TALLADEGA, Ala. — A 27-car crash that involved eight of the 12 remaining contenders for this year’s NASCAR Cup Series championship. A chaotic cleanup that infuriated competitors. And a surprise winner.
In other words, just your typical Sunday drive at Talladega Superspeedway.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. snapped a 65-race losing streak by winning in overtime on the 2.66-mile track after a late crash collected more than half of the 40-car field. Stenhouse did not qualify for the playoffs, which began last month with a 16-driver field, and his victory marked the second consecutive week a driver not competing for the Cup Series title has won.
“It’s so tough to win these races. It’s so tough to miss the wrecks,” Stenhouse said of competing at Talladega. “These races are just chaos when it comes down to the end.”
The victory was the first for Stenhouse and his JTG Daugherty Racing No 47 Chevrolet team since he won the season-opening Daytona 500 in 2023. He’s the 18th driver to win a Cup Series race this year.