Talladega hosts packed NASCAR entry lists for Cup, O’Reilly and Trucks
NXTbets Pro | Published On: October 20, 2026
Cup Series
Talladega Superspeedway brings a full Cup Series field to one of NASCAR’s biggest drafting tests, with the YellaWood 500 set for the 2.66-mile track in Alabama. The race is the eighth of 10 events in the season’s Chase and the 34th points-paying race of the year, which puts every stage of the weekend under added pressure. Forty cars are entered, giving the Cup field its familiar packed feel at Talladega. The lineup includes Ross Chastain, Austin Cindric, Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, William Byron, Tyler Reddick and Alex Bowman. Shane Van Gisbergen and Connor Zilisch are also in the field. That mix gives the race a blend of established front-runners and fresh names trying to work the high-speed lanes around the Alabama superspeedway. Chase Briscoe returns as the defending fall winner at Talladega, which gives him a reference point that few in the field can match. At a track where track position changes fast and the pack stays tight, the size of the entry list matters as much as the name power at the top. Talladega has drawn another deep Cup roster, and the combination of playoff stakes, a long points calendar and a large field makes the YellaWood 500 one of the weekend’s central races.
Truck Series
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series adds another crowded entry list at Talladega, where the Love’s RV Stop 225 gives the series its next Chase race on the oval. The Truck race is the fifth of seven Chase events and the 23rd points-paying race of the season, so the pressure rises again for teams trying to keep pace in the postseason picture. A total of 38 trucks are entered, giving the field enough depth to keep the draft busy from start to finish. Gio Ruggiero comes back as the defending Talladega winner in the series, a useful marker in a race that can turn quickly with one push or one late move in traffic. Corey Heim, Grant Enfinger, Ty Majeski, Christian Eckes, Ben Rhodes, Frankie Muniz and Tony Stewart are among the drivers entered. Cleetus McFarland is also in the No. 4 truck, adding another name to a field that already has a wide range of experience. The race is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET, and Talladega’s style should keep the outcome in doubt deep into the run. That gives the series a field built for superspeedway chaos and late-race strategy.
O’Reilly Series
The O’Reilly Series entry list at Talladega is the largest of the three, with 41 entries headed to the superspeedway. That kind of number matters at a track built for drafting, where the size of the field can reshape the way teams approach the race from the start. Justin Allgaier, Sheldon Creed, Jesse Love, Austin Hill, Harrison Burton, Sam Mayer, Rajah Caruth and Parker Retzlaff are among the names on the list, giving the lineup a strong mix of established contenders and drivers looking to take advantage of Talladega’s open, high-speed style. The full entry list adds another busy layer to a weekend already loaded with Cup and Truck action at the track. Talladega often rewards patience, track position and timing, and a 41-car field increases the chances that the race will stay unsettled until the closing laps. The list also deepens the overall feel of the event weekend, with three series bringing large fields to the same venue. For the O’Reilly Series, the number of entries alone shows the level of interest in Talladega and the draw of one of NASCAR’s most recognizable superspeedways.
