Sep 15, 2024; Watkins Glen, New York, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47) during the Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen International. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images Ricky Stenhouse Jr. edged out Brad Keselowksi in NASCAR overtime at Talladega Superspeedway, winning the Cup Series’ YellaWood 500 in a photo finish Sunday in Lincoln, Ala.
Following a lengthy red-flag period, Stenhouse led Keselowski on the restart, but Keselowski pulled ahead in Turn 3 on the final lap.
However, William Byron’s hard push gave Stenhouse the momentum he needed in his No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing car to beat Keselowski by 0.006 of a second for his fourth career win and first since the 2023 Daytona 500.
Byron’s third-place finish advanced him to the Round of 8. Kyle Larson and Erik Jones rounded out the top five.
After manufacturer-oriented pit stops with 20 laps left, Austin Cindric and Stenhouse topped the field, but the Big One happened on Lap 184 for the fourth caution and a red-flag condition.
Race leader Cindric, who opened the day in last among the dozen title pursuers, was shoved by Keselowski’s Ford, which had been tapped by Joey Logano in a chain reaction of multiple cars bumping to trigger the backstretch chaos.
The 28-car accident, the largest ever at Talladega in Cup history, also involved championship hopefuls Chase Elliott, Chase Briscoe, Alex Bowman, Tyler Reddick and Daniel Suarez.
Reigning series champ Ryan Blaney wrecked at the end of Stage 2 and finished 39th, saddled with his seventh DNF of 2024.
In the second race of the postseason Round of 12, Suarez was lapped early and quickly lost positions in the draft. The No. 99 driver tried to squeeze into the high lane, was clipped by the No. 78 of BJ McLeod and spun untouched on the backstretch.
With 10 circuits left on the 2.66-mile superspeedway in 60-lap Stage 1, Chris Buescher’s No. 17 Ford found the front and edged Stenhouse, Byron and Larson for the top bonus points as the field kept the racing clean.
As Cindric’s No. 2 Team Penske Ford won the 10 bonus points in Stage 2, a significant development occurred with his two teammates, Blaney and Logano, on Lap 122.
After being nudged by Bowman, Blaney’s No. 12 bounced off Shane van Gisbergen on the inside, angled right and headed nose-first into the frontstretch wall in a hard crash.
Blaney’s wreck was terminal and collected Chastain, whose No. 1 Chevrolet caught fire in Turn 1. Logano, Denny Hamlin and Reddick were also hit with damage.
–Field Level Media
