2019 GEICO 500

2019 GEICO 500

Race details[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]
Race 10 of 36 in the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Date	April 28, 2019 (2019-04-28)
Location	Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama
Course	Permanent racing facility 2.66 mi (4.28 km)
Distance	188 laps, 500.08 mi (804.64 km)
Average speed	161.331 miles per hour (259.637 km/h)
Pole position
Driver	Austin Dillon	Richard Childress Racing
Time	49.734
Most laps led
Driver	Chase Elliott	Hendrick Motorsports
Laps	44
Winner
No. 9	Chase Elliott	Hendrick Motorsports
Television in the United States
Network	Fox
Announcers	Mike Joy, Jeff Gordon and Darrell Waltrip
Nielsen Ratings	4.521 million[9]
Radio in the United States
Radio	MRN
Booth Announcers	Alex Hayden, Jeff Striegle, and Dale Jarrett
Turn Announcers	Dave Moody (1 & 2), Mike Bagley (Backstretch) and Kurt Becker (3 & 4)

The 2019 GEICO 500 was a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race held on April 28, 2019, at Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama. Contested over 188 laps on the 2.66 mile (4.28 km) superspeedway, it was the 10th race of the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season.

Talladega Superspeedway, formerly known as Alabama International Motor Speedway, is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base in the small city of Lincoln. A tri-oval, the track was constructed in 1969 by the International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France family. Talladega is most known for its steep banking. The track currently hosts NASCAR's Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Gander Outdoors Truck Series. Talladega is the longest NASCAR oval with a length of 2.66-mile-long (4.28 km) tri-oval like the Daytona International Speedway, which is a 2.5-mile-long (4.0 km).

Kurt Busch was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 47.249 seconds and a speed of 202.671 mph (326.167 km/h).^[10]

Ryan Newman was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 46.905 seconds and a speed of 204.157 mph (328.559 km/h).^[11]

Austin Dillon scored the pole for the race with a time of 49.734 and a speed of 192.544 mph (309.870 km/h).^[12]

• Tyler Reddick practiced and qualified the No. 62 for Brendan Gaughan, who was attending his son’s first communion.
• Eight cars failed post-qualifying inspection and would be forced to drop to the rear at the start (Nos. 6, 11, 17, 18, 19, 20, 27, 51)^[13]

Stage One Laps: 55

Stage Two Laps: 55

Stage Three Laps: 78

• Lead changes: 37 among 15 different drivers
• Cautions/Laps: 6 for 21
• Red flags: 1 for 8 minutes and 47 seconds
• Time of race: 3 hours, 5 minutes and 59 seconds
• Average speed: 161.331 miles per hour (259.637 km/h)

Fox Sports covered their 19th race at the Talladega Superspeedway. Mike Joy, six-time Talladega winner – and all-time restrictor plate race wins record holder – Jeff Gordon and four-time Talladega winner Darrell Waltrip called the race in the booth for the race. Jamie Little, Vince Welch and Matt Yocum handled the action on pit road for the television side.

MRN had the radio call for the race which was also simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Alex Hayden, Jeff Striegle and two-time Talladega winner Dale Jarrett called the race in the booth when the field raced through the tri-oval. Dave Moody called the race from the Sunoco spotters stand outside turn 2 when the field raced through turns 1 and 2. Mike Bagley called the race from a platform inside the backstretch when the field raced down the backstretch. Kurt Becker called the race from the Sunoco spotters stand outside turn 4 when the field raced through turns 3 and 4. Winston Kelley, Kim Coon, Steve Post, and Dillon Welch worked pit road for the radio side.

Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Kyle Busch 430 2 Joey Logano 415 (–15) 3 Denny Hamlin 367 (–63) 4 Kevin Harvick 350 (–80) 5 Brad Keselowski 337 (–93) 6 Martin Truex Jr. 328 (–102) 3 7 Chase Elliott 324 (–106) 1 8 Kurt Busch 323 (–107) 9 Ryan Blaney 306 (–124) 2 10 Clint Bowyer 288 (–142) 11 Aric Almirola 288 (–142) 12 Daniel Suárez 266 (–164) 2 13 Ryan Newman 251 (–179) 14 Austin Dillon 243 (–187) 6 15 Alex Bowman 239 (–191) 3 16 Jimmie Johnson 238 (–192) Official driver's standings

Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Toyota 370 2 Ford 359 (–11) 3 Chevrolet 332 (–38) Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings. . – Driver has clinched a position in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.