Talladega 500: Live Results, Leaders and Post-Race Analysis

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series makes its next stop this Sunday at the Talladega Superspeedway for the Good Sam Club 500.

Halfway through The Chase, Carl Edwards leads Kevin Harvick by five points and Matt Kenseth by seven. Denny Hamlin is the 12th and final driver in The Chase standings, 86 points away.

All 12 drivers contending for the title are great restrictor-plate drivers, so we can expect an action-packed race, with all drivers gunning for the week.

Restrictor-plate driving means mastering the draft and choosing your drafting partner well. The drafting pairings is something worth watching, and if this Sunday will be anything like what we saw last April, we are in for a real treat. 

Last April, Dale Earnhardt Jr. helped Jimmie Johnson to win the race, pushing him just inches ahead of Clint Bowyer in a tantalizing finish that had eight cars battling for the checkered flag. Classic draft racing indeed.

Another important note is that NASCAR will be issuing the teams decals with the "Lionheart Knight"—the image Indy Champ Dan Wheldon wore on his helmet—to put on their vehicles this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway.

Wheldon died during the Indy race in Last Vegas last week. Several drivers are planning a recognition of their own, and a moment of silence will be observed prior to the race.

Remember to check back here, as we will keep posting all the updates building up to the race and bringing you all the info and insight during the race, up until the checkered flag.