Brad Keselowski picks up victory at Talladega
After 35 lead changes, it was Brad Keselowski who led the final lap in NASCAR Overtime to capture his first win of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season at Talladega Sunday (April 25).
Keselowski passed race leader Matt DiBenedetto on the final lap and beat William Byron to the Start/Finish line, making 2021 the 11th consecutive season Keselowski has picked up at least one win and sixth at the 2.66-mile track.
“I’m just really proud of my team,” Keselowski said. “We had an accident there early and they recovered and got it fixed up to where I could keep running.”
William Byron finished runner-up to Keselowski, posting his eighth consecutive Top-10 finish.
“I think we’re already taking it to the next level, the way we’re running,” Byron said. “Even today with the way we fixed the car, finished second. I feel like next week is just hopefully a continuation of what we’re doing.”
Michael McDowell, who finished third, thought he had a shot at the win.
“Honestly, I was pretty close to timing it,” McDowell said. “I just didn’t drag Brad back enough when I got to his right rear.”
Kevin Harvick and Stage 1 winner Matt DiBenedetto rounded out the Top-5 finishers.
THROUGH THE FIELD
Kaz Grala, with a career high finish, Tyler Reddick, Austin Dillon, Ryan Blaney and Cole Custer rounded out the Top-10.
Rookie-of-the-Year contenders Chase Briscoe and Anthony Alfredo posted career-high finishes in 11th and 12th respectively.
Stage 2 winner Bubba Wallace finished 19th.
Denny Hamlin, who started first and led the most laps (43), finished 32nd.
Defending series champion Chase Elliott finished 24th.
OUTLOOK
The next scheduled race for the Cup Series is at Kansas Speedway on Sunday, May 2.
Denny Hamlin continues to lead driver standings with a full race lead over Martin Truex Jr. (-87 points), Joey Logano (-93 points), William Byron (-95 points) and Ryan Blaney (-100 points).
SOURCES
NASCAR Media
Racing-Reference.info
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Dominic Aragon View All
Dominic Aragon is currently the editor-in-chief for The Racing Experts.
From Grants, New Mexico, USA, Aragon started watching NASCAR in 2004 and has been covering the sport since 2009. Aragon is a 2012 graduate of Grants High School and a May 2016 graduate of the University of New Mexico with a B.A. in Mass Communications & Journalism. Aragon has worked in local and national media, as a musician, and an educator. He is co-author of the 2024 book "All of It: Daytona 500 Champion Tells the Rest of the Story" with racer Geoff Bodine.
Aragon, his wife Feliz, and son Christopher currently reside in Grants, New Mexico, USA.
You can reach Dominic at daragon@theracingexperts.net.