Superspeedways: What Makes Daytona and Talladega Different

Superspeedways are defined by their size and the style of racing they produce. Daytona (2.5 miles) and Talladega (2.66 miles) are the only two on the Cup schedule. Both use restrictor plates or tapered spacers to limit speeds, which bunches the field into massive packs.

Cars run inches apart at 190+ mph. Drafting is everything. One wrong move collects 20 cars. The "Big One" is not a question of if, but when.

The constant shuffling of positions means lead changes happen every few laps. The car leading at any given stage break is unpredictable. That makes every square on the board competitive.