The YellaWood 500 is a NASCAR Cup Series stock car race held at Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama, hosting an event in the NASCAR playoffs.

In 1997, it was moved to early October due to the uncomfortably hot summer temperatures, and sometimes unpredictable summertime thunderstorms in the Alabama area.

This race has been on average the most consistently competitive in NASCAR history.

The race has broken 40 official lead changes in 1971, 1973, 1975–1978, 1983–1984, 1989, 2000, every year in the period spanning 2003–2013, 2019-20, and once again from 2022-2024.

The race is famous for the high number of dark horses and first-time winners in its history — in the race's first 40 years seven drivers posted their first career win; notable dark horses to win include James Hylton, Dave Marcis, Jimmy Spencer, Jamie McMurray and Bubba Wallace.