Very few drivers look forward to racing at Talladega; Penske drivers Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski are the exception. The two playoff drivers have won six of the past eight races at Talladega, with Logano winning the spring race. In fact, the combination of Logano and Keselowski have won the last three playoff races at Talladega.
Brad Keselowski
With the retirement of Dale Earnhardt Jr., Keselowski has made himself known as the best restrictor plate racer, scoring five wins at the 2.66 mile Superspeedway. It’s Keselowski who perfected the ability to control a race at Talladega from the lead. His ability to shift from the bottom lane to the top is masterful. With the help of spotter Joey Meier, Keselowski proves he’s the hardest driver to pass once out front.
Joey Logano
Logano follows closely in his teammate’s footsteps. He is aggressive at Talladega and knows how to control lanes, stop runs and make the line of his choice get runs.
The two Penske drivers are the only two drivers with a rating over 100 over the last five Talladega races; despite each driver having two DNF’s during this time. This proves how well the Penske duo handle this racetrack. DNF’s are never good, but at Talladega, getting caught in someone else’s mess is a common occurrence. The good news for Logano and Keselowski, they will most likely be up front to miss any accidents.
Ryan Blaney
The third Penske driver, Ryan Blaney, is somewhat of a dark-horse this weekend, but expect dominance from him, as well. Blaney is a fixture up front at Talladega but can never get the finish he deserves.
Going back to the spring race, Blaney finished seventh and third in the two stages before finishing 18th after getting caught up in a late-race wreck.
But what makes the Penske trio the biggest threat this weekend is their ability to work together. They are the only organization constantly finding each other on the racetrack and work up to the front together. It’s a formula other organizations see, but aren’t able to emulate.
Joey Logano currently sits fourth in the standings 31 points ahead of ninth place, with Keselowski 21 points ahead. Blaney sits in the eighth and final cutoff position, 10 points ahead of Aric Almirola.
The NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series heads to Talladega this Sunday airing 2 p.m. on NBC.
