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During the first stage of the Talladega race, at Lap 43 out of 60, green-flag pit stops were in full swing when chaos unfolded as a group of Ford drivers attempted to enter the pit lane. This incident led to significant damage for three notable Cup champions early in the 500-mile race.
The trouble began when Brad Keselowski from RFK Racing, the driver with the most victories at Talladega among active competitors, slowed down to make his pit stop. Kyle Busch, unable to react in time, collided with the rear of Keselowski’s car, causing both to spin across the track. As they veered sideways, Keselowski’s car struck Alex Bowman’s No. 48 vehicle, ultimately leading to Ryan Blaney being clipped on the right-rear by Keselowski’s spinning car as well.
In the heat of the moment, Busch expressed confusion over the incident on his radio. “I don’t know what happened,” he said. “We never dropped below the yellow line. I don’t know if they checked up too much for him or what.” His car suffered damage, particularly to the toe alignment, necessitating repairs on his No. 8 Chevrolet.
Reactions from Keselowski and Blaney
With Busch managing to continue in the race, both Keselowski and Blaney had to retire their vehicles. They were officially out of contention following the collision.
Keselowski, speaking to reporters after leaving the infield care center, reflected on the incident: “Just a stack of guys trying to come to pit road as fast as they could. We were kind of the ham in the sandwich. I got squeezed. I signaled to everyone I was pitting, but I didn’t get a chance to turn left. It’s disappointing that it ruined not just our day but others’ too, but I don’t think I could have done anything differently.”
Blaney also thought he had navigated the situation successfully until Keselowski’s sudden maneuver left him with no options. This marked his fourth DNF in the first ten races of the season. “I feel like we’re usually good at getting to pit road,” Blaney said. “It was that point in the race where everyone was looking to save fuel and pit. I didn’t foresee anything happening. From what I could see, Brad was trying to get to pit road, and I think Kyle behind him didn’t see it and just ran into him.” He added, “It just stinks. Another DNF isn’t fun, and we’ve faced our fair share of troubles this year. Hopefully, we can remedy that.”
At the conclusion of the race, Keselowski finished in 36th place while Blaney came in at 37th, each securing just a single point. Despite the incident, Busch’s car managed to finish 27th in the final standings.
Talladega Race Recap
This incident emphasizes the unpredictable nature of superspeedway racing and the constant challenge drivers face during high-stakes moments like pit stops. As the season progresses, teams will undoubtedly seek ways to improve their strategies and avoid such pitfalls, aiming for greater consistency and competitive results.
Source
www.motorsport.com