NASCAR at Talladega 2015: Race Schedule, Live Stream Info and Drivers to Watch

It is usually cliche in sports to say anything can happen, but that is truly the case at Talladega Superspeedway.

The short track features tight turns and steep banks and the type of reduced-speed, restrictor-plate racing that naturally lends itself to dramatic accidents. It is arguably the biggest wild card in NASCAR racing, and anyone in the field can walk away with the victory simply by surviving the expected attrition.

The Sprint Cup Series hits the track in Talladega again Sunday for the Geico 500, with early positioning in the standings on the line. Here is a look at the schedule and broadcast information, as well as a few drivers to watch.

Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway Schedule

Date: Sunday, May 3

Time: 1 p.m. ET

TV: Fox 

Live Stream: Fox Sports Go

Drivers to Watch

Brad Keselowski 

Steve Helber/Associated Press

Brad Keselowski should feel right at home at Talladega.

He has three career victories and seven top-12 finishes in his Talladega career and even captured his first-ever victory there in 2009. His aggressive style works best in the restrictor-plate racing that takes place in the Geico 500, and he already has a victory and three top-five finishes in nine races this year. 

Keselowski sits in fifth place in the current standings, but any race at Talladega represents a golden opportunity to make a move. Anything can happen Sunday, which means a victory for Keselowski could coincide with a disastrous finish for those ahead of him in the standings.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon

Let’s throw Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon together as two of the sport’s biggest fan favorites looking for a victory.

Earnhardt hasn’t won at Talladega since 2004, but he still boasts impressive career statistics there. In fact, Joe Rodgers of Sporting News noted that Earnhardt led laps in 27 of his 30 Talladega starts and has the series’ best average running position (14.5), the second-best driver rating (90.7) and the third-most quality passes (4,478) at the track.

Earnhardt also has an impressive five career victories there, although they all took place from 2001 to 2004. He won a restrictor-plate race at the Daytona in 2014, so he should have some confidence heading into Sunday’s race.

As for Gordon, he is yet to win a race in 2015, which is not how he wants to head into retirement.

David Tulis/Associated Press

Fortunately for him, he has six career wins at Talladega and four wins at the Geico 500. Only Dale Earnhardt has more Talladega wins in NASCAR history with 10.

Gordon may not have that 2015 victory yet, but he won the pole position in qualifying and commented on his team’s performance, per Jay Pennell of Fox Sports:

"

For this team to bring another car, a different car here, and all the hard work from the engine shop and what they do with the bodies, and chassis and prep. A lot of hard work goes into this and (crew chief) Alan Gustafson takes a lot of pride in these. They should, this is awesome. And awesome for Hendrick Motorsports to be on the front row. This was all them.  I played a small role at Daytona, but I played NO role today, but it was fun.

"

Gordon is a legitimate threat to win Sunday. 

Not only does he boast that favorable starting position with the entire track ahead of him, he should have plenty of confidence at a track he has dominated throughout his career. What’s more, if he can parlay that pole victory into an early lead, he will ideally survive any multi-car wrecks that happen behind him.

Surviving the Talladega attrition is half the battle at this race.

David Scott of The Charlotte Observer picked both Gordon and Earnhardt Jr. among his three best bets for Sunday’s race:

"

Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Says he feels pressure from his fans if he’s not running near or at the front of restrictor-plate races at Talladega and Daytona.

Tony Stewart: It’s been a tough season for Smoke, but he’s had a fast car in practice and in qualifying (sixth). It might be time for him to win.

Jeff Gordon: Pole winner owns six victories at Talladega, but most recent came in 2007. He’d like to win again in his final season of full-time racing -- and likely put himself in the Chase. 

"

That would certainly work for many fans.

Kurt Busch

David Tulis/Associated Press

Kurt Busch cracks the Drivers to Watch list because he is fresh off his first victory of the 2015 season at Richmond. His camp likely hopes that he can turn that momentum into his first career victory at Talladega in his 29th start at the famed track.

The 28 starts and zero victories is actually a record among active drivers.

It is difficult to envision Busch emerging with a win, especially since he hasn’t won back-to-back races since 2002. However, he looked formidable at Richmond and would love to get the Talladega monkey off his back.