Alex Bowman is sitting out Talladega due to a concussion. At the same time, Cody Ware, who had an enormous crash last week in Texas, enters this race nursing a fracture on his right ankle.
Christopher Bell will start from pole position, followed by Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, Aric Almirola, and Chase Briscoe to complete the top five. However, don't count out Brad Keselowski from this race because in the spring was extremely good around here with an inferior car.
Of the 12 remaining drivers in the playoffs, only five have won Talladega before. Joey Logano is the most successful out of them, with three wins.
21:26 UTC
RETWEET to congratulate @chaseelliott for winning at @TALLADEGA! #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/PpuNIoSHYp
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) October 2, 2022
21:25 UTC
RETWEET to congratulate @chaseelliott!
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) October 2, 2022
WINNER at @TALLADEGA! #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/05AjO1k7Ts
21:25 UTC The top ten at the end of the race:
- 1 - #9 - Chase Elliott
- 2 - #12 - Ryan Blaney
- 3 - #34 - Michael McDowell
- 4 - #1 - Ross Chastain
- 5 - #11 - Denny Hamlin
- 6 - #43 - Erik Jones
- 7 - #38 - Todd Gilliland (R)
- 8 - #99 - Daniel Suarez
- 9 - #2 - Austin Cindric (R)
- 10 - #14 - Chase Briscoe
21:24 UTC He holds off Blaney to take his fifth win of the season and the second around Talladega.
21:24 UTC Chase gets a massive shove from Erik Jones on the outside line, while Ryan Blaney gets a push from McDowell.
21:23 UTC CHASE ELLIOTT WINS AT TALLADEGA!!!
21:21 UTC Coming to the white flag.
21:21 UTC Eliott is now up to the outside line.
21:21 UTC McDowell gives Blaney a strong push.
21:20 UTC
CAUTION IS OUT.
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) October 2, 2022
Daniel Hemric's car stops on pit road. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/RwNn1GzuPH
21:20 UTC Jones lines up with Chastain behind him, Blaney lines up with McDowell. Now we have green flag.
21:20 UTC The top five: Jones, Blaney, McDowell, Chastain and Elliott.
21:19 UTC Two laps to go when they take the green flag.
21:19 UTC A couple of cars are coming to pit road under yellow while the leaders are staying out.
21:15 UTC Brad Keselowski is the one to get the free pass under this caution.
21:14 UTC Something looks like it's on fire in the infield in Turn 4. May or may not be something out of Hemric's car.
21:14 UTC Daniel Hemric has an engine problem and stalled on the exit of pit road.
21:13 UTC Caution is out coming to six laps to go!!!
21:13 UTC McDowell has yet to make his move.
21:12 UTC Blaney still leading the outside and still getting pushed by Chastain.
21:12 UTC Erik Jones still leads with seven laps to go.
21:10 UTC He overtakes Ryan Blaney for the lead.
21:09 UTC Erik Jones is charging up towards the front.
21:09 UTC Meanwhile, the inside line is starting to get some momentum.
21:08 UTC Ten laps to go and the top seven cars single file.
21:06 UTC Ryan Blaney is using the most fuel of anyone and with 15 laps to go he might be in trouble.
21:02 UTC
From 190mph all the way down to 55.@dennyhamlin leads the way onto pit road. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/nMpzhwDa8n
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) October 2, 2022
21:02 UTC Blaney leads at the start/finish line.
21:02 UTC Pushes are getting more and more aggressive. Erik Jones and Ryan Blaney are now side-by-side for the lead.
21:01 UTC We are now in the last 20 laps of the race.
21:01 UTC Blaney is able to keep the lead with a push from Chastain and Gilliland.
20:59 UTC Erik Jones drops down to pick up McDowell. Starting to draw even with Blaney for the lead.
20:59 UTC Brad Keselowski peels off to serve his penalty.
20:58 UTC Brad Keselowski and Kevin Harvick both recieved speeding penalties.
20:58 UTC Green flag pit stops now beginning.
20:53 UTC
Watching the lead change like. ???? #NASCAR on @NBC. pic.twitter.com/0v0QVvP8tx
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) October 2, 2022
20:52 UTC Nine cars are breaking away at the front of the field. Less than 30 laps to go until the end.
20:52 UTC The leaders are dropping now to the inside line.
20:49 UTC The whole race we had intense battle in the front for the lead.
20:49 UTC Blaney and Keselowski now clear of the inside line. Chastain coming back now and they're side by side again.
20:47 UTC Chastain and Blaney are side-by-side for the lead.
20:47 UTC With one more pit stop round to go there are a lot of things that can happen.
20:44 UTC Meanwhile, Hamlin has now fallen back.
20:44 UTC Ross Chastain now goes down to cover Hamlin. He'll try to cover Blaney on the outside too.
20:40 UTC Ross Chastain leading a single-file train that is getting larger and larger.
20:40 UTC Cole Custer has taken over as the first car in the inside line as the top ten cars are single file
20:39 UTC Bubba Wallace got some pushes from Denny Hamln that made his car very uncomfortable. Maybe a handling issue.
20:34 UTC As a fun fact, we’ve had 47 lead changes so far, the most of any race this year.
20:33 UTC
Ride on-board with @chaseelliott as he passed to win Stage 2.
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) October 2, 2022
Watch the finish NOW on @NBC. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/ADiwVVrhJD
20:33 UTC Meanwhile, a couple of cars behind, Bubba Wallace is trying to overtake Stenhouse after getting a push from Hamlin.
20:32 UTC Hamlin and Chastain now side-by-side for the lead. Field formed up double file.
20:28 UTC Ross Chastain is side-by-side with Chris Buescher for the lead.
20:28 UTC Chris Buescher gets a huge shove from William Byron and it brings him right to the front of the field.
20:28 UTC Elliott leads Erik Jones on the restart with 62 laps to go.
20:15 UTC
Chase Elliott passes Kyle Larson to win Stage 2! #NASCARPlayoffs
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) October 2, 2022
???? : NBC
???? : https://t.co/reyjZkcbVI pic.twitter.com/MrfkBQ5zEw
20:15 UTC The top ten after Stage 2:
- 1 - #9 - Chase Elliott
- 2 - #31 - Justin Haley
- 3 - #5 - Kyle Larson
- 4 - #99 - Daniel Suarez
- 5 - #43 - Erik Jones
- 6 - #1 - Ross Chastain
- 7 - #77 - Landon Cassill
- 8 - #17 - Chris Buescher
- 9 - #16 - Daniel Hemric
- 10 - #47 - Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
20:15 UTC Larson got pushed into the trioval by Chase Elliott, but Elliott decided to go for the Stage win himself. He holds off Justin Haley to win Stage 2.
20:14 UTC Tyler Reddick got shoved out in Turn 3 and is coming to pit road with a problem. He was out of fuel.
20:11 UTC Inside line pushes Larson to the lead. Outside line coming back. We are entering the last lap.
20:10 UTC Reddick and Suarez are now both clear and both try to control the lead pack.
20:06 UTC Five to go in Stage 2.
20:06 UTC Elliott now giving Larson some strong pushes.
20:06 UTC
Christopher Bell SPINS entering pit road.
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) October 2, 2022
He BARELY misses hitting the wall! #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/AD493pmkaZ
20:06 UTC Tyler Reddick is now in the lead.
20:06 UTC However, Tyler Reddick is recieving some strong pushes from Suarez.
20:05 UTC Larson clear to the lead.
20:04 UTC Reddick and Larson now side-by-side for the lead with less than ten to go in Stage 2.
20:02 UTC Bell is about to lose a lap to the leaders, but he will probably get the free pass.
20:02 UTC With less than 15 to go in Stage 2 Chase Briscoe is the first car leading the outside line with drafting help from Buescher.
19:58 UTC A lot of cars and aciton on the pit-road.
19:57 UTC Christopher Bell has a penalty for speeding in the pit-road.
19:57 UTC Top 15 cars are all single file as we get ready for pitstops.
19:51 UTC Meanwhile, the rest of the grid is in full action. Cindric is trying to push Cole Custer to the top.
19:50 UTC The top ten cars are still single file.
19:49 UTC Cody Ware is not taking too many risks with that injured ankle.
19:48 UTC Outside line has some momentum now with Ross Chastain moving up to P7.
19:46 UTC
No shortage of action at the front of the field! (????: NBC) pic.twitter.com/lk6qjAKLjk
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) October 2, 2022
19:46 UTC The inside line is still lined up orderly.
19:44 UTC Cole Custer and Ross Chastain the first cars side-by-side.
19:43 UTC Field is beginning to become more organized.
19:40 UTC Erik Jones is back into the lead.
19:35 UTC Todd Gilliland is going for the lead.
19:35 UTC Ryan Blaney has also decided to get out of the lead pack after about putting Keselowski in the wall. Here is what he had to say: I was going to wreck trying to defend. I had to bail."
19:34 UTC
Ryan Blaney right now. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/Pru74yoce1
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) October 2, 2022
19:32 UTC Jones and Almirola now side-by-side for the lead.
19:32 UTC Blaney almost blocked Keselowski to the wall in Turn 1.
19:31 UTC Blaney almost got split by Jones and Keselowski.
19:29 UTC Jones back to the outside line. He'll take the push from Busch.
19:27 UTC Ryan Blaney had the lead but Erik Jones is now in front after a big bush from Larson.
19:26 UTC Kyle Larson is the leader ahead of Erik Jones.
19:26 UTC Green flag is back out on Lap 65.
19:19 UTC Kyle Larsson wins the race off pit road from Erik Jones and Ross Chastain.
19:17 UTC Top ten at the end of Stage 1:
- 1 - #12 - Ryan Blaney
- 2 - #11 - Denny Hamlin
- 3 - #9 - Chase Elliott
- 4 - #2 - Austin Cindric (R)
- 5 - #22 - Joey Logano
- 6 - #47 - Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
- 7 - #18 - Kyle Busch
- 8 - #5 - Kyle Larson
- 9 - #48 - Noah Gragson
- 10 - #43 - Erik Jones
19:17 UTC
THAT CLOSE.
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) October 2, 2022
Ryan @Blaney passes Denny Hamlin to win Stage 1 at @TALLADEGA.
???? : NBC
???? : https://t.co/reyjZjUB4a pic.twitter.com/vdVk2Hts5u
19:16 UTC Incredible! Ryan Blaney had a huge run up the outside. He got a big push from Austin Cindric to beat Hamlin. A photo finish at the end of Stage 1.
19:15 UTC One to go and Kyle Busch is on the bottom line.
19:13 UTC With two to go the top five cars are cleaning the inside line.
19:13 UTC Byron lost his drafting help on the inside, which allowed Hamlin to take the lead with a push from Elliott.
19:11 UTC Byron dives to the bottom, trying to get the lead.
19:11 UTC Elliott leads the outside line with help from Kyle Busch. Less than five laps now.
19:09 UTC Ricky Stenhouse and Ryan Blaney move up to the third lane.
19:09 UTC Hamlin now clear to the lead.
19:07 UTC Hamlin and Custer now side-by-side for the lead.
19:07 UTC Green flag is out once again. We have now 11 laps to go in Stage 1.
19:03 UTC Justin Allgaier has the free pass and get his lap back.
19:03 UTC LaJoie is out of the race.
19:02 UTC Erik Jones, Ross Chastain and Christopher Bell are in the pits.
19:01 UTC Only a couple cars to pit road under caution.
18:58 UTC LaJoie was running single file in a second pack when he cut a right front tire and shot to the wall.
18:58 UTC Corey LaJoie slid off track and through the infield grass. A lot of damage on the right side.
18:58 UTC Caution is out!
18:57 UTC Moments later, Hamlin retakes the lead from the high line.
18:57 UTC Aric Almirola now leads the inside line again and he'll lead this lap.
18:54 UTC Hamlin resists and opens up a little bit from the rest of the pack.
18:51 UTC Almirola and Hamlin side-by-side for the lead.
18:51 UTC Aric Almirola takes advantage of that and he is back in the lead once again.
18:51 UTC Moments later, Denny Hamlin is back to the top to try and pick up William Byron.
18:51 UTC Hamlin drops down in front of Almirola.
18:50 UTC
NEW LEADER: @chaseelliott
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) October 2, 2022
He gets a push from Kyle Busch to take the top spot at @TALLADEGA. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/D0uKROunec
18:49 UTC Aric Almirola pushed to the lead by Hamlin and now heads to the bottom line. Charge coming from Denny Hamlin.
18:49 UTC Daniel Suarez finds himself now to the bottom. Almirola stays top.
18:49 UTC Suarez back to the lead after getting a push from Almirola and Hamlin.
18:45 UTC However, Chase Elliott dives to the bottom and takes the lead from Suarez. Blaney and Busch followed him.
18:44 UTC Daniel Suarez leads at the start/finish line with a push from Chase Elliott.
18:43 UTC Ty Gibbs and Harrison Burton have both been treated and released from the infield care center.
18:43 UTC Green flag back out at Lap 29.
18:39 UTC Four cars stayed out under this yellow: Corey LaJoie, BJ McLeod, Martin Truex Jr. and Cody Ware. We'll see whether or not they come to the pits before the green.
18:39 UTC
A push gone wrong.
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) October 2, 2022
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. gets into the back of Harrison Burton. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/IfOdf9kzax
18:38 UTC There were a lot of fuel only stops.
18:38 UTC Kyle Busch wins the race off the pit road. He gained eight spots.
18:36 UTC A bunch of cars are in the pit road.
18:34 UTC Caution is out again!
18:34 UTC Basically, Burton tried to take the lead but the push from Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was bad.
18:33 UTC Harrison Burton got turned in front of traffic and there are a lot of cars involved in this chaos!
18:33 UTC HUGE CRASH in TURN 1!
18:32 UTC Side-by-side between Erik Jones and Ross Chastain.
18:32 UTC Looked like BJ McLeod and Martin Truex Jr. flirted with the top of the track but they went back and settled into the tail of the outside line.
18:31 UTC Jones is the only car that's been changing lanes, while everyone else is packed tight together.
18:30 UTC Jones shoots out to the lead clear of Chastain.
18:20 UTC Erik Jones got a push from Daniel Suarez, meaning he is now the leader of the race ahead of Ross Chastain.
18:20 UTC Back to green on Lap 11.
18:18 UTC Austin Cindric just received a pit-road speeding penalty.
18:18 UTC The team has replaced the window and Dillon re-joins the field.
18:17 UTC The caution was out because the right side window of Ty Dillon's car was out.
18:17 UTC Quite a number of cars on pit road under caution.
18:17 UTC Almirola is back in the lead on the inside. Immediately after, caution is out for debris on the backstretch.
18:12 UTC There is something loose and making noise on Chase Briscoe's car.
18:12 UTC Ross Chastain leads now after overtaking Aric with a push from Jones.
18:11 UTC Almirola tries to cover both lanes and we have side-by-side action.
18:10 UTC Ross Chastain gets pushed to the front from the outside lane by Erik Jones.
18:09 UTC Aric Almirola is leading now after the first lap.
18:07 UTC Green flag is out and we have a race underway here at Talladega.
18:00 UTC Ryan Blaney had some radio issues, but apparently they are fixed.
17:58 UTC Alex Bowman was ruled out this Thursday after suffering from concussion-like symptoms.
17:56 UTC
RETWEET to congratulate @AJDinger for winning at @TALLADEGA! #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/0hewnHWfNG
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) October 1, 2022
17:55 UTC Engines fired at Talladega
17:30 UTC After the race in Texas last week two drivers were penalized for their action. WIlliam Byron was fined $50,000 and docked 25 points for intentionally spinning Denny Hamlin under caution. At the same time, Ty Gibbs was fined $75,000 for bumping into Ty Dillon on pit road.
17:28 UTC The top ten drivers before the start:
- 1 - #20 - Christopher Bell
- 2 - #5 - Kyle Larson
- 3 - #11 - Denny Hamlin
- 4 - #10 - Aric Almirola
- 5 - #14 - Chase Briscoe
- 6 - #1 - Ross Chastain
- 7 - #48 - Noah Gragson
- 8 - #8 - Tyler Reddick
- 9 - #24 - William Byron
- 10 - #23 - Ty Gibbs