Winners and losers from an exhilarating NASCAR Cup race at Talladega

Two Joe Gibbs Racing drivers are assured a spot within the Championship 4, whereas the remaining six drivers shall be left to battle over the ultimate two spots at Martinsville. NASCAR leaves Talladega after a dramatic race from begin to end, that includes an unbelievable variety of lead adjustments and nonstop motion.

Ultimately, Chase Briscoe handed Bubba Wallace on the ultimate lap as Hendrick Motorsports imploded, taking the checkered flag and guaranteeing himself a shot on the title for the primary time in his profession.

This is a glance again on the greatest winners and losers from the Yellawood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway:

WINNER: Briscoe and Small will battle for a title of their first yr collectively

Have you learnt what occurs whenever you take a driver and a crew chief with one thing to show and pair them collectively? You get the No. 19 crew in 2025. Chase Briscoe and crew chief James Small are going to the Championship 4 after a incredible drive on Sunday, and a powerful season general. Briscoe may legitimately turn out to be a champion in his first yr as a Joe Gibbs Racing driver, and it feels deserved. That automotive has been depraved quick and these two have been executing each week. 

LOSER: Hendrick 1-2 unravels in time beyond regulation

Watch: Larson: ‘Unlucky’ to expire of gasoline late at Talladega

It could not have gone a lot worse for Hendrick Motorsports on the finish of Sunday’s race. They managed each lanes with William Byron and Kyle Larson, and but, not a single HMS driver positioned greater than twenty fifth. Larson’s crew miscalculated and he ran out of gasoline whereas battling for the lead on the ultimate lap. Byron was going to get a high 5, however he obtained spun out mere seconds from the end line. Now Byron is deep under the cutline, and Larson is on the bubble in a nervous week forward for NASCAR’s most profitable crew.

WINNER: The sphere for 27 leaders, 77 lead adjustments, and minimal carnage

Watch: Briscoe punches ticket to Champ 4 as Byron, Larson have points on final lap

The race itself was unbelievable. 27 totally different race leaders and 77 lead adjustments locations it among the many high 5 in each classes in your entire historical past of the game. There was nonstop motion and motion all through the sector. Regardless of that, there was just one multi-car accident, which occurred throughout the first stage after a foul bump on the entrance of the pack. Past that, the driving was practically good all through the sector.

LOSER: Penske one way or the other loses management of the race

Ryan Blaney, Staff Penske Ford

Picture by: Sean Gardner / Getty Photos

Earlier than Hendrick’s 1-2 fell aside, the Penske duo of Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney had been answerable for the race. Each of those superspeedway aces ought to have been exhausting to move, however their line merely obtained slowly shuffled again by means of the pack till they misplaced all of their observe place. It was an uncommon displaying from each drivers, who ought to have been contending for the win. Neither driver made it again to the entrance, and now one in all them should win at Martinsville with the intention to preserve Penske’s championship win streak alive.

WINNER: Ty Gibbs is a crew participant at Talladega

Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Picture by: Chris Graythen – Getty Photos

There was some negativity round Gibbs and his incapability to work together with his teammates. There have been flashpoints within the 2022 Spherical of 8 NASCAR Xfinity Collection elimination race, and lately in a Cup race at New Hampshire. There, he drew the ire of teammate Denny Hamlin and obtained himself wrecked, however Sunday was a really totally different story. He adopted Briscoe intently as he minimize a path to the entrance, sticking with him and pushing him out to the win. He was a real crew participant, and Briscoe praised him for it throughout his winner’s interview.

LOSER: Chris Buescher crashes out of the lead with lower than two to go

Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, Chris Buescher, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford

Picture by: Chris Graythen – Getty Photos

RFK Racing has had a number of probabilities to go to Victory Lane this yr, however they preserve developing brief. Buescher was in an ideal place on Sunday, main the race with two laps to go after taking a monster run from the skin. He then blocked a run from Byron, however an aggressive bump despatched the No. 17 spinning wildly into the within wall, ending his race. He completed thirtieth in a irritating consequence after battling for the win.

Todd Gilliland, Entrance Row Motorsports Ford

Picture by: Logan Riely / Getty Photos

Talladega is the situation of FRM’s best triumph, incomes a surprising 1-2 end there in 2013. For a second, it seemed like historical past may repeat itself as Zane Smith and teammate Todd Gilliland led the race within the closing laps. Whereas they did not finally hoist the trophy, each automobiles nonetheless completed robust with Gilliland inserting second to race winner Briscoe, and Smith ending ninth. It is the primary double high ten consequence since March at COTA. 

LOSER: Allmendinger’s hatred of superspeedways is bolstered by large hit

AJ Allmendinger crash, Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

Picture by: David J. Griffin – Icon Sportswire – Getty Photos

AJ Allmendinger doesn’t like superspeedway racing, despite the fact that he is received at such tracks earlier than within the NASCAR Xfinity Collection. And Sunday’s race solely bolstered his hate, as he was cruising out entrance with the race lead in Flip 1 when he obtained hooked into the skin wall. The veteran driver stated the hit knocked the wind out of him, and there have been scary scenes as he lay on the bottom beside his smoldering race automotive. Fortunately, he was okay, however he definitely did not acquire any love for Talladega after that one.

WINNER: Casey Mears with a quiet high 20 within the No. 66

Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, Chris Buescher, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford

Picture by: Sean Gardner / Getty Photos

Mears made a shock return to the Cup Collection this yr as he pursues 600 profession begins throughout all three nationwide divisions and 500 in Cup alone. The part-timer was quiet at Talladega, and completed 18th with no scratch on his No. 66 Ford. It is his finest consequence since competing fulltime within the Cup Collection in 2016, and the crew’s finest displaying in any Cup race over the past 5 years!

LOSER: Chase Elliott did not even get an opportunity

Chase Elliott with harm, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Picture by: Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire through Getty Photos

Elliott wanted to make up factors in Sunday’s race, however he by no means obtained the prospect. He was working behind the lead pack when the one multi-car crash befell, and whereas he ought to have been capable of make it by means of, the unfortunate No. 9 obtained pushed into the wreck, ending his day. Elliott completed fortieth, scoring only one level. He faces a must-win at Martinsville, and if he needs to advance into the Championship 4, he will must battle his teammates for it.

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– The Motorsport.com Staff