NASCAR Cup Series

High stakes: More riding on this 'Dega race than any other in history?

Published Oct. 17, 2014 2:33 p.m. ET

Larry McReynolds

I really don't know what we are going to see at Talladega Superspeedway until they throw the green flag on Sunday.

I almost look at Talladega like I do this entire new Chase for the Sprint Cup format. We all somewhat thought we knew what we were going to get when the Chase started. But whatever we anticipated, I just don't know that anybody remotely envisioned what has happened so far as actually happening to this point.

I've said it before: I don't know what person or what group came up with this new format, but God love them. I'm just telling you there needs to be a special seat in heaven for them because of what they have created.

I just don't know what to expect Sunday. We may see a very tame Talladega race. But to be honest, I find that very hard to believe. Conversely, we might see the wildest Talladega race we've ever seen there.

I also don't know if in that garage area that anybody knows what their game plan should be. I still maintain like I mentioned last week that I don't think riding around in the back come Sunday is the way to go.

What we've seen with the new rules package and the competition is that when you decide it's time to make your run from the back, well, sometimes you just can't any longer. The track simply isn't wide enough. They are already four-wide and eight deep. We've also seen guys hang out in the back and still be unable to avoid the crashes -- which supposedly was their reasoning for riding around in the back in the first place.

I just know if I was one of these 12 remaining crew chiefs in the 2014 Chase, I wouldn't be going off my game plan. The best plan of action for all of them is to try to get up front, lead laps and hopefully put you in position to win the race.

We do know for a handful of drivers that winning this race Sunday is the only chance they have of advancing to the third round. Obviously I am talking about Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Brad Keselowski.

The irony is they are three drivers we were talking about before the Chase starting as being part of the final four running for the championship at Homestead. Now here there are on verge of elimination from the Chase.

We've been going to Talladega twice a year since 1969 and I honestly don't know if there's ever been a Talladega race with more at stake riding on it than the one this Sunday.

VIDEO: Larry McReynolds says to always expect the unexpected at Talladega