Brad Keselowski came to Talladega Superspeedway with so much hope. After a brutal start to the 2025 season, the six-time winner believed Talladega could be the place to turn it around. Sitting a miserable 31st in the standings and still looking for his first top-10 finish, Keselowski spoke like a man who hadn’t given up. “It doesn’t feel like my best start, but I’ve got my eternal optimist glasses on and I see the potential. The potential for this team is higher than any team I’ve had the last four or five years, and we just have to recognize it,” he had said before the race.

With the Jack Link’s 500 on deck and Talladega’s wild history, Keselowski saw a window of opportunity to jumpstart his year. The weekend had all the right ingredients. A big, drafting-style track. A chaotic race. And a need for a mid-pack team like RFK Racing to shake up the playoff picture. Meanwhile, another driver and former Cup series champion, Ryan Blaney, was also looking for a similar turnaround.

The Team Penske driver had failed to put up a show in victory lane despite some strong runs. He also had multiple wins at the track and was looking for redemption. But racing rarely plays by the script. As the field closed in on pit stops during Stage 1, a disastrous scene unfolded. Soon, both Keselowski and Blaney found themselves in an unwanted wreck.

The wreck started as the cars came down to pit road on Lap 43. Brad Keselowski‘s No. 6 Ford veered into Kyle Busch’s No. 8 Chevy. Busch, trying to pit, saw the line check-up and moved right. At the same time, Keselowski drifted upward. They connected, and chaos followed. It also collected drivers like Alex Bowman, Ryan Blaney, and Chris Buescher. Inside his No. 12 Ford, Blaney was helpless.

Pinned in, pushed around, and then left sitting there, dead in the water. Over the radio, his frustration exploded. “I’m F***ING stuck,” he shouted, his voice thick with anger and disbelief. His car had a broken toe link, and possible brake damage too, needing a push straight to the garage. Keselowski’s Ford looked even worse, covered in scrapes and dents. Notably, both Keselowski and Blaney were done for the day. They finished 38 and 39 respectively.

It is Blaney’s fourth DNF this season, the most of any driver through ten races. The frustration boiled over for both drivers, who expected so much more from Talladega. After the crash, Blaney stayed composed with the media but didn’t hide his disappointment. “The Six (Keselowski) was trying to pit with his group. Looked like the guy behind him didn’t know, ran Brad over, and they got hooked together. Then the Six came down the track and into me. Just stinks. Another DNF. We’ve been riddled with those this year,” he said.

Notably, Blaney entered Talladega with back-to-back top-five finishes. He had even finished three straight races without incident. His average driver rating was second-best in the Cup Series, behind only William Byron. But a good stretch of form meant nothing when chaos struck.

Meanwhile, Keselowski didn’t sugarcoat it either. “We were kinda the ham in the sandwich,” he said as his day ended before it even began. Despite his incredible record at Talladega, six career wins, half of his starts ending in top-10s, Keselowski couldn’t make a difference, and it’s been the story throughout this season. A 16th place at Bristol two weeks ago had been his best run in months.

Talladega was supposed to be a fresh start. Instead, it was more misery. This wreck hurt both drivers because they had so much riding on this race. Keselowski came into the race hoping for a repeat of his 2014 heroics, when he came to Talladega in a do-or-die situation in the championship, but it seems like it was all for nothing.

Ryan Blaney teases Bubba Wallace after UFL kick attempt!

Despite the heartbreak at Talladega, there was still a lighter moment from the weekend that had fans laughing — Blaney’s hilarious jab at his good friend Bubba Wallace. Before Sunday’s disaster, Blaney and Wallace had some fun away from the racetrack. The two friends went over to Birmingham to watch a UFL game featuring the Birmingham Stallions. During halftime, they both attempted 20-yard field goals on the field.

Blaney nailed his kick easily. Cool, calm, and straight through the uprights. Wallace, on the other hand, didn’t exactly impress. His kick barely got off the ground, drawing roars of laughter. During Fox’s pre-race coverage, Jamie Little interviewed Blaney, showing footage of both attempts. Blaney couldn’t resist poking fun. “Yeah, 20-yarder good. I know it’s not impressive,” he joked about his own kick.

When Wallace’s shank appeared, Blaney smiled and said, “And that’s definitely not impressive by Darrell.” He finished by adding, “If we’re talking athletes over here, I think that just sealed the deal.” For years, people have asked NASCAR drivers whether they’re “real” athletes. athletes. Blaney’s kick and quick wit gave him the upper hand, at least for now. Wallace, no doubt, will look for his revenge, likely on the track rather than the football field.