USA Today via Reuters
Apr 25, 2021; Talladega, Alabama, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Brad Keselowski (2) does a burn out after winning the GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
USA Today via Reuters
Apr 25, 2021; Talladega, Alabama, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Brad Keselowski (2) does a burn out after winning the GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
Brad Keselowski has become the ninth different winner in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series championship. Meanwhile, Denny Hamlin’s consistent streak got snapped at the Talladega Superspeedway. However, despite the hiccup, he is still leading the championship, ahead of the coming weekend’s race at Kansas.
Surprisingly, the top five remains the same, with Hamlin ahead of Martin Truex Jr and Joey Logano. William Byron and Ryan Blaney also retain their original places. However, the big mover is Brad Keselowski, who has jumped from ninth to sixth. Kevin Harvick has also moved up a spot to seventh, while Chase Elliott has moved down to eighth. Kyle Larson is the big loser, as he has plummeted from sixth to ninth.
Cup grid (16 to go): Hamlin +229, Truex-2w, Logano-1w, Byron-1w, Blaney-1w, Keselowski-1w, Larson-1w, Bell-1w, McDowell-1w, Bowman-1w, Harvick +91, Elliott +89, KyBusch +54, Dillon +51, Stenhouse +12, Buescher +12, DiBenedetto -12, KuBusch -13, Newman -31, Wallace -33 pic.twitter.com/z59xAv6GUj
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) April 25, 2021
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Surprisingly, there is no change in position for Christopher Bell, Kyle Busch, and Austin Dillon in 10th, 11th, and 12th. Another big mover is Michael McDowell, who has vaulted up from 17th to 13th. He has displaced Alex Bowman down to 14th, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr to 15th. Chris Buescher is still in 16th, while Matt DiBenedetto has moved up to 17th, while the big loser is Kurt Busch down in 18th from 15th.
How does the rest of the NASCAR Cup Series grid stack up?
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There is no change of position for Ryan Newman, Bubba Wallace, and Ryan Preece, in spite of Wallace taking his first-ever stage win. Cole Custer has moved up from 25th to 23rd, while 22nd-placed Tyler Reddick remains as he was after Richmond. It also means that Daniel Suarez and Ross Chastain have bumped down to 24th and 25th, respectively.
USA Today via Reuters
Apr 25, 2021; Talladega, Alabama, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Brad Keselowski (2) celebrates after winning the GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
Aric Almirola has moved up one spot to 26th place while Erik Jones has moved down a place. Chase Briscoe has retained his 28th place, while Anthony Alfredo has swapped places with Corey LaJoie. Finally, Quin Houff, Josh Bilicki, and James Davison witnessed no change in their championship positions.
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However, it is note-worthy that LaJoie, Houff, Bilicki, and Davison are the only drivers who are not in the triple digits. LaJoie is close, on 91 points, but the other three have some ways to go. Now, everyone will be preparing for the next race at Kansas.
