Start time, lineup, TV schedule and more for GEICO 500

NASCAR heads to its wildest and most unforeseeable track for superspeedway pack racing in Talladega, Alabama.

Anticipate bumper-to-bumper racing and a handful of insane crashes — consisting of “The Big One” — as motorists browse numerous lanes at the 2.66-mile track.

You’d most likely be safe to bank on a Ford to win, as the blue oval has actually thrived at 12 of the previous 17 Cup races at Talladega Superspeedway. However offered how the 2021 season has actually presumed — with just one repeat winner in 9 races, and none yet by the finest chauffeur up until now this season, Denny Hamlin — the very best bet is to anticipate the unforeseen.

Here’s all the information you need to get ready for Sunday’s GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway:

START TIME: 2 p.m. ET. (1 p.m. local)

TV: Fox. Pre-race broadcast begins at 1:30 p.m. ET (12:30 p.m. CT) on Fox.

RADIO: Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

STREAMING: Fox Sports Go (must have TV provider) and FOX Sports Go app plus other streaming services.

RACE DISTANCE: 188 laps around the 2.66-mile track for a total of 500.08 miles.

STAGE LENGTHS (laps per stage): Stage 1: 60, Stage 2: 60, Stage 3: 68.

MORE NASCAR:

LAST TIME: Denny Hamlin led 26 laps in the 2020 playoff race — the messiest and longest race in Talladega history, with three overtimes and 13 cautions, two more than the record. Hamlin beat then-Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Erik Jones by 0.086 seconds. And in the 2020 spring race, held in June, Ryan Blaney led 63 laps and beat Ricky Stenhouse Jr. by a miniscule 0.007 seconds for his second consecutive win at Talladega.

QUALIFYING: There was no on-track qualifying for this race. Instead NASCAR used a performance-metrics formula to determine the lineup:

• 25 percent: Driver’s finishing position from the previous race

• 25 percent: Car owner’s finishing position from the previous race

• 35 percent: Team owner points ranking

• 15 percent: Fastest lap from the previous race

LINEUP: Two-time Talladega winner Denny Hamlin, who has actually rocketed to eight top-five finishes in the first 9 races of 2021, will start on the pole alongside Joey Logano, who has three career victories at Talladega.

Story continues

Here is the lineup for the GEICO 500 (with car number in parentheses):

1. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota

2. (22) Joey Logano, Ford

3. (19) Martin Truex Jr, Toyota

4. (24) William Byron, Chevrolet

5. (48) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet

6. (20) Christopher Bell, Toyota

7. (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford

8. (9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet

9. (18) Kyle Busch, Toyota

10. (2) Brad Keselowski, Ford

11. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet

12. (5) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet

13. (21) Matt DiBenedetto, Ford

14. (10) Aric Almirola, Ford

15. (1) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet

16. (4) Kevin Harvick, Ford

17. (47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Chevrolet

18. (42) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet

19. (99) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet

20. (8) Tyler Reddick, Chevrolet

21. (17) Chris Buescher, Ford

22. (43) Erik Jones, Chevrolet

23. (34) Michael McDowell, Ford

24. (23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota

25. (14) Chase Briscoe, Ford

26. (7) Corey Lajoie, Chevrolet

27. (41) Cole Custer, Ford

28. (6) Ryan Newman, Ford

29. (37) Ryan Preece, Chevrolet

30. (38) Anthony Alfredo, Ford

31. (78) BJ McLeod, Ford

32. (00) Quin Houff, Chevrolet

33. (51) Cody Ware, Chevrolet

34. (77) Justin Haley, Chevrolet

35. (28) Joey Gase, Ford

36. (52) Josh Bilicki, Ford

37. (15) JJ Yeley, Chevrolet

38. (16) Kaz Grala, Chevrolet

39. (96) Harrison Burton, Toyota

40. (66) Timmy Hill, Ford

Follow Horrow on Twitter @EllenJHorrow.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NASCAR Talladega 2021: Start time, lineup, TELEVISION, streaming schedule