The NASCAR Cup Series returns to Talladega Sunday for its first superspeedway race since the Daytona 500 in February.
Teams will get their first experience with a different superspeedway rules package from what they had at Daytona.
Martin Truex Jr. starts first and and Denny Hamlin starts second.
Here are the important details for Sunday’s race.
(All times are Eastern)
START: Astronaut Doug Hurley on board the International Space Station will give the command to start engines via video at 3:13 p.m. The green flag is scheduled to be waved at 3:24 p.m.
PRERACE: Garage access health screening begins at 8 a.m. (teams are assigned specific times). Engine prime and final adjustments at 1 p.m. Drivers report to their cars at 2:50 p.m. The invocation will be given at 3:05 p.m. The national anthem will be performed by the 313th United States Army Band at 3:06 p.m.
DISTANCE: The race is 188 laps (500 miles) around the 2.66-mile track.
STAGES: Stage 1 ends on Lap 60. Stage 2 ends on Lap 120.
TV/RADIO: Fox will televise the race. Its coverage begins at 3 p.m. Motor Racing Network will broadcast the race. Its broadcast begins at 2 p.m. and also can be heard at mrn.com and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
FORECAST: The wunderground.com forecast calls for partly cloudy skies with a high of 92 degrees and 43% chance of rain at the race’s start.
LAST RACE: Denny Hamlin won last Sunday’s race at race in Miami, beating Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney.
LAST RACE AT Talladega: Ryan Blaney beat Ryan Newman in a photo finish.
STARTING LINEUP: Click here for Cup starting lineup
CATCHING UP TO SPEED WITH NBC SPORTS COVERAGE:
Friday 5: Despite 2 wins in a row, Toyota boss has sharp words for teams
Stewart-Haas, Penske employees tested positive for COVID-19
Aric Almirola could tie Dale Jr.’s top-10 record at Talladega
Brad Keselowski: ‘You have to keep evolving at Talladega’