TALLADEGA, Ala. — Austin Cindric’s dramatic last-lap go offered precisely the form of Talladega Superspeedway thrill that NASCAR followers have come to count on on the sport’s greatest monitor, incomes the 2022 Daytona 500 winner Cindric – and Crew Penske – their first trophy of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Collection season.
Cindric’s No. 2 Crew Penske Ford pulled forward of Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing driver Ryan Preece’s No. 60 Ford by the size of a entrance hood to say a .022-second victory in Sunday’s Jack Hyperlink’s 500 – the 2 Ford Mustangs exchanged the lead 5 occasions within the ultimate six laps and finally completed side-by-side holding off a pair of hard-charging Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet teammates simply behind in Kyle Larson and William Byron.
“I’m simply so happy with this group from the [pit] cycles to the quick vehicles to the fuel-only stops,’’ stated the 26-year previous Cindric, whose group – with 17 laps remaining – turned within the quickest ultimate pit cease placing him again out entrance and capable of contend for the win in a race that featured 67 lead modifications amongst 23 drivers.
“It undoubtedly wasn’t straightforward,’’ Cindric stated of holding off the Hendrick teammates for the checkered flag. “I give plenty of credit score, Kyle [Larson] did loads to care for me, pushing me on the proper occasions within the tri-oval and as mad as I used to be at him after Atlanta [race], I really feel like we’re good now. That was nice and having a photo-finish at Talladega and get within the Playoffs in entrance of this wonderful crowd, lovely day in Alabama.’’
As thrilling because the win was Cindric, it was a heartbreaking runner-up for the 34-year-old Preece, who got here a literal split-second away from his first NASCAR Cup Collection victory.
“I’m completely happy, however as a racer, you need to win, proper,’’ Preece stated. “Coming by way of the tri-oval I felt like, all proper, we’re all sticking collectively and no one was leaving me.
“It’s not straightforward,’’ he conceded. “I felt like this was essentially the most aggressive I’ve raced on a superspeedway and actually pushing the problems since you’ve obtained to determine who’s gonna have that quick automobile and clearly, it was all Fords right this moment. The suitable holes opened on the proper occasions however finally, simply 22-hundreths brief.’’
The Hendrick teammates Larson and Byron acknowledged lapped visitors in entrance of the lead pack, looming simply past the end line, actually created an additional consideration. But the third place exhibiting for Larson, who received Stage 1 and led three laps on the day, was a profession finest effort at Talladega. It was a significant transfer ahead personally on the big drafting tracks similar to Talladega, Daytona and Atlanta the place the 2021 NASCAR Cup Collection champion and 31-race winner has but to earn a trophy.
“I wished to take it, however simply felt just like the hole was too large,’’ stated Larson, who ran instantly behind Cindric within the closing laps, including. “I used to be simply second row inside and simply going to do all the things I may to attempt to advance our lane and perhaps open it up so perhaps then I may get to the surface, however we have been all pushing so equally that it saved the lanes form of jammed up.
“I wanted one thing else to kinda occur, perhaps them to get blocking one another or one thing, however nonetheless a fantastic day. A stage win, P3 within the second stage and P3 within the ultimate, so nice factors day and finest profession end on a superspeedway so pleased with the efficiency within the Hendricks.com Chevy.”
Cindric is the tenth completely different winner within the final 10 Talladega races — a document streak on the iconic 2.66-mile high-banked monitor. But Sunday’s race was comparatively calm in comparison with some earlier editions on the high-action drafting monitor. It marked the fourth time a Talladega race had solely 4 warning flags – two of which have been scheduled stage warning breaks.
As encouraging as Cindric and Preece’s runs have been — it was an gut-wrenching afternoon for his or her teammates, Ryan Blaney (Penske) and Brad Keselowski (RFK Racing).
The 2 former champions and previous multi-time Talladega winners have been collected in an accident on lap 43 throughout a pit cease cycle earlier than the primary Stage break. Keselowski and Chevy’s Kyle Busch collided on monitor as Keselowski was shifting towards pit street – their contact collected Blaney spinning him out as effectively.
The owner-driver of the No. 6 Ford, Keselowski, who was already mired in a disappointing early season, completed thirty eighth and is now ranked thirty second within the championship standings.
“It was only a stack of men attempting to return to pit street as quick as they may and we have been form of the ham within the sandwich that obtained squeezed,’’ stated Keselowski, who leads all lively drivers with six Talladega wins. “I waved down the backstretch to let all people know I used to be gonna pit and I got here off of 4 and all people was so tight behind me that I didn’t actually have a likelihood to show left. I hate that it ruined not simply our day, however a number of different individuals’s day. I don’t suppose I may do something completely different.”
Blaney, who drives the No. 12 Penske Racing Ford was scored as thirty ninth, or final within the subject. It marked his fourth DNF within the 10-race season and the 2023 NASCAR Cup Collection champion is now ranked ninth within the standings.
“One other DNF – it simply sucks,’’ Blaney stated. Simply once we have been form of getting our momentum and didn’t even get to race right this moment. We’ll simply transfer on to Texas.”
Together with his fourth place end, Byron continues to steer the championship standings, now 32 factors forward of his teammate Larson. Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin, who had been second in factors going into Talladega is now ranked third, 53 behind Byron.
