Stenhouse ends 65-race losing streak with victory at Talladega, affecting playoff standings

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. ended a 65-race winless streak at Talladega Superspeedway, claiming victory in overtime after a massive crash took out more than half of the field, including eight championship contenders. Stenhouse, who is not part of the playoffs, secured his win on Sunday, marking the second consecutive week that a non-Cup Series title contender has emerged victorious. This triumph at Talladega was Stenhouse’s first win since the season-opening Daytona 500 in 2023, edging out Brad Keselowski and William Byron in a thrilling three-wide finish.

Following the chaos at Talladega, only four drivers will face elimination from the playoffs in the upcoming hybrid road course/oval event at Charlotte. Among those below the cutline are Joey Logano, Daniel Suarez, Austin Cindric, and Chase Briscoe. Cindric, who was leading with five laps to go before the late crash, was spun out by Logano’s forceful nudge that also involved Keselowski, resulting in significant damage to over half of the cars on the track.

After a temporary halt for cleanup, the race resumed with a two-lap overtime finish, with Keselowski clinching second place and Byron securing third. Byron’s strong finish solidified his spot in the next playoff round with a substantial points lead heading into Charlotte. The top ten also featured Kyle Larson, Erik Jones, Christopher Bell, Justin Haley, Austin Dillon, Bubba Wallace, and Denny Hamlin.

The upcoming race at The Roval at Charlotte Motor Speedway will see the playoff field narrowed down from 12 to 8 drivers, with AJ Allmendinger as the defending champion. This pivotal race will decide the fate of the remaining contenders in what is shaping up to be an intense battle for the Cup Series title.