Talladega Superspeedway lived up to its chaotic reputation on Sunday, delivering a race that will be remembered as one of the wildest of the NASCAR NextGen era, just after the organization’s president announced a major change to the Cup Series next season.
The 2025 YellaWood 500 didn’t just feature close-quarters pack racing and playoff drama — it shattered modern-era records.
The race itself mirrored Talladega’s long-standing tradition of unpredictability. Early on, Kyle Busch, who was recently praised by Donald Trump, and Josh Berry swapped the lead multiple times before Berry’s mechanical failure ended his day prematurely. That set the tone for a race where no driver held command for long.
Stage 1 ended abruptly when AJ Allmendinger — who had clawed from the back of the pack to the front — was swept into a multi-car crash involving Noah Gragson, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and playoff contender Chase Elliott. Elliott’s wreck put the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports team in a perilous playoff position, continuing a tough postseason stretch for Chevrolet.
Stage 2 saw more rhythm as pit strategy took over. Joe Gibbs Racing’s strength became apparent, with Chase Briscoe edging Kyle Larson to claim the stage win and teammate Christopher Bell quietly collecting stage points in fifth.
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As pit cycles unfolded, Briscoe and Bell stayed out of the wrecks that began thinning the field, a move that would prove crucial later.
The final stage was classic Talladega chaos. Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano led a dominant Ford line before two late cautions reset the running order. With 10 laps to go, Zane Smith and Bubba Wallace powered forward, only for Briscoe and Bell to time their runs to perfection.
On the green-white-checkered restart, Larson’s line had control until he ran out of fuel on the final lap, leaving Briscoe to pounce. A perfectly timed push from Ty Gibbs propelled Briscoe past Wallace at the stripe, securing a photo-finish victory that locked him into the Championship 4.
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According to NASCAR, 27 different leaders marked the third-most ever recorded in a Cup Series race, while 77 lead changes ranked as the fourth-highest total in history. The modern-era record of 29 leaders, set in the 2010 Talladega spring race, stood just barely intact, but the 2025 edition officially set a new NextGen standard.
Behind the chaos, heartbreak abounded for top contenders. William Byron spun through the tri-oval, finishing 25th, while Larson coasted home 26th after his fuel miscue.
Bell, meanwhile, escaped unscathed and crossed the line eighth, adding crucial points to strengthen his playoff cushion.
“Ty Gibbs, incredible teammate there. I would not have won that race without Ty,” Briscoe said afterwards. “Just an amazing team effort. I can’t believe I won a superspeedway race. I haven’t done it any level anywhere. Just an unbelievable atmosphere. It’s not hit me. We’re going to Phoenix!”