TV Schedule: May 4-6

Last spring's Talladega finish tied the closest margin of victory - 0.002 seconds - in NASCAR history.
Credit: Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series come to Talladega Superspeedway, a fan favorite. Talladega is the biggest and highest-banked tracked on the circuit, and as a result one of the most volatile. The unpredictable oval produces speeds so fast that restrictor plates are needed to restrict horsepower.

With the return of pack racing at Daytona, the only other restrictor-plate track on the schedule, we can expect to see a mix of the pack and the two-car tandems at Talladega. In turn, we can expect to see the "Big One," the multi-car crashes associated with pack racing. This also means the end to the unusual three-race stretch of races without wrecks in the Sprint Cup Series.    

Talladega is known for producing thrilling finishes, some of the most exciting in all of NASCAR. Which drivers will we be talking about Monday?

Track facts
Talladega Superspeedway, Talladega, Ala.
Length: 2.66-mile tri-oval
Type: Superspeedway
Banking: 33 degrees in the turns, 16.5 degrees on the frontstretch, 2 degrees on the backstretch

SPRINT CUP
Aaron's 499 format:
499 miles, 188 laps

2011 winners:
Spring: Jimmie Johnson
Fall: Clint Bowyer

NATIONWIDE
Aaron's 312 format:
312 miles, 118 laps

2011 winner:
Kyle Busch

The Camping World Truck Series is off this week. The series returns May 18 at Charlotte.

The following is a schedule of track events and TV coverage this weekend at Kansas. All times are in Eastern Standard Time.

Friday, May 4:
12 noon (12:10 to 1:45 p.m.) NNS Practice, ESPN2. (Note: Qualifying was canceled to get in practice, which was canceled yesterday due to inclement weather. Field for Saturday's race to be set by points).
2 p.m. NSCS Practice, SPEED
3 p.m. NASCAR Now, ESPN2
3 p.m. NASCAR Live, SPEED
3:30 p.m. NSCS Final Practice, SPEED
4:30 p.m. NASCAR Live, SPEED
5 p.m. ARCA at Talladega: International Motorsports Hall of Fame 250, SPEED
7:30 p.m. Trackside, SPEED. Guest: Bobby Labonte.
8:30 p.m. NSCS Final Practice (re-air), SPEED
9:30 p.m. ARCA at Talladega: International Motorsports Hall of Fame 250 (re-air), SPEED

Saturday, May 5:
12 a.m. Trackside (re-air), SPEED
4 a.m. NASCAR K&N Pro Series at Greenville, SPEED
11 a.m. NASCAR Performance, SPEED
11:30 a.m. Trackside, SPEED
12 noon NSCS Qualifying, SPEED
3 p.m. NNS Countdown, ABC
3:15 p.m. NNS:  Aaron's 312, ABC

Sunday, May 6:
4 a.m. NNS: Aaron's 312 (re-air), ESPN deportes
6 a.m. NNS: Aaron's 312 (re-air), ESPN2   
9 a.m. NASCAR Performance, SPEED
9 a.m. NASCAR Now presented by 5-HOUR Energy, ESPN2
9:30 a.m. SPEED Center NASCAR Edition, SPEED
10 a.m. NASCAR RaceDay, SPEED
12 noon NSCS Pre-Race Show, FOX
1 p.m. NSCS: Aaron's 499, FOX
4:30 p.m. NASCAR Victory Lane, SPEED
9 p.m. NASCAR Victory Lane, SPEED (re-airs at midnight and 9 a.m. Monday)