By: Ashley McCubbin

Does it take luck or skill to win on a restrictor plate track? That’s the question that fans have argued over the years in watching several of these races. Some say it takes luck to ensure you are not one of those involved in the big wreck. Others state the recipe to success is putting yourself in the right position to capitalize on track position and making the move when it matters.

Either way, it should be an exciting event for the NASCAR Xfinity Series when they hit the 2.66-mile oval on Saturday afternoon.

Sam Mayer carries momentum into the event after picking up the checkered flag by mere inches ahead of Ryan Sieg at Texas Motor Speedway. Unfortunately, he was not as lucky at Daytona International Speedway back in February as his race ended with a crash on Lap 22. He has also only scored one top-10 (second in 2022) at Talladega, while wrecking out of his other three appearances.

Parker Retzlaff, on the other hand, knows what it takes to be successful at Talladega placing seventh to give him the best average finish of drivers entered into the event. Combined with a third at Daytona in February, it’s only a matter of time until he finds himself in victory lane at a plate track.

But let’s be honest, it should not surprise you in having watched the success of Jordan Anderson Racing on these style of tracks. Jeb Burton was able to pick up the checkered flag last season at Talladega, marking his second win at the 2.66-mile after doing so with Kaulig Racing in 2021. Oh, and his boss Jordan Anderson which is entered into the event placed fourth at Daytona to go with a runner-up in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in Florida a couple years ago.

Speaking of Kaulig Racing, you have A.J. Allmendinger looking to repeat the success he had at Talladega with a victory of his own in 2022. Truthfully, it’s been feast or famine with four top-seven finishes alongside two DNFs due to crashes. So if he stays out of trouble, you can expect to see the No. 16 up front. He did a decent job at Daytona in February in doing so with a 10th.

His ex-teammate Chandler Smith has proven the swap to Joe Gibbs Racing was for good reason, currently leading the standings with his 15th at Texas being his first result outside of the top-eight in 2024 with six top-five finishes. One of those, by the way, was a fifth to kick off the year at Daytona. With high banks of Talladega have not been as kind, as he has crashed out in both of his previous two appearances.

Austin Hill, by the way, was the man to beat at Daytona as he won the event in dominating fashion, driving his way through the field on two occasions due to incidents that happened on-track. Talladega has also not been kind to him either, with zero top-10’s in four appearances with a best result of 14th.

Ryan Sieg hopes Talladega is kind to him as he hopes to back-up his runner-up at Texas with another stellar performance this weekend. He has done so as of late, with four top-five’s in his last six appearances at Talladega.