NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 27, 2025 in Talladega, Alabama Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images
William Byron leads this week’s NASCAR Cup Series Top-10 Power Rankings after the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link’s 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.
Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.
1. William Byron:
Byron finished fourth at Talladega. “The Talladega race was called the ‘Jack Links 500,'” Byron said. “The Jack Links mascot is Sasquatch. Sasquatch is a very recognizable creature, and could probably win a beauty contest at any NASCAR track infield.”
2. Kyle Larson:
Larson won Stage 1 in the Jack Links 500 and went on to finish third at Talladega.
“I’m still winless at superspeedways,” Larson said. “Superspeedway racing must be a lot like racing at Indianapolis because I’m winless there too.”
3. Joey Logano:
Logano led 24 laps and finished fifth at Talladega.
“I really let my Penske Racing teammate Austin Cindric have it over the radio,” Logano said. “I let go with quite a few curse words. At drafting tracks like Talladega, that’s called ‘dirty air.'”
4. Chase Elliott:
Elliott used a fast final pit stop to gain track position and finished ninth at Talladega.
“My No. 9 Hendrick Chevrolet featured Amazon Prime sponsorship,” Elliott said. “You may have noticed the bumper sticker on my car that read ‘Jeff Bezos Is My Co-Pilot.'”
5. Denny Hamlin:
Hamlin finished 23rd in the Jack Links 500 at Talladega.
“There wasn’t a ‘Big One’ at Talladega,” Hamlin said. “But there was a ‘Dumb 1’ there. That would be Ross Chastain. He threw a meaningless block on me that didn’t help him at all.
6. Bubba Wallace:
Wallace finished 10th at Talladega.
“Toyota cars occupied the top six spots at an early point in the race,” Wallace said. “That’s known as a ‘Toyota Train,” and considering recent events, it could also be known as a ‘Tariff Train.'”
7. Austin Cindric:
Cindric controlled the final laps and held off a contingent of Hendrick Motorsports to win the Jack Links 500 at Talladega.
“My No. 2 Penske Ford was extremely fast,” Cindric said. “And I’d like to thank and congratulate the entire Penske organization, Joey Logano excluded.”
8. Christopher Bell:
Bell was out early at Talladega after he wrecked and slammed the inside wall hard on lap 52. Bell finished 37th.
“I took a push from Denny Hamlin that just didn’t go right,” Bell said. “But it did go left.”
9. Alex Bowman:
Bowman finished ninth at Talladega, posting his sixth top 10 of the year.
“There were two cars with sponsors advertising nicotine pouches,” Bowman said. “It doesn’t matter the era, but it seems the goal of advertising in NASCAR is to find a way to convince fans/viewers/consumers to put nicotine in their bodies. And I think it’s an easy sell.”
10. Ross Chastain:
Chastain came home 22nd at Talladega.
“I had Jockey on my car as the primary sponsor,” Chastain said, and that’s good, especially on Sunday, because at Talladega, it’s good to have a clean pair of underwear somewhere, even if it’s just on your car.”
Ty Dillon and the No. 10 Sea Best Chevy team started the Jack Link’s 500 from the 21st position on Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway. With the race immediately turning in a three and four-wide battle, Dillon stayed focused and gained positions early in the race. At the end of Stage 1, Dillon was in the 10th position and earned valuable stage points. Making routine stops throughout the 188-lap race, Dillon was poised for a solid top 10 finish as the race closed in on the final laps. Scored in the seventh position on the final lap, Dillon ran out of fuel after taking the white flag and dropped through the field to cross the finish line in 25th.
“We were having a pretty smooth day with our No. 10 Sea Best Chevy and our car was fast. We did our job on pit road pretty much and on the track, we put ourselves in position and where we needed to be at the end. We were running in seventh and ran out of the gas. We’ve got to get that cleaned up. Running out of gas has robbed us of a lot of finishing positions and points over the last two weeks. We’ve shown a lot of really good speed on the super speedways, and that’s been really good. It’s nice to see the hard work paying off when we show up at the track. We’ll keep grinding and the finishes we deserve will come.” – Ty Dillon
AJ Allmendinger and the No. 16 Grizzly Nicotine Pouches Chevy ran at the back of the field throughout the day to avoid being caught up in a mid-stage wreck. Near the end of each stage, Allmendinger was able to make his way towards the front to give himself a shot at stage points. On the last pit stop of the day, the team was held up getting into the stall as Allmendinger unexpectedly had to come around the No. 1 car, who was pitting in the stall before the No. 16. This resulted in a long stop and ultimately losing the draft.
“Overall, our day was going well. We were racing our own race there of hanging back and going at the end of the stages. That worked out for the first stage, almost worked out for the second stage, and I thought we were in a decent position in the third stage. We ended up with a combination of bad luck and not a great last stop at the end, just having to go around the No. 1 car and everything that happened there. That cost us there at the end and that’s disappointing.” – AJ Allmendinger
About Kaulig Racing
Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time, multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has earned 27 NXS wins, made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started, and won two regular-season championships. In 2021, the team competed in select NCS events, before expanding to a two-car, full-time NCS team in 2022 and adding a third, part-time entry during the 2023 season. Since its first NCS start in 2021, the team has earned two wins. Kaulig Racing is currently fielding two full-time entries in the NCS and continues to field three full-time NXS entries. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com
TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 27: Austin Cindric, driver of the #2 Menards/Quaker State Ford, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 27, 2025 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images).
Austin Cindric utilized a late pit strategy call to reign supreme amid the draft and beat Ryan Preece in a photo finish to win the Jack Link’s 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday, April 27.
The 2022 Daytona 500 champion from Mooresville, North Carolina, led five times for seven of 188 scheduled laps. He started in seventh place and endured an intensity-packed event that involved drafting, shoving and battling with his fellow competitors and Ford teammates to race towards the front amid the draft.
After racking up seven stage points after the second stage period and keeping his No. 2 Team Penske Ford entry intact through two early multi-car wrecks, Cindric’s pivotal move of the event occurred during a cycle of green flag pit stops under the final 20 laps as he received a short, but fast pit service that enabled him to exit pit road first ahead of a group of competitors that he pitted with.
Following the completion of the pit stops, Cindric cycled into the lead with 16 laps remaining. Despite being challenged by William Byron, Kyle Larson and Ryan Preece for the remainder of the event, He persevered. He capitalized on a shove by Larson to edge Preece at the finish line by 0.022 seconds. This led to him scoring his first NASCAR Cup Series victory of the 2025 season and his first at Talladega.
With on-track qualifying that determined the starting lineup occurring on Saturday, April 26, Zane Smith sped to his first Cup Series career pole position with a pole-winning lap at 182.174 mph in 52.565 seconds. Joining Smith on the front row was Kyle Busch, the latter of whom clocked in his best qualifying lap at 181.718 mph in 52.697 seconds.
Prior to the event, JJ Yeley dropped to the rear of the field due to unapproved adjustments made to his No. 44 NY Racing Chevrolet entry.
Green Flag
When the green flag waved and the race started, pole-sitter Zane Smith muscled ahead of Kyle Busch from the inside lane and he quickly darted his No. 38 TitleMax Ford Mustang Dark Horse entry to the right to keep a hard-charging Joey Logano drafting him through the first two turns. Smith would lead a small pack of cars that included Logano, Busch and Ryan Preece through Turns 3 and 4 as the field fanned out through Turns 3 and 4. With the field still fanned out through the frontstretch, Smith proceeded to lead the first lap.
Shortly after, Logano, who was drafting Smith, darted his No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang Dark Horse entry to the right to move in front of a strong drafting lane led by Josh Berry. This enabled Logano to muscle ahead through the first two turns and the backstretch while Smith tried to fight back from the middle lane. Meanwhile, Austin Dillon led a draft from the inside lane that included Austin Cindric. With Logano, Smith and Dillon all dueling in front of three tight-packed lanes, Smith led the second lap over Dillon.
Just shy of the first five-scheduled laps, the field fanned out to four tight-packed lanes and a series of shuffles in the lead pack ensued as Michael McDowell made his way to the front in between Berry, Logano and Austin Dillon while Zane Smith was shuffled from the lead pack and ended up drafting up behind Logano. McDowell, who was being drafted by Brad Keselowski, would then try to move in front of Berry to pick up the latter’s momentum as both he and Logano dueled for the lead. Logano, however, would receive a draft from Smith to muscle ahead and lead the fifth lap before McDowell and Berry each swapped the lead through the 10th lap.
Through the first 15-scheduled laps, all 39 starters, all of whom continued to battle in four tight-packed lanes, were racing within one second of one another as Ryan Preece was scored the leader over McDowell, Berry, Chris Buescher, Zane Smith, Cole Custer, Logano, Kyle Busch, Chase Briscoe and Brad Keselowski, respectively. Behind, Austin Dillon, Bubba Wallace, Carson Hocevar, Christopher Bell, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., William Byron, Denny Hamlin, Justin Haley, rookie Riley Herbst and Alex Bowman occupied the top-20 spots while Austin Cindric, Anthony Alfredo, Tyler Reddick, Daniel Suarez, Ryan Blaney, John Hunter Nemechek, Chase Elliott, Todd Gilliland, Ty Dillon and Erik Jones rounded out the top-30 spots ahead of Kyle Larson, Ross Chastain, BJ McLeod, Noah Gragson, Ty Gibbs, JJ Yeley, Cody Ware, rookie Shane van Gisbergen and AJ Allmendinger, respectively.
Ten laps later, Kyle Busch, who made his way to the front three laps earlier, was leading over Smith, McDowell, Berry, Preece, Logano, Buescher, Stenhouse, Cindric and Austin Dillon, respectively. By then, the 39-car field raced within one-and-a-half seconds of one another. Another lap later, however, Briscoe was drafted to the front amid his side-by-side battle with McDowell. Briscoe would then muscle ahead of McDowell and the field as he had his Toyota teammates Bell, Hamlin, Wallace, Herbst and Reddick all lined up behind him. With the six Toyota competitors transitioning from the outside to the inside lane, they would proceed to lead at the Lap 30 mark.
At the Lap 35 mark, the top-six Toyota competitors were ahead of the rest of the field by nine-tenths of a second as Briscoe led both the group and the overall event over Bell, Hamlin, Wallace, Herbst and Reddick, respectively. By then, a majority of the field were filed in line behind the Toyota competitors towards the inside lane as Preece, Logano, Custer and McDowell trailed in the top 10, respectively. With the separation between the 39-car field being recorded by more than three seconds and less than two seconds of the top 28, Briscoe continued to lead by Lap 40.
Then prior to Lap 41, a total of 14 competitors, including the six Toyota competitors led by Briscoe, peeled off the track to pit for fuel. Amid the pit stops, Briscoe stalled his No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry XSE entry while trying to exit his pit stall, which resulted with him exiting at the rear of the group. With the field being scattered amid the pit stops, Custer inherited the lead.
Cautions
On Lap 43, trouble ensued entering the frontstretch when Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski made contact as they were approaching a checkup of competitors led by Custer that were preparing to pit under green. The contact between Busch and Keselowski resulted in both going back across the track and hitting the left side of Bowman’s No. 48 Ally Chevrolet entry before Keselowski swerved back down the track and clipped Ryan Blaney’s No. 12 Advance Auto Parts Ford Mustang Dark Horse entry, which damaged Blaney’s right-rear suspension and took him along with Keselowski out from further contention. By then, Logano, who was among many who opted to remain on the track, inherited the lead as he was followed by Elliott, Cindric, Larson and Smith, respectively, while Buescher, Austin Dillon, Preece, Cody Ware, Custer and McLeod pitted.
During the caution period, some led by Logano, including those who had not yet pitted, pitted, primarily for fuel, while the rest led by Daniel Suarez remained on the track. Suarez would then pit during the following lap, which cycled Chris Buescher into the lead.
The start of the following restart on Lap 51 only last two turns after Hamlin, who was drafting teammate Bell from the outside lane, gave Bell a misaligned push entering the backstretch that resulted with the latter getting sideways and coming across the front of Buescher as both spun to the bottom of the track. In the ensuing chaos, Bell hit the inside wall head-on while Buescher hit the wall at driver’s left side. Amid the contact, where both Bell and Buescher emerged uninjured but were knocked out from further contention, Hamlin cycled into the lead while Preece, Wallace, Cody Ware and Herbst were scored in the top five, respectively.
During the second caution period, a trio of competitors that included Briscoe, Gragson and Todd Gilliland pitted while the rest led by Hamlin remained on the track.
When the event restarted under green on Lap 56, Hamlin and Wallace dueled in front of two-stacked lanes through the first two turns and the backstretch. With Wallace being drafted by Ware, Hamlin gained the advantage from the outside lane led by Preece as he led the following lap. Herbst and Custer would follow suit behind Hamlin and Preece while Elliott was shoved out of the draft. Meanwhile, Wallace continued to lead the inside lane as Hamlin led the next lap.
With two laps remaining in the first stage period, the field fanned out to three-stacked lanes as Wallace and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. pinned Hamlin in the middle. Wallace would rocket ahead to lead Lap 59, but he received no additional drafting help and not block Larson in time as the latter made his way into the lead.
As a bevy of competitors jostled for spots amid the draft while fanning out to multiple lanes, Larson, who maintained his ground from the outside lane, would fend off the field to claim his fifth Cup stage victory of the 2025 season and his first at Talladega. Teammate William Byron made his way into second place while Stenhouse, Elliott, Wallace, Hamlin, AJ Allmendinger, Ware, Herbst and Ty Dillon were scored in the top 10, respectively.
At the time of the first stage’s conclusion, the event featured 22 lead changes while 13 different competitors led at least one lap.
Under the stage break, nearly the entire field led by Larson returned to pit road for service while the rest that included Carson Hocevar, JJ Yeley, Kyle Busch, Anthony Alfredo and BJ McLeod remained on the track. Following the pit stops, Larson exited pit road first and he was followed by Byron, John Hunter Nemechek, Austin Dillon, Suarez, Chastain, Cindric, Gilliland, Bowman and Logano, respectively. Soon after, more names that included Yeley, Justin Haley, Allmendinger, Larson, Stenhouse, Herbst, McDowell and Hocevar pitted, with the latter taking the opportunity to change his helmet.
The second stage period started on Lap 66 as Alfredo and Byron occupied the front row. At the start, Alfredo, who did not pit during the first stage break period, muscled his No. 62 Fortify Building Solutions Chevrolet entry ahead from the inside lane before Byron used the outside lane to muscle his No. 24 Valvoline Chevrolet entry back ahead through the backstretch. As the field fanned out entering the frontstretch, Alfredo went on defensive mode, but Byron used a push from Nemechek to lead the following lap. Amid the three-wide action, Chastain led the outside lane that while being pushed by Logano, Alfredo led the inside lane as he had Suarez pushing him and Byron led the middle lane as he was being pushed by Nemechek.
On Lap 70, the field continued to race in three-wide formation as Alfredo, who reassumed the lead from Byron, led over Chastain, Byron, Suarez, Nemechek, Logano, Cindric, Austin Dillon, Berry and Bowman, respectively. Alfredo would then lose the lead to Chastain on Lap 73 as Chastain received a push from Logano from the outside lane to get the lead. Nemechek, who had been challenging Alfredo for the lead earlier, would then be drafted to the lead by on Lap 75 as the field started to fan out to four-stacked lanes.
Through Lap 80, Chastain and Alfredo dueled and swapped the lead as the former managed to lead the previous four laps. By then, Alfredo, Berry, Suarez, Elliott, Austin Dillon, Shane van Gisbergen, Logano, Cindric and Byron followed suit in the top 10 while Ty Gibbs, Nemechek, Erik Jones, Bowman, Herbst, Gilliland, Wallace, Gragson, Briscoe and Larson trailed in the top 20, respectively.
At the halfway mark on Lap 94, the remaining 34 competitors racing on the track were separated by two seconds of one another as Chastain was scored the leader over Berry, Alfredo, Gragson, Logano, Elliott, Preece, van Gisbergen, Ware and Ty Gibbs, respectively. By then, Alfredo, Chastain and Suarez led at least a lap for themselves from Lap 81 to 94 as the field was stacked in three-tight drafted lanes.
Then on Lap 99, Kyle Busch peeled off the track to make an unscheduled pit stop under green to address a flat left-front tire to his No. 8 Nicokick Chevrolet entry. Another lap later, Alfredo, who was battling for the lead amid the draft, pitted under green for fuel, which resulted with Chastain and Gragson battling for the lead in front of three-stacked lanes. Logano, who initially drafted Gragson, would then dart to the right through the frontstretch and lead Lap 101.
Then on Lap 108 and with Logano having led since Lap 101, a handful of competitors, primarily Chevrolet competitors that included Elliott, Larson, Bowman, Byron, van Gisbergen and Chastain, including Ford competitor Cody Ware pitted. By then, Austin Dillon pitted by himself a lap earlier while van Gisbergen, who missed his pit stall, was penalized for speeding while entering pit road. Elliott would also be penalized for speeding while exiting pit road as Logano continued to lead by Lap 110.
Then on Lap 111, a host of competitors led by Logano and including Preece, Gragson, Suarez, Berry, Custer and Cindric pitted, with Suarez being penalized for entering pit road too fast. Another wave of competitors led by 23XI Racing’s Wallace, Herbst and Reddick pitted on Lap 112 while select names that included McDowell and Hamlin remained on the track. During the pit stops, Nemechek spun while exiting pit road, but he managed to keep his No. 42 Jack Link’s Toyota Camry XSE entry below the apron and continue without drawing a caution.
Once McDowell and Hamlin pitted their respective entries on Lap 113, Hocevar cycled into the lead as he was pursued by Wallace, Reddick, Gilliland, Logano and a bevy of competitors. Logano would then get drafted into the lead on Lap 115 as Wallace, Hocevar, Cindric, Reddick, Berry and a host of competitors trailed behind in the draft. As Logano proceeded to lead by Lap 118, a host of Toyota competitors that included Hamlin, Briscoe, Herbst and Ty Gibbs made strategic pit stops under green.
When the second stage period concluded on Lap 120, Wallace, who had been trailing Logano, received a draft from Cindric from the outside lane from the backstretch to muscle ahead and fend off the field to capture his second Cup stage victory of the 2025 season. Logano, who was left fuming at teammate Cindric for drafting Toyota competitor Wallace to the stage victory, followed suit in second ahead of Larson, Cindric and Hocevar while Preece, Reddick, Gilliland, Berry and Zane Smith were scored in the top 10, respectively. By then, the event featured 48 lead changes for 19 different leaders.
During the stage break, Byron pitted while pit road was closed to have a steering issue addressed. Once pit road became accessible to the field, nearly the entire field led by Wallace pitted for service while the rest led by Yeley and including Elliott and Alfredo remained on the track. Following the pit stops, Briscoe exited pit road first and he was followed by Herbst, Ty Gibbs, Hamlin, Larson, Wallace, Logano, Reddick, Zane Smith and Cindric, respectively. Yeley and Alfredo would then pit during the following lap and Elliott would pit the next lap after, which allowed Briscoe to cycle into the lead. By then, even more names that included Haley, Allmendinger, Chastain, McDowell, Austin Dillon, Erik Jones, Hocevar, Byron, Yeley and Kyle Busch pitted their respective entries to top off on fuel.
With 62 laps remaining, the final stage period commenced as teammates Briscoe and Ty Gibbs occupied the front row. At the start, Briscoe managed to fend off the field for a full lap to lead the following lap. With Toyota teammates Gibbs, Herbst and Hamlin following suit, Logano would aggressively charge his way to the front as Gibbs led with 60 laps remaining. By then, six Toyota competitors led by the leader Gibbs were racing in the top-10 mark and Logano was the lead Ford competitor in the top-three mark while Larson was the highest-running Chevrolet competitor towards the top-five mark.
Down to the final 50 laps of the event, Gibbs, who dueled with teammate Briscoe earlier and led nine of the previous 10 laps, was leading ahead of Hamlin, Herbst, Gilliland and Wallace while Logano, Briscoe, Zane Smith, Larson and Stenhouse trailed in the top 10, respectively. By then, 31 of 34 competitors remaining on the track were separated by more than one second while the field had fanned out to two-stacked lanes.
Ten laps later, the five-car Toyota breakaway, which returned into single-line formation earlier, continued as Gibbs retained the lead in his No. 54 SAIA LTL Freight Toyota Camry XSE entry over Hamlin, Herbst, Wallace and Briscoe. With the top-24 competitors racing within more than one second of another and the top eight separated by less than a second, Gilliland, Gragson, Ware, Logano and Kyle Busch occupied the top-10 spots.
Another 10 laps later, Gibbs, who has led the previous 28 laps, continued to lead ahead of Hamlin, Herbst, Logano and Wallace while Gilliland, Briscoe, Stenhouse, Custer and Gilliland pursued in the top 10 amid the draft and the field that continued to race in two-wide formation. Shortly after, a majority of the field would migrate to a long single-file line behind the leader Gibbs while Logano, who was racing just outside of the top-five mark, led a group racing on the outside lane. Logano would then receive a strong push from Zane Smith to assume the lead from Gibbs through the backstretch with 27 laps remaining. Logano would proceed to lead the next lap as Smith proceeded to draw alongside Logano and challenge for the lead.
Then with 25 laps remaining, all of the Toyota competitors that included Gibbs, Hamlin, Herbst, Wallace, Briscoe, Reddick, Erik Jones and Nemechek, along with Chevrolet competitors Alfredo, Hocevar, McDowell and Haley peeled off the track to pit for fuel. As a result, the rest of the field led by Logano remained on the track. With Hocevar managing to exit pit road ahead of his Spire Motorsports’ teammates and the Toyota competitors, Logano would then be overtaken by Berry and Ty Dillon as Berry led with 20 laps remaining.
During the final 18-lap stretch, a wave of competitors that included Ty Dillon, Preece, Logano, Zane Smith, Gragson, Custer, Allmendinger, Gilliland, Chastain and Cody Ware pitted before another wave led by the leader Berry and including Kyle Busch, Cindric, Byron, Bowman, Larson, Elliott, Suarez, Stenhouse and Austin Dillon pitted with 17 laps remaining.
At the conclusion of the pit stops and with the field scrambling and jostling amongst one another for late spots to the front, Cindric, whose No. 2 Menards/Team Penske Ford Mustang Dark Horse team registered the fastest service, cycled into the lead as he had Hendrick Motorsports’ four competitors that included Byron, Larson, Bowman and Elliott following suit with 16 laps remaining. Soon after, Berry and Kyle Busch were both penalized with pass-through penalties for speeding on pit road while Hamlin nearly avoided making contact with Chastain while approaching him at a faster pace within the draft. This resulted with the Toyota competitors losing ground of a bevy of competitors that cycled to the front amid the pit stops and mired within the top-20 mark.
Down to the final 10 laps of the event, Byron, who was dueling with Cindric for the lead in front of two-stacked lanes, was leading, with Byron having teammate Bowman drafting him while Cindric was being drafted by Larson. Meanwhile, Preece, Gilliland, Logano, Hocevar and Ty Dillon were racing in the top 10 while Stenhouse, Elliott, Austin Dillon, Suarez, Chastain, Custer, McDowell, Erik Jones, Briscoe and Gilliland trailed in the top 20, respectively.
Five laps later, Preece, who muscled his No. 60 Celsius Ford Mustang Dark Horse entry to the front, challenged Cindric for the lead in front of Larson, Byron, Logano, Bowman and a bevy of competitors. By then, Preece, who was racing on the outside lane, had Byron behind him while Cindric, who was racing on the inside lane, had drafting help from Larson on the inside lane, as both Cindric and Preece dueled for the lead in front of two-stacked lanes over the next three laps.
Final Lap
When the white flag waved and the final lap started, Preece was leading by a narrow margin over Cindric as the field started to fan out to three lanes and the intensity of the bump-drafting increased. As the field navigated through the first two turns, Cindric and Preece would remain dead even against one another through the backstretch as both had Larson and Byron, respectively, tucked in behind both. Then as the field fanned out while the leaders started to gain ground on lapping both Berry and Kyle Busch, Cindric, who was being pushed by Larson, managed to muscle ahead as he also started to gain slight ground on both Busch and Berry. At the finish line, Cindric edged Preece by 0.022 seconds to claim the victory in dramatic fashion.
TALLADEGA, ALABAMA – APRIL 27: Austin Cindric, driver of the #2 Menards/Quaker State Ford, takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link’s 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 27, 2025 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images).
With the victory, Cindric, who became the sixth different winner through the first 10-scheduled Cup Series events in 2025, became the 10th different competitor to win at Talladega over the track’s previous 10 Cup events. He also recorded his third career win in NASCAR’s premier series and his first since he won at World Wide Technology Raceway in June 2023.
Cindric’s spring Talladega victory was also the second of the 2025 campaign for the Ford nameplate and the first for Team Penske.
“I’m just so proud of this team, from the cycles to the fast cars to the fuel-only stops, Doug [Campbell], my spotter, everybody,” Cindric said on the frontstretch on FOX. “I’ve been trying for, probably, three or four years now to get a Cup win for John Menard and Menards. That bright yellow [No. 2] car looks great upfront. I’m just so thankful for everyone’s support. The Ford Performance, Roush Yates Engines package at these types of racetracks are second to none. We talk about it in every single one of those meetings why we haven’t won one of these races. Just really proud of the effort. Very thankful for Discount Tire, Snap-On, AutoTrader, [owner] Roger Penske, everybody that makes this possible for me.”
“It definitely wasn’t easy,” Cindric added. “I give a lot of credit to [Kyle Larson]. Kyle did a lot to take care of me, pushing me at the right times in the tri-oval. As mad as I was at him after Atlanta [in February], I feel like we’re good now. That was great. To have a photo finish at Talladega, to be able to do it, get in the Playoffs in front of this amazing crowd on a beautiful day in Alabama.”
Meanwhile, Preece settled in a career-best runner-up result in his 197th Cup Series career start and his 10th of the year driving the No. 60 Ford entry for Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing. The runner-up result, however, left Preece disappointed as he came 0.022 seconds shy of winning for the first time in the Cup division.
“I’m happy, but as a racer, you want to win, right?” Preece said. “I felt like coming through the tri-oval, I’m like, ‘Alright, we’re all sticking together.’ Nobody was really leaving me. I wish I didn’t have to shade up so much and side-draft Austin to pull him back. I felt like this was the most aggressive I’ve raced on a superspeedway and really pushing the issues because you got to figure out who’s gonna have that fast car and obviously, it was all Fords today. The right hole’s opened at the right times, but ultimately, [0.022 seconds] short.”
Following the post-race inspection process, however, Preece was disqualified from his runner-up result due to three shims instead of two that were discovered on his entry’s spoiler. Fifth-place Joey Logano would also be disqualified due to his entry missing a spoiler bolt. As a result of the disqualifications, Preece and Logano were demoted to 38th and 39th, respectively, in the final running order.
Teammates Kyle Larson and William Byron were promoted up to second and third, respectively, while Noah Gragson and Chase Elliott were awarded top-five spots in fourth and fifth.
Carson Hocevar, Alex Bowman, Bubba Wallace, Daniel Suarez and Austin Dillon completed the top 10 in the final running order.
Notably, the following names that included Michael McDowell, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Cole Custer, Tyler Reddick, Chase Briscoe, Ty Gibbs, Erik Jones, pole-sitter Zane Smith, Ross Chastain, Denny Hamlin, rookie Riley Herbst, AJ Allmendinger, Josh Berry, Kyle Busch, Anthony Alfredo rookie Shane van Gisbergen and John Hunter Nemechek finished 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, 24th, 26th, 27th, 28th, 29th and 30th, respectively.
There were 67 lead changes for 23 different leaders. The race featured four cautions for 22 laps. In addition, 30 of 39 starters finished on the lead lap.
Following the 10th event of the 2025 Cup Series season, William Byron leads the regular-season standings by 31 points over teammate Kyle Larson, 52 over Denny Hamlin, 72 over teammate Chase Elliott and 82 over Christopher Bell.
Results:
1. Austin Cindric, seven laps led
2. Ryan Preece, six laps led
3. Kyle Larson, three laps led, Stage 1 winner
4. William Byron, 10 laps led
5. Joey Logano, 24 laps led
6. Noah Gragson
7. Chase Elliott, one lap led
8. Carson Hocevar, three laps led
9. Alex Bowman
10. Bubba Wallace, five laps led Stage 2 winner
11. Daniel Suarez, two laps led
12. Austin Dillon
13. Michael McDowell, 10 laps led
14. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
15. Cole Custer, two laps led
16. Tyler Reddick
17. Chase Briscoe, 20 laps led
18. Todd Gilliland
19. Ty Gibbs, 32 laps led
20. Erik Jones
21. Zane Smith, five laps led
22. Ross Chastain, 11 laps led
23. Denny Hamlin, seven laps led
24. Riley Herbst
25. Ty Dillon, one lap led
26. AJ Allmendinger
27. Justin Haley
28. Josh Berry, 12 laps led
29. Kyle Busch, three laps led
30. Anthony Alfredo, 19 laps led
31. Shane van Gisbergen, one lap down
32. John Hunter Nemechek, one lap down, one lap led
33. Cody Ware, two laps down
34. JJ Yeley, two laps down, two laps led
35. BJ McLeod – OUT, Overheating
36. Chris Buescher – OUT, Accident, two laps led
37. Christopher Bell – OUT, Accident
38. Brad Keselowski – OUT, Accident
39. Ryan Blaney – OUT, Accident
Next on the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season is Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, for the Würth 400 next Sunday, May 4, and air at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1.
After spending much of Sunday’s Jack Link’s 500 at Talladega Superspeedway among the race leaders, Josh Berry and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team were knocked out of contention by a late-race penalty for speeding on the final pit stop. While Berry was completing the final lap in 28th place, he was able to watch in the mirror as his Ford teammate Austin Cindric took the win, with another Mustang driver Ryan Preece grabbing the runner-up spot in a classic battle between Ford and Chevy.
Berry started Sunday’s race from eighth place and immediately moved into the top three and led Lap Four. He would go on to lead five more times for a total of 12 laps. Berry avoided potential damage when Ryan Blaney and Brad Keselowski wrecked just behind him as they headed to pit road on Lap 44. He got lucky again as his fuel held out until officials cleared pit road, allowing him to make his pit stop.
Once on pit road, the Motorcraft/Quick Lane crew serviced the No. 21 Mustang Dark Horse and took some extra time to remove the remains of a bird that was struck during the race. The delay left Berry in the back for the dash to the finish of Stage One, and he ended that 60-lap segment in 29th place.
After taking the green flag to start Stage Two from 13th place, he rejoined the leaders and ended the second Stage in 10th place, earning one Stage point. As the laps wound down in the third and final Stage and others began making their final pit stops, Berry cycled into the lead at Lap 168 and held the top spot for four circuits before heading to pit road for a splash of fuel.
But he incurred a penalty for speeding on pit road, and with only 16 laps left to run he was unable to recover the lost ground. The No. 21 team now turns its focus to next Sunday’s Würth 400 at Texas Motor Speedway.
About Motorcraft® Motorcraft offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to under hood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer value with high quality and the right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford Dealers and Lincoln Retailers, independent distributors and automotive-parts retailers, and are backed by the Service Parts Limited Warranty* of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com. *See your dealer for limited-warranty details.
About Quick Lane® Tire & Auto Center Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine maintenance, serving all vehicle makes and models. Quick Lane provides a full menu of automotive services, including tires, oil change and maintenance, brakes, batteries, alternator and electrical system, air conditioning system, cooling system, transmission service, suspension and steering, wheel alignment, belts and hoses, lamps and bulbs and wiper blades plus a thorough vehicle checkup report. Service is performed by expert technicians while you wait at any of nearly 800 locations in the U.S., with evening and weekend hours available and no appointment necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com. *See your dealer for limited-warranty details.”
About Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan, committed to helping build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams. The company’s Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines existing strengths, new capabilities and always-on relationships with customers to enrich experiences for customers and deepen their loyalty. Ford develops and delivers innovative, must-have Ford trucks, sport utility vehicles, commercial vans and cars and Lincoln luxury vehicles, along with connected services. The company does that through three customer-centered business segments: Ford Blue, engineering iconic gas-powered and hybrid vehicles; Ford Model e, inventing breakthrough EVs along with embedded software that defines exceptional digital experiences for all customers; and Ford Pro, helping commercial customers transform and expand their businesses with vehicles and services tailored to their needs. Additionally, Ford is pursuing mobility solutions through Ford Next, and provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. Ford employs about 177,000 people worldwide. More information about the company and its products and services is available at corporate.ford.com.
About Ford Performance Ford Performance is based in Dearborn, Mich. It is responsible for Ford’s performance vehicle development and major racing operations globally, including NASCAR, IMSA, SRO British GT, FIA World Rally Championship, Supercars Championship, World of Outlaws, Ultra4, SCORE-International, FIA Rally-Raid, Formula Drift, NHRA, Rebelle Rally, Thailand Super Series and our latest commitment in Formula 1 with RedBull Ford Powertrains. Ford Performance also maintains a constantly evolving fleet of electric performance demonstrators to showcase the limits of electrification technology. In addition, the organization also oversees the development of Ford’s racing engines, as well as the outreach programs with all Ford Clubs and Ford enthusiasts. For more information regarding Ford racing’s activities, please visit Performance.Ford.com or follow @FordPerformance on Facebook, Instagram, X, Threads, TikTok and YouTube.
About Wood Brothers Racing Founded in 1950 by Hall of Famer Glenn Wood in Stuart, Virginia, Wood Brothers Racing holds a special place in NASCAR history as the sport’s longest-running team. Over eight decades, the team has earned 101 victories in the NASCAR Cup Series, along with 120 poles, and remains proud of its longstanding relationship with Ford Motor Company, fielding only Ford products since its inception. Glenn’s brother, Leonard Wood, played a key role in shaping modern racing by developing the techniques behind today’s pit stops. With a rich legacy rooted in innovation and tradition, Wood Brothers Racing continues to honor its heritage while adapting for the future as it competes in NASCAR’s premier series with Josh Berry.
RICK WARE RACING Jack Link’s 500 Date: April 27, 2025 Event: Jack Link’s 500 (Round 10 of 36) Series: NASCAR Cup Series Location: Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway (2.66-mile oval) Format: 188 laps, broken into three stages (60 laps/60 laps/68 laps)
Race Winner: Austin Cindric of Team Penske (Ford) Stage 1 Winner: Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet) Stage 2 Winner: Bubba Wallace of 23XI Racing (Toyota)
RWR Finish:
● Cody Ware (Started 33rd, Finished 33rd / Running, completed 186 of 188 laps)
RWR Points:
● Cody Ware (36th with 52 points)
RWR Notes:
● Ware finished eighth in Stage 1 to earn three bonus points.
Race Notes:
● Austin Cindric won the Jack Link’s 500 to score his third career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his first of the season and his first at Talladega. His margin of victory over second-place Ryan Preece was .022 of a second.
● This was Ford’s 743rd all-time NASCAR Cup Series victory and its second of the season. Josh Berry won for the Blue Oval March 16 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
● This was Ford’s 33rd NASCAR Cup Series victory at Talladega. Ford got its first win at Talladega on May 4, 1975 with NASCAR Hall of Famer Buddy Baker.
● This was Roush-Yates Engines’ milestone 200th NASCAR Cup Series victory with Ford Performance. Matt Kenseth scored the first win for Roush-Yates Engines when he drove his Ford Taurus to victory on Feb. 22, 2004 at North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham.
● There were four caution periods for a total of 22 laps.
● All but nine of the 39 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.
● William Byron remains the championship leader after Talladega with a 32-point advantage over second-place Kyle Larson.
Sound Bites:
“Today we showed from green flag to checkered flag that we were a race-winning contender. I’m really proud of the pit crew and the road crew and everybody back at the shop for building a super fast Arby’s x AC Barbeque Sauce Ford Mustang. I’m really dejected with how the day ended. I sped leaving pit road, but we also ran out of fuel too, so our fate was kind of sealed after that last pit stop, no matter what. We just need to move forward knowing that we can do this. We just have to keep digging.” – Cody Ware, driver of the No. 51 Arby’s x AC Barbeque Sauce Ford Mustang Dark Horse
Next Up:
The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Würth 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY on Sunday, May 4 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. The race begins at 3:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by FS1 and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY RACE RECAP
TALLADEGA, Ala. (April 27, 2025) – The NASCAR Cup Series took on Talladega Superspeedway for the Jack Link’s 500 on Sunday afternoon. LEGACY MOTOR CLUB entries of John Hunter Nemechek in the No. 42 Jack Link’s Toyota Camry XSE rolled off in the 29th position while teammate Erik Jones in the No. 43 TriState Vacuum & Rental Toyota Camry XSE started from the 34th spot. Zane Smith led the 39-car field to the start of the 500-mile event.
Below is a look at how the LEGACY MOTOR CLUB entries fared:
JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK NO. 42 JACK LINK’S TOYOTA CAMRY XSE RACE RECAP: START: 29TH | FINISH: 32ND | POINTS: 26TH
John Hunter Nemechek and the No. 42 Jack Link’s Toyota Camry XSE started from the 29th position. The North Carolina native quickly worked his way forward in the opening stage of the Jack Link’s 500. By halfway through the 60-lap stage, Nemechek had climbed to ninth as the first pit window opened. He managed to avoid two multi-car accidents during the opening stage and was ultimately scored 14th when the green-white checkered flag flew.
Thanks to saving fuel during the first stage, the Jack Link’s crew only needed to add a small amount of fuel during their stop, vaulting the No. 42 up to third for the start of Stage 2. Nemechek ran inside the top 10 for more than a dozen laps, even leading a lap at lap 75. Playing the long game, he later dropped back in the pack to conserve fuel. On lap 112, crew chief Travis Mack called Nemechek to pit road for a fuel-only stop. However, while exiting pit road, Nemechek hit a wet spot on the apron, causing the No. 42 Jack Link’s Toyota Camry to spin. No caution was thrown, and Nemechek spent the remainder of the stage trying to make up lost ground. After the incident, Nemechek radioed, “I don’t know what happened there, I just went spinning.” He finished Stage 2 in 34th, one lap down.
Heading into the final stage, Nemechek’s goal was clear: get back on the lead lap and into contention. The first step was to outrun the No. 88 to earn the free pass position. Under green on lap 165, several cars, including the No. 42 came down pit road for fuel only. With 23 laps to go, Nemechek was staying patient that the opportunity would come to get back on the lead lap. Unfortunately, that opportunity didn’t come due to the lack of yellow flags in the final stage, and the No. 42 team finished in 32nd, one lap down.
JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK QUOTABLE:
“Overall, we just didn’t execute all day. We win and lose as a team. We’ll go back and review what we need to do better, the things that were positive, and try to get our superspeedway packages better.”
ERIK JONES NO. 43 TRISTATE VACUUM & RENTAL TOYOTA CAMRY XSE RACE RECAP: START: 34TH | FINISH: 20TH | POINTS: 30TH
After starting 34th, Erik Jones and the No. 43 TriState Vacuum & Rental team rode in the 29th position for the first 20 laps, which was unusually calm for Talladega.
On Lap 40, Jones was 25th and said the No. 43 was too free. While Jones was about to make his way to pit road, cars wrecked in front of him, and he stayed on the track. The team pitted on Lap 45 under caution for four tires, fuel, and an air-pressure adjustment. He finished Stage 1 in 24th position.
The team pitted at the stage break for fuel only, and Jones started Stage 2 in 12th. Jones maintained positions in the top 15 throughout the second stage, battling three and sometimes four wide racing. With nine laps remaining in the stage, Jones pitted for three seconds of fuel and a chassis adjustment. He finished Stage 2 16th.
Jones said the car was loose, so at the stage break, the team put on four tires and fuel with an adjustment in the front of the car. He would restart the final stage from the 27th position. Jones topped off with fuel before the stage began.
With 40 laps remaining in the race, Jones and the No. 43 TriState Vacuum & Rental team were in 10th place. Jones was quiet on the radio as the team strategized how much fuel they would need to get to the end of the race. Jones pitted with 24 to go in the 188-lap race for five seconds of fuel. With ten laps remaining, Jones was 18th, and business started to pick up in the field. Lined up with six Toyotas, Jones led the charge to the front. Ultimately, he would finish 20th in line in the Jack Link’s 500.
ERIK JONES QUOTABLE:
“It’s hard to win from 15th or 20th, but we had a plan to organize and couldn’t get it going. So from there, I just rode in line. It would have been nice to see if we could have gotten the top going, but we didn’t. Not much you can do about it.”
(Photo Credit: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB / NKP) NEXT UP: The NASCAR Cup Series heads to the Lone Star State and Texas Motor Speedway for the Wurth 400 on Sunday, May 4. The race begins at 3:00 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1, MAX, PRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).
ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: (LEGACY MC) is a premier auto racing organization co-owned by seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and 2024 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, Jimmie Johnson and Knighthead Capital Management, LLC. Drawing from a rich tradition of success, LEGACY MC is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of motorsport and setting new standards of excellence. The CLUB competes under the Toyota Gazoo Racing banner in the NASCAR Cup Series with the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE piloted by Erik Jones and the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE driven by John Hunter Nemechek. Johnson also races on a limited basis in the No. 84 Toyota Camry XSE. With NASCAR legend and Hall of Famer Richard Petty, “The King”, serving as CLUB Ambassador, LEGACY MC blends timeless racing traditions with a new forward-thinking vision. As an inclusive community for motorsport enthusiasts, LEGACY MC honors both its storied past and the promising future of its members, always striving for victory and championship glory at the pinnacle of NASCAR competition.
NHRA Top Fuel driver Shawn Langdon poses in Victory Lane after winning the category's historic 1,000th event at Sunday's American Rebel Light NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway.
(CMS/HHP photo)
Austin Prock goes back-to-back, sweeps Funny Car four-wide in April
Hometown favorite Dallas Glenn’s second straight Pro Stock victory comes on holeshot
Matt Smith earns fourth Pro Stock Motorcycle win at home track
CONCORD, N.C. (April 27, 2025) – Shawn Langdon won the 1,000th Top Fuel race in NHRA history on Sunday at zMAX Dragway, defeating Tony Stewart, Justin Ashley and reigning world champion Antron Brown in the final quad at the 15th annual American Rebel Light NHRA 4-Wide Nationals.
Austin Prock (Funny Car), Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the fifth of 20 races during the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.
In the championship round, Langdon powered to a run of 3.714-seconds at 330.63 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Future Energy Solutions dragster to hold off Ashley at the finish line. Langdon, who remained in the points lead, won for the second time this season for Kalitta Motorsports and 21st time in his career, picking a special milestone victory in the process.
The legendary Don Garlits, who won the first-ever Top Fuel race at the 1963 NHRA Winternationals, was at the top end to hand the special 1,000th Top Fuel race trophy to Langdon, who was sure to take in the memorable and historic moment. The former Top Fuel world champion has been stellar to open 2025, advancing to three finals in the first five races and he had a spectacular car this weekend.
He qualified second with a 3.665 – running 300-mph to the eighth-mile – and then won both quads to advance to the final round. Langdon was the only driver to reach 3.71 on Sunday and the reward was a significant one in his standout career.
“To be honest with you, coming into the weekend I was asked about racing in the 1,000th event and all that, and I just thought I’d treat it like any other event. That way, any situation, everything’s the same because you just treat everything the same. But I’m not going to lie, rolling around the corner, and I see ‘Big Daddy’ there, there was this realization of what transpired and obviously it’s a great feeling,” Langdon said. “It’s something that I know years down the road I’ll be very proud of that.”
“Honestly, the competition so tough, really, so it’s not like you really get any easy rounds. In the final. with Tony, he’s been having a great year, and then obviously, Antron, the champ, and Justin Ashley, the best leaver of the class, hands down. So, when I’m in that situation, it’s like I got to step it up, and I the problem was I went the other way, except I felt like I tried a little too hard. But the about being part of great team is they carry you when you miss the tree a little bit.”
Ashley finished as the runner-up for the first time this season, while Stewart, who won the four-wide race in Las Vegas, stayed second in points.
Funny Car’s Austin Prock continued to dominate the four-wide ranks, sweeping both in April after a massive run of 3.870 at 332.92 in the final round in his 12,000-horsepower Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS to defeat Ron Capps, Matt Hagan and Alexis DeJoria. Prock has won the four-wide race in both Top Fuel and now Funny Car at zMAX Dragway, showcasing last year’s championship form the past two events.
Prock won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday and was on another level on Sunday, going low in each round and winning the first two quads. He quickly chased down defending event winner Hagan and Capps in the finals, as his 3.870 was easily the quickest run in eliminations. It’s the second straight win for Prock, who moved into the points lead, and the 14th in his young career.
Dating back to last season, Prock now has 10 Funny Car wins over the last 25 races, an impressive feat in the loaded category.
“It’s a great day. Anytime you’re holding one of these Wallys, it’s a great day,” Prock said. “The Prock Rocket bailed me out there in the finals. I had my worst light of the weekend, so it’s just great to be driving this Cornwall Chevrolet SS, especially that round there. We had a lot of difficult scenarios with this race car, but my dad and brother and Nate Hildahl and the whole Cornwell Tools team did their homework all week and got the thing dialed in and made a killer run there in the final. That was a jaw dropper.
“It was awesome to see [Rick Hendrick] down there at the top end. That was the last thing I expected and when I saw him, I just lit up. That was a pretty cool celebration down there with him, and then got a photo with him and the Wally and then got another one with Don Garlits. I mean, what a day. Those are pictures you dream of and to do them back-to-back within a few minutes of each other, that was really special.”
Capps finished as the runner-up for the second time this season.
Dallas Glenn was nearly perfect in the Pro Stock final round and he needed every bit of his incredible .002 reaction time, holding off Greg Anderson and picking up his second straight victory with a run of 6.495 at 212.69 in his RAD Torque Systems Chevrolet Camaro. Anderson went a blistering 6.472 at 212.13 in the finals, but Glenn had enough to hold off the reigning champion and pick up the 200th victory for KB Titan Racing.
It’s also the third victory this season for Glenn and the 16th in his career, as he and Anderson continue to hold a firm advantage over everyone else in the Pro Stock category. The duo has won the last six races in the category, with each claiming three, and both were the dominant cars on Sunday as well. Glenn went a stout 6.481 in the opening round, won his quad in both rounds and treated fans to a thrilling duel in the championship round to claim a milestone victory for his team.
“I did my job the best I could but the car did its job, too,” Glenn said. “It’s still the engine guys and crew chiefs that did a fantastic job all day. We got back from Las Vegas and they tore all the engines apart and didn’t finish until this Thursday at 9 p.m. They worked every day. That’s the reason why we run well.
“I just get to sit in car and try to do the best I can. In four-wide races, you don’t have to be best until final and then you can throw the kitchen sink at it, and that’s what we did. When I left I thought I might have red-lighted but I’m glad I didn’t. I know Greg [Anderson] really wanted to win with [NASCAR team owner] Rick Hendrick here but I’m happy to be the 200th winner for the KB Titan team. That shows just how special this team is.”
Glenn also moved into the points lead over Anderson, who reached the final round for the fourth time in 2025.
In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Matt Smith had the last laugh of the weekend, getting his first victory of the season on his Denso Auto Parts Buell with a run of 6.736 at 202.91 to hold off the likes of Gaige Herrera, Richard Gadson and Steve Johnson. Herrera was the No. 1 qualifier and Gadson won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday, but it was the veteran and six-time world champion who prevailed in the end at his home track.
He left the starting line first with a strong .014 reaction time and then had the quickest run in the quad, holding off Gadson’s 6.738 and Herrera’s 6.747 to win for the 42nd time in his career. Smith ran well on Saturday and that carried over to eliminations, where the longtime standout was on his game over all three rounds.
“This has been a long weekend. We had a lot of gremlins in our pits,” Smith said. “This morning, we cranked my bike up and it started squeaking. We have another engine called ‘Old Faithful,’ so we put in a new engine and it went smoothly after that.
“Hats off to my team. I can’t say enough about my crew guys. Everyone helps but it’s a lot of work to run four bikes with three mechanics. I do the fuel maps and clutches and I also get to ride, but it’s a lot of work. I’m on the positive side now. I had 41 wins and 41 runner-up finishes. Now, I’m 42 and 41 so at least I’m on the positive side now.”
Gadson finished as the runner-up, while Smith moved into the points lead over Herrera.
The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to action May 15-18 with the 25th annual Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK at Route 66 Raceway in Chicago.
TICKETS: NHRA drag racing returns to the Bellagio of drag strips in September when zMAX Dragway hosts the first-ever four-wide event in the Countdown to the Championship at the NHRA 4-Wide Carolina Nationals, Sept. 19-21. Tickets are available at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com.
Glenn’s second straight PS victory comes on holeshot
M. Smith gets PSM win at home track
CHARLOTTE (April 27, 2025) – Shawn Langdon won the 1,000th Top Fuel race in NHRA history on Sunday at zMAX Dragway, defeating Tony Stewart, Justin Ashley and reigning world champion Antron Brown in the final quad at the 15th annual American Rebel Light NHRA 4-Wide Nationals.
Austin Prock (Funny Car), Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the fifth of 20 races during the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.
In the championship round, Langdon powered to a run of 3.714-seconds at 330.63 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Future Energy Solutions dragster to hold off Ashley at the finish line. Langdon, who remained in the points lead, won for the second time this season for Kalitta Motorsports and 21st time in his career, picking a special milestone victory in the process.
The legendary Don Garlits, who won the first-ever Top Fuel race at the 1963 NHRA Winternationals, was at the top end to hand the special 1,000th Top Fuel race trophy to Langdon, who was sure to take in the memorable and historic moment. The former Top Fuel world champion has been stellar to open 2025, advancing to three finals in the first five races and he had a spectacular car this weekend.
He qualified second with a 3.665 – running 300-mph to the eighth-mile – and then won both quads to advance to the final round. Langdon was the only driver to reach 3.71 on Sunday and the reward was a significant one in his standout career.
“To be honest with you, coming into the weekend I was asked about racing in the 1,000th event and all that, and I just thought I’d treat it like any other event. That way, any situation, everything’s the same because you just treat everything the same. But I’m not going to lie, rolling around the corner, and I see ‘Big Daddy’ there, there was this realization of what transpired and obviously it’s a great feeling,” Langdon said. “It’s something that I know years down the road I’ll be very proud of that.”
“Honestly, the competition so tough, really, so it’s not like you really get any easy rounds. In the final. with Tony, he’s been having a great year, and then obviously, Antron, the champ, and Justin Ashley, the best leaver of the class, hands down. So, when I’m in that situation, it’s like I got to step it up, and I the problem was I went the other way, except I felt like I tried a little too hard. But the about being part of great team is they carry you when you miss the tree a little bit.”
Ashley finished as the runner-up for the first time this season, while Stewart, who won the four-wide race in Las Vegas, stayed second in points.
Funny Car’s Austin Prock continued to dominate the four-wide ranks, sweeping both in April after a massive run of 3.870 at 332.92 in the final round in his 12,000-horsepower Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS to defeat Ron Capps, Matt Hagan and Alexis DeJoria. Prock has won the four-wide race in both Top Fuel and now Funny Car at zMAX Dragway, showcasing last year’s championship form the past two events.
Prock won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday and was on another level on Sunday, going low in each round and winning the first two quads. He quickly chased down defending event winner Hagan and Capps in the finals, as his 3.870 was easily the quickest run in eliminations. It’s the second straight win for Prock, who moved into the points lead, and the 14th in his young career.
Dating back to last season, Prock now has 10 Funny Car wins over the last 25 races, an impressive feat in the loaded category.
“It’s a great day. Anytime you’re holding one of these Wallys, it’s a great day,” Prock said. “The Prock Rocket bailed me out there in the finals. I had my worst light of the weekend, so it’s just great to be driving this Cornwall Chevrolet SS, especially that round there. We had a lot of difficult scenarios with this race car, but my dad and brother and Nate Hildahl and the whole Cornwell Tools team did their homework all week and got the thing dialed in and made a killer run there in the final. That was a jaw dropper.
“It was awesome to see [Rick Hendrick] down there at the top end. That was the last thing I expected and when I saw him, I just lit up. That was a pretty cool celebration down there with him, and then got a photo with him and the Wally and then got another one with Don Garlits. I mean, what a day. Those are pictures you dream of and to do them back-to-back within a few minutes of each other, that was really special.”
Capps finished as the runner-up for the second time this season.
Dallas Glenn was nearly perfect in the Pro Stock final round and he needed every bit of his incredible .002 reaction time, holding off Greg Anderson and picking up his second straight victory with a run of 6.495 at 212.69 in his RAD Torque Systems Chevrolet Camaro. Anderson went a blistering 6.472 at 212.13 in the finals, but Glenn had enough to hold off the reigning champion and pick up the 200th victory for KB Titan Racing.
It’s also the third victory this season for Glenn and the 16th in his career, as he and Anderson continue to hold a firm advantage over everyone else in the Pro Stock category. The duo has won the last six races in the category, with each claiming three, and both were the dominant cars on Sunday as well. Glenn went a stout 6.481 in the opening round, won his quad in both rounds and treated fans to a thrilling duel in the championship round to claim a milestone victory for his team.
“I did my job the best I could but the car did its job, too,” Glenn said. “It’s still the engine guys and crew chiefs that did a fantastic job all day. We got back from Las Vegas and they tore all the engines apart and didn’t finish until this Thursday at 9 p.m. They worked every day. That’s the reason why we run well.
“I just get to sit in car and try to do the best I can. In four-wide races, you don’t have to be best until final and then you can throw the kitchen sink at it, and that’s what we did. When I left I thought I might have red-lighted but I’m glad I didn’t. I know Greg [Anderson] really wanted to win with [NASCAR team owner] Rick Hendrick here but I’m happy to be the 200th winner for the KB Titan team. That shows just how special this team is.”
Glenn also moved into the points lead over Anderson, who reached the final round for the fourth time in 2025.
In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Matt Smith had the last laugh of the weekend, getting his first victory of the season on his Denso Auto Parts Buell with a run of 6.736 at 202.91 to hold off the likes of Gaige Herrera, Richard Gadson and Steve Johnson. Herrera was the No. 1 qualifier and Gadson won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday, but it was the veteran and six-time world champion who prevailed in the end at his home track.
He left the starting line first with a strong .014 reaction time and then had the quickest run in the quad, holding off Gadson’s 6.738 and Herrera’s 6.747 to win for the 42nd time in his career. Smith ran well on Saturday and that carried over to eliminations, where the longtime standout was on his game over all three rounds.
“This has been a long weekend. We had a lot of gremlins in our pits,” Smith said. “This morning, we cranked my bike up and it started squeaking. We have another engine called ‘Old Faithful,’ so we put in a new engine and it went smoothly after that.
“Hats off to my team. I can’t say enough about my crew guys. Everyone helps but it’s a lot of work to run four bikes with three mechanics. I do the fuel maps and clutches and I also get to ride, but it’s a lot of work. I’m on the positive side now. I had 41 wins and 41 runner-up finishes. Now, I’m 42 and 41 so at least I’m on the positive side now.”
Gadson finished as the runner-up, while Smith moved into the points lead over Herrera.
The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to action May 15-18 with the 25th annual Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK at Route 66 Raceway in Chicago.
CONCORD, N.C. — Final finish order (1-16) for professional categories at the 15th annual American Rebel Light NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway. The race is the fifth of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.
TOP FUEL:
Shawn Langdon; 2. Justin Ashley; 3. Tony Stewart; 4. Antron Brown; 5. Brittany Force; 6. Doug Foley; 7. Steve Torrence; 8. Steve Torrence; 9. Ida Zetterstrom; 10. Doug Kalitta; 11. Todd Paton; 12. Shawn Reed; 13. Scott Farley; 14. Lex Joon; 15. Spencer Massey; 16. Clay Millican.
FUNNY CAR:
Austin Prock; 2. Ron Capps; 3. Matt Hagan; 4. Alexis DeJoria; 5. Hunter Green; 6. Dave
Richards; 7. J.R. Todd; 8. Chad Green; 9. Buddy Hull; 10. Daniel Wilkerson; 11. Paul Lee; 12. Jack Beckman; 13. Bob Tasca III; 14. Cruz Pedregon; 15. Bobby Bode; 16. Spencer Hyde.
Matt Smith; 2. Richard Gadson; 3. Gaige Herrera; 4. Steve Johnson; 5. Chase Van Sant; 6. Marc Ingwersen; 7. Kelly Clontz; 8. Hector Arana Jr; 9. Angie Smith; 10. John Hall; 11. Ryan Oehler; 12. Jianna Evaristo; 13. Chris Bostick; 14. Jerry Savoie.
PRO MODIFIED:
JR Gray; 2. Billy Banaka; 3. Alex Laughlin; 4. Mike Janis; 5. Rickie Smith; 6. Lyle Barnett; 7. Jose Gonzalez; 8. Dwayne Wolfe; 9. Sidnei Frigo; 10. Mike Stavrinos; 11. Justin Bond; 12. Mason Wright; 13. Stan Shelton; 14. Khalid alBalooshi; 15. Jordan Lazic; 16. Travis Harvey.
CONCORD, N.C. — Sunday’s final results from the 15th annual American Rebel Light NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway. The race is the fifth of 20 in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:
Top Fuel — Shawn Langdon, 3.714 seconds, 330.63 mph def. Justin Ashley, 3.776 seconds, 329.99 mph and Tony Stewart, 3.792 seconds, 309.06 mph and Antron Brown, 5.441 seconds, 136.39 mph;
Funny Car — Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 3.870, 332.92 def. Ron Capps, Toyota GR Supra, 3.920, 327.51 and Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 3.939, 329.10 and Alexis DeJoria, Charger, 3.933, 327.98;
Pro Stock — Dallas Glenn, Chevy Camaro, 6.495, 212.69 def. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.472, 212.13 and Matt Hartford, Camaro, 8.825, 112.01 and Eric Latino, Camaro, foul;
Pro Stock Motorcycle — Matt Smith, Buell, 6.736, 202.91 def. Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.738, 201.37 and Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.747, 201.13 and Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.799, 196.62;
Top Alcohol Funny Car — Sean Bellemeur, Chevy Camaro, 5.390, 272.06 def. Chip Beverett, Camaro, 5.512, 263.62 and Bob McCosh, Chevy Camero, 5.499, 265.06 and Madison Gordon, Camaro, 9.512, 90.98;
Top Alcohol Dragster — Brandon Greco, 5.241, 273.11 def. Kelly Kundratic, 5.496, 264.55 and James Stevens, 5.712, 262.49 and McKenna Bold, 8.719, 122.05;
Pro Modified — JR Gray, Chevy Camaro, 5.656, 255.73 def. Billy Banaka, Camaro, 5.705, 249.06 and Alex Laughlin, Camaro, 5.694, 250.18 and Mike Janis, Ford Mustang, 9.823, 89.70;
Mountain Motor Pro Stock — Brad Waddle, Ford Mustang, 6.320, 222.95 def. John Pluchino, Mustang, 13.336, 65.24.
Factory Stock Showdown — Jonathan Allegrucci, Ford Mustang, 7.719, 178.28 def. Mark Pawuk, Dodge Challenger, 7.755, 178.66 and Tony Scott Jr, Chevy Camaro, 7.899, 178.64 and Raymond Nash, Challenger, 14.056, 75.82;
CONCORD, N.C. — Final round-by-round results from the 15th annual American Rebel Light NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway, the fifth of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:
TOP FUEL:
ROUND ONE — Doug Foley, 3.775, 320.58 and Antron Brown, 4.999, 207.56 def. Shawn Reed, 5.811, 113.20 and Clay Millican, broke; Justin Ashley, 3.749, 332.02 and Brittany Force, 4.044, 276.35 def. Todd Paton, 4.020, 259.41 and Spencer Massey, 9.855, 78.37; Shawn Langdon, 3.728, 333.25 and Josh Hart, 3.755, 332.34 def. Ida Zetterstrom, 3.753, 330.55 and Scott Farley, 4.260, 192.96; Steve Torrence, 3.747, 335.65 and Tony Stewart, 3.774, 325.53 def. Doug Kalitta, 3.755, 328.46 and Lex Joon, 8.651,
84.90; TOP FUEL:
ROUND ONE — Doug Foley, 3.775, 320.58 and Antron Brown, 4.999, 207.56 def. Shawn Reed, 5.811, 113.20 and Clay Millican, broke; Justin Ashley, 3.749, 332.02 and Brittany Force, 4.044, 276.35 def. Todd Paton, 4.020, 259.41 and Spencer Massey, 9.855, 78.37; Shawn Langdon, 3.728, 333.25 and Josh Hart, 3.755, 332.34 def. Ida Zetterstrom, 3.753, 330.55 and Scott Farley, 4.260, 192.96; Steve Torrence, 3.747, 335.65 and Tony Stewart, 3.774, 325.53 def. Doug Kalitta, 3.755, 328.46 and Lex Joon, 8.651,
84.90; SEMIFINALS — Brown, 3.751, 334.24 and Stewart, 3.760, 323.35 def. Foley, 3.850, 316.38 and Torrence, 3.961, 311.56; Langdon, 3.773, 331.45 and Ashley, 3.781, 328.78 def. Force, 3.834, 322.81 and Hart, 6.727, 94.39; FINAL — Langdon, 3.714, 330.63 def. Ashley, 3.776, 329.99, Stewart, 3.792, 309.06 and Brown, 5.441, 136.39.
FUNNY CAR:
ROUND ONE — J.R. Todd, Toyota GR Supra, 3.942, 329.50 and Hunter Green, Dodge Charger, 3.969, 318.39 def. Daniel Wilkerson, Ford Mustang, 4.078, 281.25 and Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.119, 272.78; Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.939, 331.28 and Dave Richards, Mustang, 4.439, 306.26 def. Paul Lee, Charger, 4.469, 189.39 and Bobby Bode, GR Supra, 8.190, 91.64; Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 3.902, 330.96 and Ron Capps, GR Supra, 3.936, 328.22 def. Buddy Hull, Charger, 4.020, 320.43 and Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 4.339, 204.51; Chad Green, Mustang, 3.973, 292.65 and Alexis DeJoria, Charger, 4.012, 297.16 def. Jack Beckman, Camaro, 4.934, 178.19 and Spencer Hyde, Mustang, 11.492, 48.22; SEMIFINALS — Hagan, 3.962, 325.77 and DeJoria, 5.115, 147.20 def. Richards, 10.378, 88.51 and C. Green, 4.574, 218.37; Prock, 3.930, 327.59 and Capps, 3.945, 325.77 def. H. Green, 4.073, 281.89 and Todd, 3.980, 327.59; FINAL — Prock, 3.870, 332.92 def. Capps, 3.920, 327.51, Hagan, 3.939, 329.10 and DeJoria,
3.933, 327.98.
PRO STOCK:
ROUND ONE — Cory Reed, Chevy Camaro, 6.513, 211.83 and Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.549, 209.69 def. Cody Coughlin, Camaro, 8.527, 132.75 and Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, DQ; Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.566, 210.67 and Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.557, 212.66 def. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 11.171, 95.44 and Greg Stanfield, Camaro, 13.860, 68.95; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.487, 212.46 and Brandon Foster, Camaro, 6.595, 208.81 def. Kenny Delco, Camaro, 9.148, 101.48 and Deric Kramer, Camaro, 13.083, 67.37; Dallas
Glenn, Camaro, 6.481, 213.13 and Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.526, 210.21 def. Mason McGaha, Camaro, 6.547, 211.13 and Matt Latino, Camaro, 14.119, 61.11; SEMIFINALS — Anderson, 6.512, 211.96 and Hartford, 6.533, 213.23 def. C. McGaha, 7.045, 205.35 and Foster, 12.502, 69.74; Glenn, 6.519, 211.86 and E. Latino, 6.523, 210.57 def. Enders, 6.559, 210.60 and Reed, 6.547, 211.66; FINAL — Glenn, 6.495, 212.69 def. Anderson, 6.472, 212.13, Hartford, 8.825, 112.01 and E. Latino, foul.
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:
ROUND ONE — Steve Johnson, Suzuki Hayabusa, 6.798, 196.90 and Marc Ingwersen, EBR, 6.866, 197.51 def. Ryan Oehler, EBR, 6.890, 195.45 and Jerry Savoie, broke; Matt Smith, Buell 1190RX, 6.752, 202.18 and Chase Van Sant, Suzuki TL, 6.799, 199.08 def. Angie Smith, 1190RX, 6.791, 198.79 and Chris Bostick, Hayabusa, 6.847, 194.30; Kelly Clontz, TL, 6.891, 197.45 and Richard Gadson, Hayabusa, 9.393, 89.97 def. Jianna Evaristo, 1190RX, broke and Gaige Herrera, Hayabusa, 6.728, 201.70 and Hector Arana Jr, EBR, 6.825, 199.49 def. John Hall, Beull 1190RX, 6.797, 200.02; SEMIFINALS — M. Smith, 6.737, 203.16 and Gadson, 6.762, 200.62 def. Van Sant, 6.815, 197.91 and Clontz, 6.810, 196.87; Herrera, 6.762, 200.17 and Johnson, 6.806, 196.19 def. Ingwersen, 6.884, 195.59 and Arana Jr, 6.997, 162.08; FINAL — M. Smith, 6.736, 202.91 def. Gadson, 6.738, 201.37, Herrera, 6.747, 201.13 and Johnson, 6.799, 196.62.
CONCORD, N.C. — Point standings (top 10) for NHRA professional categories following the 15th annual American Rebel Light NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway, the fifth of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series –
NASCAR CUP SERIES TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE REPORT APRIL 27, 2025
Larson, Byron Lead Chevrolet with Top-Five Finishes at Talladega Superspeedway
TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL TOP-10 RESULTS: POS. DRIVER 3rd – Kyle Larson 4th – William Byron 7th – Chase Elliott 8th – Carson Hocevar 9th – Alex Bowman
Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson led Chevrolet to the checkered-flag at Talladega Superspeedway – collecting a third-place finish in his No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet. Larson led a brigade of five Team Chevy drivers to top-10 finishes in the 500-mile race, including his fellow teammates William Byron in fourth, Chase Elliott in seventh and Alex Bowman in the ninth position. Joining his fellow Chevrolet drivers in the top-10 included Spire Motorsports’ Carson Hocevar, who drove his No. 77 Chili’s Ride the ‘Dente to an eighth-place result.
The series’ most recent winner, Kyle Larson, turned a 25th-place qualifying effort into a win of the first stage – leading a quartet of Team Chevy drivers to the top of the leaderboard at the green-white checkered flag. But the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet driver quickly lost the track position when the team was faced with a speeding penalty under the stage break. Restarting in the 33rd position, patience was a virtue for the California native – progressively making his way through the pack to lead the Chevrolet camp to the end of the stage yet again with a third-place result.
It was a turbulent day for Kyle Busch and the Randall Burnett led Chevrolet team. Leading the field to the green-flag from a front-row start position, the day quickly became an uphill battle when mayhem entering pit road under the first green-flag cycle collected the No. 8 Chevrolet. Quickly going to work on a broken toe link, the team fell just one lap down but quickly found his way back to the lead lap by the end of the Stage One. The right combination of patience and strategy kept the team in the lead pack, making their way back up into the top-10 with 38 laps remaining before an untimely pit road speeding penalty took them out of contention.
Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill continued his superspeedway dominance by picking up his series-leading third victory of the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season in Saturday’s Ag-Pro 300, leading the Bowtie brigade to a sweep of the top-seven finishing positions in the 300-mile race – the first time since Sept. 2004 that a single manufacturer has swept the top-seven of a race in the division.
Chevrolet’s all-time NASCAR Cup Series statistics at Talladega Superspeedway:
Wins: 45 Poles: 37 Top-Fives: 212 Top-10s: 415
Chevrolet’s season statistics with 10 NASCAR Cup Series races complete:
UP NEXT: The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season continues at Texas Motor Speedway with the Würth 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY on Sunday, May 4, at 3:30 P.M. ET. Live coverage can be found on FS1, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Post-Race Driver Quotes:
Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Finished: 3rd
“There wasn’t really much I could do the final five laps. I wanted to go to the outside lane when we got clear of William (Byron), but I felt like the gap was too big to move up and the No. 60 (Ryan Preece) was able to fill it. I was still happy to be second-row on the inside lane, obviously happy to be front row, but I just didn’t know how it was going to play out from there. There at the end, you’re just trying to give the right pushes to get clear and then maybe he starts blocking lanes and something would open up for me. I was just kind of jammed up there.
I will take a third-place finish. We had a great day, points-wise, for this No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet team. Winning the first stage was a bit unexpected, and then finishing third in the second stage from where we were on the final restart was also unexpected. Just a really good day, overall, for the No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevy.”
Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Finished: 25th
“We were having a pretty smooth day with our No. 10 Sea Best Chevy and our car was fast. We did our job on pit road pretty much and on the track, we put ourselves in position and where we needed to be at the end. We were running in seventh and ran out of the gas. We’ve got to get that cleaned up. Running out of gas has robbed us of a lot of finishing positions and points over the last two weeks. We’ve shown a lot of really good speed on the super speedways, and that’s been really good. It’s nice to see the hard work paying off when we show up at the track. We’ll keep grinding and the finishes we deserve will come.”
AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Finished: 26th
“Overall, our day was going well. We were racing our own race there of hanging back and going at the end of the stages. That worked out for the first stage, almost worked out for the second stage and I thought we were in a decent position in the third stage. We ended up with a combination of bad luck and not a great last stop at the end, just having to go around the No. 1 car and everything that happened there. That cost us there at the end and that’s disappointing.”
William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Finished: 4th
“I don’t know about that. We had the No. 48 (Alex Bowman) behind us and he was doing a good job pushing. It just seemed like we couldn’t get enough help from the third guy in line and that’s what it takes. For whatever reason, the top lane just couldn’t get the runs off the corner at the right time to get connected. We’d get connected too late and then get a little bit squirrely and lose our momentum. I wish just that one time, we could have connected a little better to stay even with the bottom lane, but we were working really hard to do that with the No. 2 (Austin Cindric). It just seemed like it took a lot of effort for us to maintain the track position on the front row.
Live and learn. The No. 24 Valvoline Chevrolet team did a good job today. We had some issues and had to work on it. We got it better and then we were able to race there in the final stage, so really happy with that. We always want a little bit more. I feel like we were in the perfect position there with 10 laps to go.”
Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Finished: 13th
“Not the day we were hoping for at Talladega. Our No. 71 GUNK Chevrolet was fast. Early on in the race, we were able to get to the lead and kind of control the lanes. We just lost track position there at the end and never could really get it back. It was unfortunate, but we learned a lot this weekend. We’ll keep plugging away at it. Not what we hoped for, but we’ll take a solid finish and move onto Texas.”
“It was an up-and-down day for the No. 99 Wendy’s Frosty Chevrolet team. I wasn’t in love with the balance of the car. I thought the speed was decent, but I just felt like the balance of the car, we have a little bit of work to do to fight consistently at the front. We made a couple of mistakes on pit road, but when it counted the most at the end, we executed well.”
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Ford Performance Notes and Quotes NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link’s 500 Sunday, April 27, 2025
AUSTIN CINDRIC PUTS FORD MUSTANG IN TALLADEGA VICTORY LANE
Austin Cindric drove to his first victory of 2025 today and third of his career..
It also marks Team Penske’s 102nd series win with Ford.
This is also the 200th NASCAR Cup Series points win for Roush Yates Engines since the company was formed in 2004.
Overall, 25 different drivers have won at least one NASCAR Cup Series race with a Roush Yates engine.
Joey Logano has won the most races (34) while Brad Keselowski is second (27).
Today’s win is Ford’s 743rd all-time in NASCAR Cup Series competition
FORD FINISHING RESULTS
1st – Austin Cindric
2nd – Ryan Preece
5th – Joey Logano
6th – Noah Gragson
15th – Cole Custer
18th – Todd Gilliland
21st – Zane Smith
28th – Josh Berry
33rd – Cody Ware
36th – Chris Buescher
38th – Brad Keselowski
39th – Ryan Blaney
AUSTIN CINDRIC, No. 2 Menards/Quaker State Ford Mustang Dark Horse – VICTORY LANE INTERVIEW:
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO WIN AS A TEAM LIKE THIS? “It takes everything and we’ve had it so many races here and you’ve got to have a little bit more. I’m just so proud of everybody on this race team. Team Penske, the entire shop deserves wins at these racetracks with how fast our race cars are and I’m just so proud to be able to win for John Menard and the Menards team – to get this yellow car in Victory Lane and get in the playoffs.”
WHAT GOES THROUGH YOUR MIND ON THOSE FINAL LAPS? “You’re waiting for it to go wrong, but you’ve got to stay in the zone. There are so many times at the end I was just focused on the feedback Doug Campbell was giving me and what I knew about our car and maybe other cars I observed throughout the field today, so just an absolutely fantastic job by everybody involved.”
DESCRIBE THE EMOTION FOR TEAM PENSKE TODAY? “We’re gonna celebrate this one at the shop. The guys really deserve it and I couldn’t be happier.”
YOU RAN IT OUT OF GAS GOING AROUND CELEBRATING? “I figured I’d do the full lap. Sometimes guys do the half lap, but you never know when you’re gonna win these races again. I’m not saying we can’t do it, but you’ve got to appreciate it and have a moment by myself there with the race car and prove how good we got that cycle down. It was really cool.”
NOAH GRAGSON, No. 4 Rural King Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “We were in the third row on the outside and was trying to keep Cindric out front and keep the outside lane that I was in from getting there and then the 60 was able to pull up and we had two Fords out front. I’m happy for Ford and Penske for the win, but this is a good reset and good points today after the first 10 races of the season. We haven’t had the results we want, so it’s a good reset after the off weekend and a good way to start off the next part of the season.”
JOEY LOGANO, No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang Dark Horse – YOU GOT BOXED IN AT THE END. “Yeah, it’s all about the cycle and then once it got two-by-two there you’re kind of there just watching it all happen in front of you and you really don’t play much of a part. You just hope that your lane clears enough to where you can possibly make a move, but there are no lanes to make a move there. We just got beat on the cycle there. I’m not even really sure exactly how yet. I have to go back and look at it, but, overall, it was a solid day for the Shell/Pennzoil Ford. We almost had a stage win and a top five, so I can’t be too frustrated with that I guess.”
YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN SO CLOSE. HOW NICE TO SEE A TEAMMATE IN VICTORY LANE? “It’s about time one of us wins these things. You think about the amount of laps led by Team Penske and Ford in general and we just haven’t been able to close, so to see a couple Fords there on the front row duking it out, I wish one of them was me in a selfish way, but it’s also good to see those guys running up there and being able to click one off for Penske.”
CODY WARE, No. 51 Arby’s/AC Barbeque Sauce Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “I think that today we showed from green flag to checkered flag that we were a race-winning contender today. I’m really proud of the pit crew and the road crew and everybody back at the shop for building a super fast Arby’s Barbeque Ford Mustang. I’m really dejected with how the day ended. I sped leaving pit road, but we also ran out of fuel, too, so our fate was kind of sealed after that last pit stop no matter what. I’ll work on the things I need to work on and I know the team is going to work on the things they need to work on and we just need to move forward knowing that we can do this. We just have to keep digging.”
RYAN PREECE, No. 60 Kroger/Celsius Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “We did all we could. I felt like we executed Stage Three exactly like we needed to. We came out in the front of our group and worked our way through that traffic. We had the opportunity to get to the top lane and then from there it was just managing those cars behind us and not giving up what we gained. I’m really proud of everybody at RFK for this race car. I’m just really super appreciative from Jack, Brad, the Fenway Group for this opportunity. Honestly, without Kroger and BAM and Celsius and a lot of the other partners today, I’d probably be back in Connecticut. I’m really excited about the rest of this year. It’s a great day, but I wanted to win.”
BRAD KESELOWSKI, No. 6 BuildSubmarines.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “It was just a stack of guys trying to come to pit road as fast as they could and we were kind of the ham in the sandwich that got squeezed. I waved down the backstretch to let everybody know I was gonna pit and I came off of four and everybody was so tight behind me that I didn’t even have a chance to turn left. I hate that it ruined not just our day, but several other people’s day. I don’t think I could do anything different.”
WHAT HAPPENED? “I just got hit from behind. I didn’t really have a chance to do anything and got turned and wrecked our race car and a few others. That really stinks but that’s the way it’s been.”
RYAN BLANEY, No. 12 Advance Auto Parts Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “We just broke too many pieces in the right-rear. That took all the damage. The right-rear wheel and it broke everything. We couldn’t fix it, unfortunately, but I don’t really know. I kind of saw a little bit of a replay. It looked like a group of guys trying to get to pit road and maybe some guys not knowing that they were coming to pit road and not giving them any room. I saw the 8 and 6 kind of get hooked together and they were going up the track, so I kind of picked the bottom and tried to get out of there and I think they clipped someone outside of them and the 6 came back into me and I got clipped in the right-rear. Oh gosh, man, another DNF. It just sucks. Just when we were kind of getting our momentum and didn’t even get to race today. We’ll just move on to Texas.”
CHRIS BUESCHER, No. 17 Travel Centers of America Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “Everything was great out the windshield. I have no clue what happened yet. I imagine it was a bad push. That’s all it can really be. I know we’re all going for it there at the end. We’re in a great spot with our Travel Centers Ford Mustang. We had our teammate behind us. We had fuel to go wide-open and not worry about it all the way to the end of that stage and it certainly didn’t work out. I don’t know what happened at this point. I’m assuming we were just two-wide. I have no clue to really say, but we had worked really well with Preece early on in the race and had been really smart about how we linked up and got to pushing and it worked really well for us. We were right there off the corner, just kind of backing up to him to receive that first big push down the back and just seen the 20 come across the nose. Until I dive into it, I don’t know anything else yet.”
