NASCAR fans pack into Talladega Superspeedway ahead of Sunday's Jack Links 500 race

NASCAR's high-stakes Jack Links 500 race is scheduled for Sunday afternoon at Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama, where 41 drivers will take on the league's largest track in front of an estimated 100,000 race fans.

The legendary track attracts visitors from "all 50 states and multiple countries," according to track officials.

"It's like a vacation for them. There's people that just see each other twice a year here, and they meet up here at Talladega Superspeedway," Patrick Barfield, Senior Director of Venue Experience and Guest Services at Talladega Superspeedway, said. "They all have their little parties and groups, and it's a great site."

Josh Harris, Regional President at Talladega Superspeedway, credits the charm of the track to its unpredictable pack racing at extreme speeds exceeding 200 mph. The track, at 2.66 miles, is the longest in the NASCAR Cup Series, and drivers must complete 188 laps to finish the 500-mile race.

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"Everything's just a little bit bigger here at Talladega, and that's how we like it," Harris said.

The Jack Links 500 is the tenth race in the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series, and drivers are already fighting for their spot in the playoff standings. 

"Drivers are positioning themselves. They want to be in that top 16 come Daytona in August and be able to jump themselves into the chase," Harris said.

Talladega is always challenging for drivers, according to Harris, both physically and mentally. As the NASCAR Cup Series continues into Spring and Summer, he said the inside of a race car can exceed 100 degrees on an 85-degree day. 

Many fans, however, are taking advantage of the warm weather. Thousands of fans started camping outside the track and in the infield over the past week.

Riley Eubanks traveled from Indianapolis, Indiana, with his cousin and friend. The three of them are spending their first Talladega race together in a small tent inside turn one, living on "plenty of food and water" and a constant game of poker.

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"We spent hundreds, if not thousands on meat and plenty of water," Eubanks said. "We're able to provide food to others if they want to come by, but we have got plenty to eat here for a few days."

Many fans said they were excited to see the track's infamous 33-degree banking in its four turns, the steepest in stock car racing. The turns are engineered to allow drivers to maintain 200 miles per hour without losing traction. 

"The coolest thing is getting over here and checking out how high up that wall really is. Seeing it for the first time. Just crash after crash over years. After years of watching, I got to see it," Caleb Eubanks said. 

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Drivers will begin qualifying Saturday morning to secure their starting position for Sunday's race.