Ryan Blaney edges Kevin Harvick for a photo finish win at Talladega Cup Series race

Ryan Blaney of Team Penske secured a photo finish win, edging out Kevin Harvick's Ford by a mere foot. The victory, Blaney's third at Talladega, also propelled him into the next round of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.

Throughout the race, Ryan Blaney showcased his prowess, leading a total of eight laps. However, it was his masterful performance in the final two laps that ultimately sealed his triumph.

Kevin Harvick's impressive performance was marred by a post-race technical inspection that resulted in the disqualification of his car. The disqualification stemmed from a violation of rules concerning windshield fasteners.

As a consequence, playoff contenders William Byron and Denny Hamlin, who finished second and third, respectively, were elevated in the final standings.

Corey LaJoie clinched the fourth place, with Austin Cindric narrowly edging out in fifth position. The top ten were rounded out by Justin Haley, Chase Elliott, Ryan Preece, newcomer Riley Herbst, and Daniel Suárez.

Notably, the race was marred with multiple interruptions, including a red flag in Stage 3 when a gas can was found to be on fire in the middle of the pit road.

Brad Keselowski's day ended in disappointment as he became one of only two playoff drivers to suffer a Did Not Finish (DNF). Despite the setback, Keselowski maintains a razor-thin two-point lead over Tyler Reddick for the eighth and final transfer position heading into the next race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway road course.

Trackhouse Racing's Ross Chastain, who encountered an early-race mishap, endured a DNF in the playoffs and fell below the elimination line for the first time in this round.

Meanwhile, two-time series champion Kyle Busch now faces an uphill battle, essentially needing a walk-off victory at the road course next week. A 25th-place finish and a 26-point deficit behind eighth-place Keselowski highlight the urgency of the situation for Busch.

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Full results of the NASCAR Cup Series race in Talladega

Here are the full results of the YellaWood 500 race that took place on the Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday, October 1.

1. Ryan Blaney (#12)

2. William Byron (#24)

3. Denny Hamlin (#11)

4. Corey LaJoie (#7)

5. Austin Cindric

6. Chase Elliott

7. Justin Haley

8. Ryan Preece

9. Riley Herbst

10. Daniel Suarez

11. Chandler Smith

12. Todd Gilliland

13. Kyle Larson

14. Chase Briscoe

15. Christopher Bell

16. Tyler Reddick

17. Aric Almirola

18. Martin Truex Jr

19. Chris Buescher

20. AJ Allmendinger

21. Michael McDowell

22. Ricky Stenhouse Jr

23. Bubba Wallace

24. Joey Logano

25. Kyle Busch

26. Erik Jones

27. Ty Dillon

28. Alex Bowman

29. BJ McLeod

30. Brennan Poole

31. Harrison Burton

32. Brad Keselowski

33. Austin Dillon

34. Ty Gibbs (#54)

35. Carson Hocevar (#42)

36. JJ Yeley (#51)

37. Ross Chastain (#1)

38. Kevin Harvick (#4)

As the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs continue to unfold, all eyes will now be on the final Round-of-12 race in Charlotte as drivers push towards qualifying for the next round.