Winners and Losers from the NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega

NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500
Bubba Wallace, driver of the #23 Columbia Sportswear Company Toyota, Kyle Busch, driver of the #8 McLaren Custom Grills Chevrolet, and Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Wurth Ford, race during the NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 23, 2023 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)

Kyle Busch won his 62nd NASCAR Cup Series race, taking the checkered flag at the GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. While the Richard Childress Racing driver grabbed the win, many drivers had an equally strong outing in the race.

NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500
NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500

Here are the five Winners and Losers from the NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega (the drivers are arranged in no particular order).


Winners from the NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500

#8 Kyle Busch

Starting the race in 17th position, Kyle Busch was barely noticeable in the first two stages of the race. He made the right moves in the final few laps and benefitted from the contact between Ryan Blaney and Bubba Wallace to grab the win. The team's call to stay out during overtime allowed the #8 driver to win the race.

While it was not a dominant win for the RCR driver, being in the right place at the right time helped him win his second race of the season.

#12 Ryan Blaney

Ryan Blaney was on course to win his third race at Talladega, however, a late block by his friend Bubba Wallace gifted the win to Busch. Blaney continued his long winless streak after another second-place finish. Having led 47 laps on Sunday, the #12 driver deserved the win.

#14 Chase Briscoe

Chase Briscoe had an eventful race on Sunday, charging through the field to secure his season-best fourth-place finish. While the pit lane incident was embarrassing, he made up for it with his third consecutive top-five finish, despite being two laps down at one point.

#9 Chase Elliott

Chase Elliott picked up plenty of points at Talladega, winning the first stage and coming close to winning the second one. Elliott was unable to pull off the right moves in the final stages due to his track position. He finished in a respectable 12th position and has been performing well since his comeback.

#54 Ty Gibbs

Starting the GEICO 500 in the second row, Ty Gibbs was in front for much of the race. He led the Toyota cars but the team's gamble to stay in the front backfired as he ran out of fuel. Even though he finished 31st, he gained valuable experience leading from the front.


Losers from the NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500

#34 Michael McDowell

It was a forgettable outing for Michael McDowell as he damaged his car early in the race. His race further spiraled downwards as he was lapped multiple times, unable to keep up with the lead group.

#3 Austin Dillon

Austin Dillon failed an inspection and then crashed early in the race. Dillon was classified last while his teammate won the race.

#22 Joey Logano

A speeding penalty derailed Joey Logano's efforts in Sunday's race. As he made it back to the lead circuit, a late race bump sent him spinning, causing the first overtime. Logano finished 30th on a rather unimpressive weekend.

#45 Tyler Reddick

It was a rough ride for Tyler Reddick, who was the first driver to spin on the pit road. Reddick was unable to make his way to the front, where the other Toyota drivers were present for the majority of the race. However, he managed a 16th place finish.

#23 Bubba Wallace

Bubba Wallace could have taken his second NASCAR Cup Series win at Talladega if not for the final lap incident. While he was the better of the two drivers from 23XI Racing, he lost out on a win while defending against Blaney. He was classified 28th in the race.

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Edited by Arshit Garg
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