The 2024 YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway delivered yet another thrilling chapter in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. In a dramatic photo finish, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. edged out Brad Keselowski by just 0.006 seconds to claim victory in the opening race of the Round of 12.
Race Recap:
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Winner: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet)
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Runner-Up: Brad Keselowski (No. 2 RFK Racing Ford)
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Top 5: 1. Stenhouse Jr., 2. Keselowski, 3. William Byron (No. 24 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet), 4. Kyle Larson (No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet), 5. Erik Jones (No. 43 Legacy Motor Club)
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Laps Led: Stenhouse Jr. led a race-high 25 laps.
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Cautions: The race featured eight cautions for a total of 33 laps.
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Lead Changes: There were 23 lead changes throughout the race.
What's Next?
The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Bank of America ROVAL 400 next week. This road course race will be another crucial test for playoff drivers as they fight for a spot in the Round of 8.
Additional Notes:
- The race was marred by a late-race crash that involved eight playoff drivers, including defending champion Ryan Blaney.
- William Byron's third-place finish secured his spot in the Round of 8.
- The Round of 12 concludes next Sunday at the Charlotte Motor Speedway road course.
