The NASCAR Xfinity Series Talladega event will take center stage as the United Rentals 250 unfolds at Talladega Superspeedway on Saturday, October 18, at 4 p.m. ET. This pivotal playoff race covers 250.04 miles over 94 laps on the challenging 2.66-mile asphalt oval, drawing heightened attention for its role in shaping the playoff landscape for drivers and teams.
The race purse stands at $1,651,939, reflecting the stakes involved as drivers chase a spot in the Championship 4. The race is broadcast on CW at 3:30 p.m. ET and on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90, giving fans multiple ways to follow the action from one of NASCAR’s most unpredictable and exciting tracks.
Historical Context and Playoff Structure
This marks the 38th running of a NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Talladega, with the Superspeedway featured on the schedule every year since 1992. Talladega has hosted four previous playoff races—2020, 2021, 2022, and now 2024—all during the Round of 12. In this year’s playoff structure, Talladega represents one of three Round of 8 races, along with Las Vegas and Martinsville. The conclusion of the Martinsville race will see the lowest four drivers in points eliminated from championship contention.
No driver secured advancement into the Championship 4 with the results at Las Vegas, increasing the pressure at Talladega. Any playoff driver who seizes a win in the Round of 8 will earn a guaranteed spot in the Championship 4, while the remaining spots will be claimed based on points. Reaching at least a 57-point lead over fourth place after Talladega clinches a driver’s advancement by points alone.
Current Standings and Driver Insights
Connor Zilisch leads the points field entering Talladega, boasting a 74-point cushion over fourth place after finishing second at Las Vegas. Justin Allgaier carries a 36-point buffer after his third-place finish in the same event. Sam Mayer and Brandon Jones are locked in a close battle for the critical playoff cutoff, with only eight points separating them. Playoff stakes are further heightened by the presence of two highly competitive rookies: Connor Zilisch and Carson Kvapil.
Historically, no driver has ever won the second race of the Round of 8 or the Talladega playoff event and then claimed the series championship. This adds another layer of uncertainty, as drivers look to break new ground this year. Four teams are represented among the Round of 8 drivers: JR Motorsports with four entrants, Haas Factory Team with two, and Joe Gibbs Racing and Richard Childress Racing fielding one each.
On the owners’ side, Joe Gibbs Racing’s #19 car clinched a Championship 4 berth with Aric Almirola’s win at Las Vegas, ensuring Almirola will continue in the #19 for the remainder of the season. JR Motorsports’ #1 and #8 cars were eliminated from the owners’ playoffs after the Round of 12, but Richard Childress Racing’s #21 remains in contention. Almirola has matched last year’s win total with three victories in 2025, including four playoff wins as a non-playoff driver in the past eleven events. Joe Gibbs Racing has found momentum in the playoffs, winning three of four races after just two victories in the regular season.
Talladega’s Track Trends and Competitive Landscape
Talladega Superspeedway serves as the sixth and final drafting track of the Xfinity season, and unpredictability is a defining factor. Austin Hill claimed his first Talladega win in April—bringing his total to a record nine career drafting track wins—and is the only driver to have triumphed at all three drafting venues: Atlanta (five wins), Daytona (three wins), and Talladega (one win). The Talladega races continue to produce variety, as the last seven events have seen seven different winners. Drivers like Sheldon Creed and Jeb Burton aim to tie the Talladega record by earning their fifth straight top-10 finish at the venue this weekend.
Passing at the last moment is a hallmark at this track, with three of the past five Talladega races decided on a final-lap pass, and fifteen such outcomes in the track’s history. In April, only two of the current playoff drivers—Love and Allgaier—managed a top-10 finish, highlighting the challenge this track presents for even the best in the field. Richard Childress Racing, one of the standout organizations, has notched three drafting track wins this year and has taken eleven victories in the last twenty-two drafting events.
Among active drivers, Jeb Burton leads with two Talladega Xfinity wins, while Austin Hill and Jesse Love have dominated drafting tracks by combining to lead 340 laps this season. Chevrolet’s strong season-long performance continues, as the manufacturer has led over three-quarters of total laps and matched the record for most wins by any manufacturer through thirty races.
Notable Milestones and Achievements Leading into Talladega
Connor Zilisch has been rewriting series records this season, becoming the sixth driver ever to reach ten wins in a year and the first rookie since Kyle Busch in 2016 to do so. He recently set the record as the youngest winner at ten different tracks after a victory at the Charlotte Roval, and holds the rookie benchmark for most wins in a season. Zilisch has finished in the top five in eighteen consecutive races—an all-time series streak—with a 2.1 average finish over that span. He has also been extraordinary on drafting tracks given his consistency and front-running pace.
Justin Allgaier, another title contender, marked his 300th career top-10 finish at Las Vegas—a first in the Xfinity Series—and leads with thirteen stage wins this year. His 28 career victories put him just one behind Matt Kenseth on the all-time list. Additional historic achievements include a record-setting season for JR Motorsports, which has won seventeen races via six different drivers and extended its streak to at least one top-five finish in thirty-two straight races. Several crew chiefs—Chad Haney, Sam McAulay, Adam Wall, Cory Shea, and Dale Earnhardt Jr.—claimed their first Xfinity Series wins this year, marking a season of new milestones for teams and individuals alike.
Clinch Scenarios and Playoff Picture at Talladega
Heading into Talladega, the playoff scenarios are intricate. No driver has clinched a Championship 4 spot yet, amplifying the pressure for top performers. Connor Zilisch can clinch advancement by scoring 39 points if there’s a repeat winner or a winner who can’t advance. The same scenario would allow him to clinch with 51 points if the victory comes from Sam Mayer or another eligible winless driver. Justin Allgaier and Jesse Love could only clinch in similar scenarios with outside assistance. However, any playoff driver—Zilisch, Allgaier, Love, Mayer, Brandon Jones, Sheldon Creed, Carson Kvapil, or Sammy Smith—would automatically lock up a spot in the next playoff round with a win at Talladega.
After a runner-up finish at Las Vegas and a remarkable recovery from a severe crash at Talladega in April, Connor Zilisch returns to the site with both determination and the memory of his resilience earlier this season. Meanwhile, fellow rookies, seasoned stars, and upwardly mobile teams seek to rewrite both the history and trajectory of the playoff chase this Saturday.
What to Watch in Saturday’s Race
The NASCAR Xfinity Series Talladega event sets the stage for high-stakes competition, with the United Rentals 250 at Talladega Superspeedway offering drivers a last critical opportunity to clinch a spot in the Championship 4. Connor Zilisch’s commanding point lead, the historic achievements of drivers like Justin Allgaier and Jeb Burton, and the unpredictability of Talladega’s famed drafting packs ensure every lap will carry weight for both teams and fans. With the championship picture still wide open, Saturday’s race promises drama and intensity as contenders fight not just for victory, but for the chance to compete for the series title later this year.
