Official Release

Ryan Blaney and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing team spent the majority of the Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway avoiding disaster and coming back from adversity until a crash with 29 laps left in the 188-lap race finally ended their day.

A multicar crash with 20 laps remaining in the GEICO 500 took out both Furniture Row Racing Toyota Camrys, ending two strong runs for a potential victory at Talladega Superspeedway.

Jamie McMurray, piloting the No. 1 McDonald’s Chevrolet SS, earned a runner-up finish in overtime in the GEICO 500 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway, the 10th event of the 2017 season. The effort is his ninth top 10 finish at the 2.66-mile venue and his sixth top 10 result thus far this season.

JAMIE MCMURRAY, NO. 1 MCDONALD’S $1 ANY SIZE SOFT DRINK CHEVROLET SS – Finished 2nd DESCRIBE WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO MAKE THOSE MOVES AND HOW IT PLAYED OUT FOR YOU: “I mean it’s really circumstantial as to what the guys do in front of you and what is happening behind you. I just got a run at the right time. I thought the No. 17 (Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.) was going to get a little bit further out, but when we were coming to the line it just seemed like his car wasn’t going at that point, so it was a good finish. It was a great race. I’m glad everybody is okay, that was a really scary wreck on the backstretch, but really good day for our McDonald’s Chevrolet. We had good pit stops and the guys did a great job.”

Justin Haley's first trip to Talladega Superspeedway turned out to be one for the ages. Haley, in his first-ever plate-track start, went from the back to the front in the No. 28 MDM Motorsports Toyota to win the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards General Tire 200 Saturday afternoon.

Corvette Racing’s Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen won their second race of the season in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship on Saturday with a GT Le Mans (GTLM) victory in the Advance Auto Parts SportsCar Showdown.

MATT KENSETH, No. 20 Circle K Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing - Starting Position: 4th - How was the car during your qualifying run? “This is definitely a team qualifying effort. The driver doesn’t really have much to do whether you go fast or slow here. These guys did a good job with all the details on this Circle K Camry. No matter what we’re going to have a good starting spot for Sunday, so that feels good.”

RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – No. 17 Fifth Third Bank Ford Fusion – POLE-WINNING INTERVIEW -- “It’ll be nice to lead the field to green here. The Fifth Third guys worked really, really hard on these cars. Like I said earlier, Jimmy Fennig has done a great job on these speedway cars. This is cool. Doug Yates builds awesome horsepower. With his dad, Robert, not doing as well as we would like, it would be cool to dedicate this one to him and all the hard work that the engine shop does. Man, it’s a cool way to start the weekend. I’m ready to get to Sunday.”

Dale Earnhardt Jr. earned a front row starting position for the GEICO 500 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega Superspeedway with a second-place qualifying effort in the No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet SS. Earnhardt Jr. navigated the 2.66-mile track with a final round lap of 190.780 mph.

DALE EARNHARDT, JR., NO. 88 NATIONWIDE CHEVROLET SS – Qualified 2nd - NOT QUITE ENOUGH, BUT PRETTY GOOD SPEED FOR YOU IN THIS QUALIFYING SESSION: “Yeah, I’m pretty happy. Great lap by (Ricky) Stenhouse and the Roush guys they did a really good job today. Thrilled with our car, good speed and it would have been nice to get a pole. Probably could have sat down and talked to Rick (Hendrick) about running the Clash or something, but let’s see if we can’t try to get another one later on this year.”