The 2015 CampingWorld.com 500 at Talladega was a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held on October 25, 2015, at Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama. Contested over 196 laps – extended from 188 laps due to a green–white–checkered finish – on the superspeedway, it was the 32nd race of the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, sixth race of the Chase and final race of the Contender Round. Joey Logano won the race, his sixth of the season and third in a row, thus sweeping the entire Contender Round. Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished second, while Jeff Gordon, Brad Keselowski and Carl Edwards rounded out the top-five.
Gordon won the pole for the race and led eight laps on his way to a third-place finish. Earnhardt lead a race high of 61 laps on his way to a runner-up finish. The race had 30 lead changes among 18 different drivers, as well as three caution flag periods for 18 laps.
This was the 14th career victory for Logano, sixth of the season, third consecutive, first at Talladega Superspeedway and third at the track for Team Penske. He left Talladega with the points lead. Despite being the winning manufacturer, Ford left Talladega trailing Chevrolet by 63 points in the manufacturer standings.
The CampingWorld.com 500 at Talladega was carried by NBC Sports on the cable/satellite NBCSN network for the American television audience. The radio broadcast for the race was carried by the Motor Racing Network and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.
Report
Background
Talladega Superspeedway (Alabama International Motor Speedway from 1969 to 1989) is a tri-oval superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama. Joey Logano entered with a 13-point lead over Denny Hamlin. Kurt Busch entered third 18 points back. Carl Edwards entered fourth 19 points back. Kevin Harvick, Jeff Gordon and Brad Keselowski entered tied for fifth 24 points back. Martin Truex Jr. entered eighth 25 points back. Kyle Busch entered ninth 31 points back. Ryan Newman entered 10th 33 points back. Dale Earnhardt Jr. entered 11th 56 points back. Matt Kenseth entered 12th 60 points back.
Race procedure adjustment On Tuesday, October 20, NASCAR announced that the number of green-white-checker attempts would be reduced to just a single-attempt for the weekend's race. NASCAR Executive Vice-President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O'Donnell said that after "extensive dialogue with the industry, we have decided to make a procedural change at Talladega Superspeedway this weekend. In the event the race goes beyond the advertised distance due to a caution, we will use a single attempt at a green-white-checker finish. We take very seriously the responsibility of balancing exciting finishes and safety. We’re confident that this is a positive direction for both.”
Chase-clinching scenarios The following Chase-clinching scenarios were in play for the weekend's race.
Regardless of who wins Denny Hamlin would've clinched a spot in the Eliminator Round with a finish of 14th or better, 15th if he led a lap or 16th if he led the most laps. Kurt Busch would've clinched with a finish of eighth or better, ninth if he led a lap or 10th if he led the most laps. Carl Edwards would've clinched with a finish of seventh or better, eighth if he led a lap or ninth if he led the most laps. Kevin Harvick, Jeff Gordon and Brad Keselowski would've clinched if any of them finished second or better, third if any of them led a lap or fourth if any of them led the most laps. Martin Truex Jr. would've clinched with a finish of second or better or third if he led the most laps.
Must win Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Matt Kenseth and Ryan Newman only controlled their destinies with a win.
Entry list The entry list for the CampingWorld.com 500 at Talladega was released on Monday, October 19 at 9:43 a.m. Eastern time. Forty-five cars were entered for the race. All but Michael McDowell were entered in the previous week's race at Kansas. There were several driver changes for this weekend's race. Bobby Labonte returned to the seat of the No. 32 Go FAS Racing Ford. Travis Kvapil returned to the seat of the No. 33 Hillman-Circle Sport LLC Chevrolet. Josh Wise drove the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford. Michael Waltrip drove the No. 98 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota.
Driver Team Manufacturer 1 Jamie McMurray Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 2 Brad Keselowski (PC3) Team Penske Ford 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 4 Kevin Harvick (PC1) Stewart–Haas Racing Chevrolet 5 Kasey Kahne Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 6 Trevor Bayne Roush Fenway Racing Ford 7 Alex Bowman Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet 9 Sam Hornish Jr. Richard Petty Motorsports Ford 10 Danica Patrick Stewart–Haas Racing Chevrolet 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 13 Casey Mears Germain Racing Chevrolet 14 Tony Stewart (PC4) Stewart–Haas Racing Chevrolet 15 Clint Bowyer Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 16 Greg Biffle Roush Fenway Racing Ford 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Roush Fenway Racing Ford 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 19 Carl Edwards Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 20 Matt Kenseth (PC6) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 21 Ryan Blaney (i) Wood Brothers Racing Ford 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 23 Jeb Burton (R) BK Racing Toyota 24 Jeff Gordon (PC7) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 26 J. J. Yeley (i) BK Racing Toyota 27 Paul Menard Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 31 Ryan Newman Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 32 Bobby Labonte (PC8) Go FAS Racing Ford 33 Travis Kvapil (i) Hillman-Circle Sport LLC Chevrolet 34 Josh Wise Front Row Motorsports Ford 35 Cole Whitt Front Row Motorsports Ford 38 David Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 40 Landon Cassill (i) Hillman-Circle Sport LLC Chevrolet 41 Kurt Busch (PC5) Stewart–Haas Racing Chevrolet 42 Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 43 Aric Almirola Richard Petty Motorsports Ford 46 Michael Annett HScott Motorsports Chevrolet 47 A. J. Allmendinger JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 48 Jimmie Johnson (PC2) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 51 Justin Allgaier HScott Motorsports Chevrolet 55 David Ragan Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 62 Timmy Hill (i) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet 83 Matt DiBenedetto (R) BK Racing Toyota 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 95 Michael McDowell Leavine Family Racing Ford 98 Michael Waltrip Michael Waltrip Racing ToyotaOfficial entry list Key Meaning (R) Rookie (i) Ineligible for points (PC#) Past champions provisional
Practice
First practice Greg Biffle was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 47.597 and a speed of .
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Time 1 16 Greg Biffle Roush Fenway Racing Ford 47.597 201.189 2 10 Danica Patrick Stewart–Haas Racing Chevrolet 47.731 200.624 3 51 Justin Allgaier HScott Motorsports Chevrolet 47.743 200.574Official first practice results
Final practice Brad Keselowski was the fastest in the final practice with a time of 48.752 and a speed of .
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Time 1 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 48.752 196.423 2 21 Ryan Blaney (i) Wood Brothers Racing Ford 48.772 196.342 3 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 49.178 194.721Official final practice results
Qualifying
Jeff Gordon won the pole with a time of 49.234 and a speed of . Gordon said he knew he "had a fast car, but I wasn’t sure. This is a different car than what we had here earlier this year. I mean everybody felt confident in the car and it was really fast in the drafting sessions, but we weren’t exactly sure when we made a mock qualifying run if we had what it took for the pole, but after that first run I knew the boys did what they do." Dale Earnhardt Jr. said that his teammates "had a little more speed, but we feel like our car is going to race really well and just ready to go,” Martin Truex Jr.'s time was disallowed after he went below the yellow line during his qualifying laps, which is forbidden on superspeedways. Justin Allgaier started from the rear after his car was damaged on pit road during qualifying. Michael Annett and Jeb Burton failed to make the race.
Qualifying results Pos Driver Team Manufacturer 1 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 49.296 49.234 2 5 Kasey Kahne Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 49.348 49.453 3 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 49.506 49.467 4 20 Matt Kenseth Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 49.506 49.468 5 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 49.516 49.575 6 6 Trevor Bayne Roush Fenway Racing Ford 49.717 49.674 7 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart–Haas Racing Chevrolet 49.712 49.720 8 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 49.658 49.737 9 21 Ryan Blaney (i) Wood Brothers Racing Ford 49.545 49.743 10 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 49.586 49.746 11 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 49.565 49.820 12 14 Tony Stewart Stewart–Haas Racing Chevrolet 49.731 49.845 13 27 Paul Menard Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 49.749 — 14 41 Kurt Busch Stewart–Haas Racing Chevrolet 49.792 — 15 19 Carl Edwards Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 49.792 — 16 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 49.824 — 17 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Roush Fenway Racing Ford 49.880 — 18 31 Ryan Newman Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 49.891 — 19 16 Greg Biffle Roush Fenway Racing Ford 49.915 — 20 10 Danica Patrick Stewart–Haas Racing Chevrolet 49.924 — 21 9 Sam Hornish Jr. Richard Petty Motorsports Ford 49.940 — 22 55 David Ragan Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 49.943 — 23 42 Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 49.946 — 24 1 Jamie McMurray Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 49.981 — 25 43 Aric Almirola Richard Petty Motorsports Ford 50.002 — 26 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 50.009 — 27 95 Michael McDowell Leavine Family Racing Ford 50.077 — 28 13 Casey Mears Germain Racing Chevrolet 50.095 — 29 15 Clint Bowyer Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 50.109 — 30 26 J. J. Yeley (i) BK Racing Toyota 50.146 — 31 47 A. J. Allmendinger JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 50.179 — 32 62 Timmy Hill (i) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 50.246 — 33 98 Michael Waltrip Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 50.338 — 34 35 Cole Whitt Front Row Motorsports Ford 50.358 — 35 32 Bobby Labonte Go FAS Racing Ford 50.449 — 36 83 Matt DiBenedetto (R) BK Racing Toyota 50.528 — 37 7 Alex Bowman Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet 50.549 — 38 38 David Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 50.570 — 39 51 Justin Allgaier HScott Motorsports Chevrolet 50.631 — 40 34 Josh Wise Front Row Motorsports Ford 50.744 — 41 40 Landon Cassill (i) Hillman-Circle Sport LLC Chevrolet 50.885 — 42 33 Travis Kvapil (i) Hillman-Circle Sport LLC Chevrolet 50.889 — 43 78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet 0.000 —Failed to qualify 44 23 Jeb Burton (R) BK Racing Toyota 50.765 — 45 46 Michael Annett HScott Motorsports Chevrolet 50.828 —Official qualifying results
Race
Start
First half