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NASCAR: Brad Keselowski wins Cup Talladega wreckfest

By Alex Herbst

TALLADEGA, AL - OCTOBER 15: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Ford, celebrates in victory lane after winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Alabama 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 15, 2017 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
TALLADEGA, AL - OCTOBER 15: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Ford, celebrates in victory lane after winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Alabama 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 15, 2017 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /
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In a race that saw one of the smallest fields finish the race in modern NASCAR history, Brad Keselowski won a wreck-filled Alabama 500 at Talladega.

One year ago, Talladega Superspeedway served as the cutoff race at the end of the Chase Round of 12. After a controversial finish and wrecks deciding who advances, NASCAR made the reasonable decision to move the race up one week to the middle of the round in the playoffs. That still didn’t stop more than half the field from wrecking on Sunday, but Brad Keselowski survived to end the race in victory lane.

Keselowski, who won in his 300th career NASCAR Cup Series start on Sunday in the Alabama 500, survived one of the most carnage-filled races in recent memory. Just 14 cars were on the track to take the checkered flag, and just 13 running on the lead lap.

Out of the 12 playoff drivers in the race on Sunday, only four finished the race. On the positive side, Keselowski joins his teammate Joey Logano and others in winning in their 300th start. Both Team Penske drivers accomplished that feat this year.

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Many hoped that Dale Earnhardt Jr. would go to the winner’s circle on Sunday in his final restrictor plate track start. He began the race on pole, his first at Talladega, and survived many close calls with major incidents on track. Unfortunately, NASCAR’s most popular driver would fall just short, finishing in 7th.

Following Keselowski home in the Alabama 500 was Ryan Newman in 2nd, Trevor Bayne in 3rd, Joey Logano in 4th, and Aric Almirola in 5h. Keselowski’s win completes the Ford sweep of the superspeedway tracks in 2017, and their sixth in a row.

With many of the playoff drivers wrecking out of the race, no one is safe heading into the playoff elimination race at Kansas Speedway. Entering the heartland, four drivers are on the outside looking in – Matt Kenseth, Jamie McMurray, Kyle Busch, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Here are the full race results from the Alabama 500 at Talladega Superspeedway (playoff drivers in italics):

  1. Brad Keselowski, Ford, Team Penske
  2. Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing
  3. Trevor Bayne, Ford, Roush-Fenway Racing
  4. Joey Logano, Ford, Team Penske
  5. Aric Almirola, Ford, Richard Petty Motorsports
  6. Denny Hamlin, Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing
  7. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports
  8. Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports
  9. Gray Gaulding, Toyota, BK Racing
  10. David Ragan, Ford, Front Row Motorsports
  11. Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, Germain Racing
  12. Paul Menard, Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing
  13. Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, Chip Ganassi Racing
  14. Matt Kenseth, Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing
  15. Daniel Suarez, Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing
  16. Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports
  17. Chris Buescher, Chevrolet, JTG-Daugherty Racing
  18. Ryan Blaney, Ford, Wood Brothers Racing
  19. Brendan Gaughan, Chevrolet, Beard Racing
  20. Kevin Harvick, Ford, Stewart-Haas Racing
  21. Danica Patrick, Ford, Stewart-Haas Racing
  22. A.J. Allmendinger, Chevrolet, JTG-Daugherty Racing
  23. Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, Furniture Row Racing
  24. Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports
  25. Kurt Busch, Ford, Stewart-Haas Racing
  26. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford, Roush-Fenway Racing
  27. Kyle Busch, Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing
  28. Landon Cassill, Ford, Front Row Motorsports
  29. Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing
  30. Michael McDowell, Chevrolet, Leavine Family Racing
  31. Matt DiBenedetto, Ford, Go Fas Racing
  32. Joey Gase, Toyota, BK Racing
  33. D.J. Kennington, Toyota, Premium Motorsports
  34. Cole Whitt, Chevrolet, TriStar Motorsports
  35. Clint Bowyer, Ford, Stewart-Haas Racing
  36. Erik Jones, Toyota, Furniture Row Racing
  37. Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, Chip Ganassi Racing
  38. Jeffrey Earnhardt, Chevrolet, TMG-Circle Sport Racing
  39. Mark Thompson, Chevrolet, Premium Motorsports
  40. Justin Marks, Chevrolet, Tommy Baldwin Racing

Next: Kenseth the School Bus Driver in 2018?

The next race for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series is the next elimination race in the pursuit for the championship. Only eight drivers will remain in the hunt for the Cup after Kansas. Tune in for coverage of the Hollywood Casino 400 from Kansas Speedway on Sunday, October 22 on NBCSN.

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