Ryan Blaney wins the Monday’s rain-delayed Cup Series race at Talladega in a two-lap shootout, beating Ryan Newman in a photo finish thriller by 0.007 seconds.
TALLADEGA – October 15, 2019 – Anthony Holbrook
The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 5th Playoff race traveled to Talladega Super Speedway October 14/15th for the 1000Bulbs.com 500 were Aric Almirola is the defending race winner.
1000Bulbs.com 500 – Stage 1
Pole sitter Chase Elliott – Driver of the Hendrick Racing No. 9 Chevrolet brought the field the green on the 2.66 mile Super Speedway.
Stage 1 lead would interchange 17 times among 12 different drivers. A costly spin out on pit road would relinquished the No. 12 Ryan Blaney’s lead, and handed the No. 24 – William Byron and No. 22 – Joey Logano the opportunity to contend for the Stage win.
The No. 24 Hendrick Racing Chevy defended his position for the Stage win, holding off a fast approaching No. 22 Penske Ford.
William Byron collected his second stage win of the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season.
The 1000Bulbs.com 500 race would be red flagged after completion of Stage 1 and postponed to Monday in relation to incumbent weather.
1000Bulbs.com 500 – STAGE 1 – Results
- William Byron (P)
- Joey Logano (P)
- Alex Bowman (P)
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
- Brad Keselowski (P)
- Kyle Larson (P)
- Jimmie Johnson
- Daniel Suarez
- Kurt Busch
10. Ryan Blaney
1000Bulbs.com 500 – Stage 2
As the Fords relied on tandem drafting in Stage 2, Clint Bowyer – Driver of the No. 14 Stuart-Haas Ford and Joey Logano’s No. 22 Penske Ford would pace a pack of Fords to the front.
In closing laps, Hendrick Racing Driver – Alex Bowman utilized the tandem draft to push his No. 88 Chevrolet to the front passing the Ford rivals. Bowman’s lead was shortly lived as a confrontation with the No. 22 Joey Logano brought out the “Big One”.
Clint Bowyer avoided the multicar mayhem, which involved 6 playoff drivers, to win his first Stage win of the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season.
1000Bulbs.com 500 – STAGE 2 – Results
- Clint Bowyer (P)
- Joey Logano (P)
- Brad Keselowski (P)
- Austin Dillon
- Daniel Suarez
- Ryan Blaney (P)
- Chris Buescher
- William Byron (P)
- Kurt Busch
- Kyle Busch (P)
1000Bulbs.com 500– Final Stage
With only 1 lap remaining in competition, Denny Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota’s bump draft, pushed Ryan Newman’s No. 6 Ford to pass by race leader No. 12 Ryan Blaney to the front.
Setting up for an epic finish, Ryan Blaney retaliated with a tap to Newman left bumper. Thereafter, Blaney would slingshot the No.12 Penske Ford to the bottom of the track to battle Ryan Newman’s No. 6 Roush Fenway Ford for the win.
Ryan Blaney edged out Ryan Newman to the checkers and records his first victory of the 2019 season in a photo finish fashion. Also as well, Blaney punched his ticket for a 2019 Playoff position and will join previous race winner Chip Ganasis’s Racing No 42 Driver – Kyle Larson in Round 3 of the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Playoff series.
The margin of win was registered as the 6th closest race of all time. Newman’s “bride maid’” finish ties his career-best at Talladega.
1000Bulbs.com 500 – Final Results
- Ryan Blaney
- Ryan Newman
- Denny Hamlin
- Aric Almirola
- Michael McDowell
- Austin Dillon
- Corey LaJoie
- Chase Elliott
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
- Ty Dillon
- Joey Logano
- Ross Chastain
- Matt Tifft
- Landon Cassill
- Parker Kligerman
- Paul Menard
- Kevin Harvick
- Ryan Preece
- Kyle Busch
- Chris Buescher
- Daniel Hemric
- Reed Sorenson
- Clint Bowyer
- Bubba Wallace
- Brad Keselowski
- Martin Truex Jr.
- Brendan Gaughan
- Kurt Busch
- David Regan
- Matt DiMenedetto
- Blake Jones
- Daniel Suarez
- William Byron
- Erik Jones
- Austin Theriault
- Joey Gase
- Alex Bowman
- Jimmie Johnson
- Kyle Larson
- Spencer Boyd
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 2019 Playoff Driver leaders after Talladega
Drivers in BOLD clinched spot in Round of 8
- Denny Hamlin (P)
- Martin Truex Jr (P)
- Kyle Busch (P)
- Kevin Harvick (P)
- Brad Keselowski (P)
- Joey Logano (P)
- Kyle Larson (P)
- Alex Bowman (P)
- Ryan Blaney (P)
- Chase Elliott (P)
- Clint Bowyer (P)
- William Byron (P)
- Aric Almirola
Time of Race:
3 Hrs, 39 Mins, 35 Secs.
Average Speed:
136.644 MPH
Margin of Victory:
0.007 Seconds
Caution Flags:
9 for 43 laps; Laps: 38-40 (#52 Stopped on Track [00]); 57-62 (Stage 1 Conclusion [51]); 108-116 (1, 4, 9, 11, 19, 22, 34, 42, 47, 48, 88 Incident in Turn 3 [20]); 123-125 (#43 and 77 Incident on the Backstretch [17]); 133-137 (Debris on the Backstretch [11]); 154-157 (#14 Spin in Turn 3 [15]); 164-169 (#1, 20, 21 22, 24, 41, 47, 51 Incident in Turn 3 [None]); 173-175 (#41 Spin in Turn 4 [47]); 183-186 (#1, 2, 4, 8, 17,18, 37, 38, 47, 62, 95 Incident on the Backstretch [22]).
Lead Changes:
47 among 19 drivers; B. Keselowski (P) 1-4; K. Busch (P) 5-6; A. Dillon 7; K. Busch 8-18; R. Blaney (P) 19-33; E. Jones 34; A. Almirola 35; B. Keselowski (P) 36-40; R. Newman 41-43; B. Keselowski (P) 44-45; K. Busch 46; C. Elliott (P) 47-49; D. Hemric # 50; W. Byron (P) 51-53; J. Logano (P) 54; W. Byron (P) 55-58; B. Wallace 59; R. Blaney (P) 60-72; J. Logano (P) 73-77; C. Elliott (P) 78-83; B. Keselowski (P) 84-86; C. Elliott (P) 87-89; B. Keselowski (P) 90-93; A. Almirola 94-95; J. Johnson 96-97; C. Elliott (P) 98-101; J. Logano (P) 102-103; C. Elliott (P) 104-106; C. Bowyer (P) 107-111; C. Buescher 112; B. Keselowski (P) 113-116; W. Byron (P) 117; C. Bowyer (P) 118-125; K. Busch (P) 126; J. Logano (P) 127-133; A. Theriault 134; R. Stenhouse Jr 135-142; J. Logano (P) 143; R. Stenhouse Jr 144-150; K. Busch (P) 151-153; L. Cassill(i) 154; W. Byron (P) 155-159; R. Stenhouse Jr 160-175; K. Busch 176-179; R. Stenhouse Jr 180; K. Busch (P) 181; R. Blaney (P) 182-188.
The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Race 6th of the 2019 Playoff Schedule travels to Kansas for the Hollywood Casino 400 hosted by Kansas Speedway at 2:30 p.m. ET Oct. 20 on NBCSN
