG-Daugherty Racing) will be featured on this list, with the most recent wins in their organization’s history used as their most recent win.
41 Races – Hyak Motorsports
Last Win: 2024 YellaWood 500
In 2025, new ownership reshaped what was once JTG-Daugherty Racing into HYAK Motorsports. Though the team had a new look, it maintained its driver, 2023 Daytona 500 Champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr, alongside the Iconic No. 47. Unfortunately, the team was unable to find victory lane for the first time since 2022, finishing no better than fifth.
44 Races – RFK Racing
Last Win: 2024 Go Bowling at the Glen
RFK Racing had a tough 2025 season, failing to find victory lane for the first time since 2021, while fielding three full-time entries for the first time since Roush-Fenway Racing did so in 2016. While they may not have won a race, the team’s three-car roster showed promise, with hopes that a successful campaign in 2026 could result in a return to form.
76 Races – Kaulig Racing
Last Win: 2023 Bank of America ROVAL 400
Kaulig Racing fielded two full-time drivers for the first time since 2023 last season, and despite the return of the team’s winningest driver, A.J. Allmendinger, the two-car operation failed to win a race for a second year in a row. This year, the team is in limbo as they prepare for a deeper relationship with a new OEM in the coming years.
84 Races – Front Row Motorsports
Last Win: 2023 Verizon 200 at the Brickyard
This past season will be remembered as a year of transition for Front Row Motorsports, which reshuffled its deck after losing Michael McDowell after the 2024 season. The team moved veteran Todd Gilliland to the No. 34, pushing a returning Zane Smith into the No. 38, and expanded to a new car, the No. 4, with Noah Gragson. This inconsistency showed on track, with the team missing out on a win for the second straight season.
117 Races – Legacy Motor Club
Last Win: 2022 Cook Out Southern 500
Despite all the hardships the team has endured since Petty GMS reformed into Legacy Motors Club, LMC had a banner year for both of its entries in the NASCAR Cup Series. Though they did not win a race, the team found themselves sitting just outside the gates at Darlington with both their drivers finishing in the top five.
234 Races – Spire Motorsports
Last Win: 2019 Coke Zero Sugar 400
Spire Motorsports is continuing its search to find victory lane as a multi-car operation, and extended its lengthy losing streak to six seasons. Even then, most fans forget that the win with Justin Haley happened, as the team has evolved into a competitive team with a development program since that race in 2019.
This list will be updated race to race as the season continues.
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