NASCAR Cup Series

Brad Keselowski battled back from early trouble and won Sunday’s Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, advancing to the next round in the chase.

Two of the three Camry drivers in the Chase -- Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth -- advanced to the third round of the championship playoffs following Talladega. Four drivers were eliminated from the 12-driver field following Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) race, including Camry driver Kyle Busch who was involved in an accident and finished the race 40th.

RICK HENDRICK, TEAM OWNER, HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS - INITIAL THOUGHTS ON WHAT HAPPENED WITH DALE EARNHARDT, JR. THERE? “its just Talladega. We have been up front all day and I don’t know where we are going to end up. You just can’t avoid it down here when you are running that close together. It’s just what you have to get used to accept it and move on. It’s not easy.”

VICTORY LANE INTERVIEW – “I can’t believe it. Talladega is such a wild card and to be able to win here you have to catch breaks and make your own breaks, a little of both. I can’t believe we won at Talladega. This race is the scariest of the three in the bracket. To be able to win here is really a privilege, it really is.”

VICTORY LANE INTERVIEW – “I can’t believe it. Talladega is such a wild card and to be able to win here you have to catch breaks and make your own breaks, a little of both. I can’t believe we won at Talladega. This race is the scariest of the three in the bracket. To be able to win here is really a privilege, it really is.”

Brian Vickers took the Coors Light Pole Award for Sunday’s Geico 500 at the Talladega Superspeedway in what could be described as one of the weirdest qualifying sessions ever seen for a NASCAR Sprint Cup race.

BRIAN VICKERS, No. 55 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing - Starting Position: 1st - Were you surprised to end up with the pole in this format? "It's crazy. I thought that coming to three (laps) to go that we had literally no shot. We were way back -- like a half a straightaway behind the whole field and they all checked up and gave me a chance and gave me a run. I really get no credit for it."

Jimmie Johnson and AJ Allmendinger led Team Chevy’s efforts Saturday in qualifying for the GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Johnson, in the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet SS will start second in the final round of the ‘Contender’ segment of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED 2ND - WAS THERE ANY STRATEGY BEING PLAYED OUT THERE DURING THAT RUN? “There were a lot of strategies being put into use. Having to really come through and work out for you is just the toughest thing, because 20 some guys and a lady have an idea of what is going to work and timing that right and finding what works for you is impossible."

JOEY LOGANO, No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford Fusion (Qualified 40th) – “I think everyone is confused. We worked with Kyle and got a good run and drafted off the right guys and were fast enough to make it but we just didn’t get across the line in time.”