NASCAR Cup Series | |
---|---|
Venue | Talladega Superspeedway |
Location | Talladega, Alabama, United States |
Corporate sponsor | Jack Link's |
First race | 1970 |
Distance | 500.08 miles (804.80 km) |
Laps | 188 Stages 1/2: 60 each Final stage: 68 |
Previous names | Alabama 500 (1970) Winston 500 (1971–1993, 1997) Winston Select 500 (1994–1996) DieHard 500 (1998–2000) Talladega 500 (2001) Aaron's 499 (2002–2014) GEICO 500 (2015–2024) |
Most wins (driver) | Jeff Gordon Brad Keselowski (4) |
Most wins (team) | Hendrick Motorsports (8) |
Most wins (manufacturer) | Chevrolet (22) |
Circuit information | |
Surface | Asphalt |
Length | 2.66 mi (4.28 km) |
Turns | 4 |
The Jack Link's 500 is a NASCAR Cup Series stock car race held at the Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama. The race is usually held in April or May. The 1997 event stands as the fastest NASCAR race to date ever run with an average speed of 188.354 miles per hour (303.126 km/h) and was the first race at Talladega Superspeedway that was not interrupted by a caution period.
The race was known as the second leg of the sport's Grand Slam from 1970 until the result of Ferko lawsuit in 2004. Still considered to be the fifth “Crown Jewel” race, along with the Brickyard 400 and the three originals, the race has consistently been the second Crown Jewel event of the season, with the exceptions being 2014, when the Southern 500 was scheduled in April, and 2020, when the GEICO 500 was postponed until June, after the Coca-Cola 600. The GEICO 500, as the Winston 500, was also previously part of the Winston Million. Tyler Reddick is the defending winner of the race, having won it in 2024.