Ricky Stenhouse Jr. held on in a two-lap sprint to the checkered flag at Talladega for his first NASCAR Cup win for the reason that 2023 Daytona 500 after a race-stopping pileup.
The JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet driver crossed the road simply 0.006s forward of Brad Keselowski, who completed second, and 0.027s away from lead playoff challenger William Byron in third.
The extra time end adopted a 23-car accident that precipitated the race to be stopped, with Stenhouse surviving contact to take the ultimate restart from the lead alongside Keselowski’s RFK Ford.
With a push from Byron’s Hendrick Chevrolet, Stenhouse moved forward of Keselowski on the run to the flag and survived a final gasp problem from Byron to snap a winless streak that lasted 65 races.
Stenhouse’s fourth profession victory makes him the third non-playoff driver to win within the first 5 races of the playoffs and the 18th totally different driver to win a Cup race in 2024.
“It has been an up-and-down season,” Stenhouse mentioned. “Quite a lot of laborious work this season simply looking for a bit of little bit of pace. We knew that this observe is certainly one of ours to return get.”
After pushing Keselowski to the flag, Kyle Larson (Hendrick) was fourth and Erik Jones completed fifth for his finest results of the 2024 season within the Legacy Motor Membership Chevrolet.
Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota), Justin Haley (Spire Chevrolet), Austin Dillon (Richard Childress Chevrolet), Bubba Wallace (23XI Toyota), and Denny Hamlin (JGR) rounded out the highest 10.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr, JTG Daugherty Racing, Kroger Well being/Palmolive Chevrolet Camaro
Picture by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Photos
It was a reasonably clear race till afterward. After serving a pass-through penalty for unapproved changes earlier than the race, Daniel Suarez (Trackhouse Chevrolet) spun out and remained trapped off the lead lap for the rest of the race.
Chris Buescher (RFK) ended up successful the opening stage in a clear run to the road, however the identical cannot be mentioned for the end to Stage 2.
Whereas Austin Cindric (Penske Ford) approached the road to gather the green-and-white checkered flag, his team-mate Ryan Blaney received turned in the course of the pack and shot throughout the observe earlier than making heavy contact with Ross Chastain that ended each of their days.
The race featured a formidable quantity of four-wide motion, however no giant crashes into the closing moments. After the ultimate cycle of green-flag stops, playoff contender Cindric emerged with the race lead and led the underside line whereas Stenhouse led the cost from the skin.
However with lower than 5 laps to go, a large wreck triggered when Keselowski pushed Cindric on the left-side of his rear bumper despatched the 2022 Daytona 500 winner spinning in the course of pack.
Stenhouse was hit within the door by Cindric, however stored it straight and inherited the race lead, nevertheless over half the sector have been collected and several other playoff drivers have been eradicated as crimson flags flew.
NBC initially claimed that 28 vehicles have been concerned, making it the most important Talladega crash in Cup historical past, however the official NASCAR report put the quantity at 5 fewer.
Heading into the Spherical of 12 elimination race, Chase Elliott (Hendrick) sits on the bubble after changing into embroiled within the ‘Massive One’.
He’s 13 factors forward of Penske’s two-time champion Joey Logano, whereas Suarez is 20 factors away from the lower. Cindric now faces a mountain to climb, 29 factors adrift, together with Stewart-Haas Ford driver Chase Briscoe (+32 factors).