Video: Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. Triumphs in Talladega Three-Wide Photo Finish
Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. isn't in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, but that didn't stop him from taking the fight to the championship contenders at the finish of Sunday's YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.
The JTG Daugherty Racing driver was in contention for the victory throughout the race's closing laps, and even endured a sideswipe from Austin Cindric in a massive 28-car pileup on the backstretch that sent the event into NASCAR Overtime, to capture the checkered flag.
A native of Olive Branch, Mississippi, Stenhouse kept steady on the outside lane during the final two-lap stretch using major shoves from William Byron to maintain the race-lead over superspeedway expert Brad Keselowski, who occupied the inside line.
THE FULL FINAL LAP AT TALLADEGA!
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) October 6, 2024
ANOTHER WILD FINISH. ANOTHER PHOTO FINISH! #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/lvJVbhj3ST
Coming to the checkered flag, the No. 47 Palmolive Chevrolet Camaro edged just ahead of Keselowski, who was eliminated from the post-season after Bristol, to get the start-finish line with the lead, as Byron fanned out three-wide behind him.
The margin between Stenhouse and Keselowski measured at only 0.006 seconds, the third closest finish in the NASCAR Cup Series this season, behind only the Spring event at Atlanta Motor Speedway and the closest finish in NASCAR history at Kansas in May. Three of the eight closest points-paying finishes in series history have happened this year.
THAT CLOSE! #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/DYingJ4acq
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) October 6, 2024
Keselowski was credited with second-place, with William Byron in third, only 0.027 seconds behind the race-winner. Kyle Larson and Erik Jones completed the top-five.
