The 2023 GEICO 500 was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on April 23, 2023, at Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama. Contested over 196 laps – extended from 188 laps due to an overtime finish, on the 2.66 mile (4.28 km) superspeedway, it was the 10th race of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season.
Report
Background
Talladega Superspeedway, formerly known as Alabama International Motor Speedway, is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base in the small city of Lincoln. A tri-oval, the track was constructed in 1969 by the International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France family. Talladega is most known for its steep banking. The track currently hosts NASCAR's Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series. Talladega is the longest NASCAR oval with a length of 2.66-mile-long (4.28 km) tri-oval like the Daytona International Speedway, which is 2.5-mile-long (4.0 km).
Entry list (R) denotes rookie driver. (i) denotes the driver ineligible for series driver points.
Driver Team Manufacturer 1 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 2 Austin Cindric Team Penske Ford 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 8 Kyle Busch Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 14 Chase Briscoe Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 15 Riley Herbst (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 16 A. J. Allmendinger Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 17 Chris Buescher RFK Racing Ford 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 21 Harrison Burton Wood Brothers Racing Ford 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 31 Justin Haley Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 36 Todd Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 38 Zane Smith (i) Front Row Motorsports Ford 41 Ryan Preece Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 42 Noah Gragson (R) Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet 43 Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet 45 Tyler Reddick 23XI Racing Toyota 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 51 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 54 Ty Gibbs (R) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 62 Austin Hill (i) Beard Motorsports Chevrolet 77 Ty Dillon Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 78 B. J. McLeod Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing ChevroletOfficial entry list
Qualifying Denny Hamlin scored the pole for the race with a time of 52.979 and a speed of .
Qualifying results Pos Driver Team Manufacturer 1 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 53.308 52.979 2 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 53.309 53.011 3 54 Ty Gibbs (R) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 53.292 53.025 4 14 Chase Briscoe Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 53.280 53.085 5 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 53.333 53.124 6 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 53.388 53.245 7 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 53.315 53.281 8 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 53.341 53.299 9 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 53.440 53.302 10 17 Chris Buescher RFK Racing Ford 53.417 53.303 11 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 53.455 — 12 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 53.470 — 13 45 Tyler Reddick 23XI Racing Toyota 53.496 — 14 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 53.497 — 15 2 Austin Cindric Team Penske Ford 53.499 — 16 41 Ryan Preece Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 53.509 — 17 8 Kyle Busch Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 53.548 — 18 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 53.559 — 19 16 A. J. Allmendinger Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 53.568 — 20 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 53.611 — 21 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 53.629 — 22 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 53.651 — 23 1 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 53.671 — 24 43 Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet 53.693 — 25 21 Harrison Burton Wood Brothers Racing Ford 53.695 — 26 31 Justin Haley Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 53.745 — 27 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 53.750 — 28 36 Todd Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 53.849 — 29 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 53.874 — 30 42 Noah Gragson (R) Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet 53.902 — 31 62 Austin Hill (i) Beard Motorsports Chevrolet 53.973 — 32 77 Ty Dillon Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 54.033 — 33 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 54.039 — 34 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 54.059 — 35 38 Zane Smith (i) Front Row Motorsports Ford 54.063 — 36 15 Riley Herbst (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 54.106 — 37 78 B. J. McLeod Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet 54.297 — 38 51 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 54.424 —Official qualifying results
Race
During the overtime lap, Kyle Larson's car was t-boned by Ryan Preece in a collision triggered by Ross Chastain and Noah Gragson. The wreck collapsed Larson's passenger side roll cage, described by race winner Kyle Busch as "brick getting rammed into a stick of butter". Neither Larson nor Preece were injured from the collision, but the carnage reignited safety concerns regarding the Next Gen car. NASCAR took both cars to the R&D Center for further investigation.
Race results
Stage Results
Stage One Laps: 60
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 102 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 93 1 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 84 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 75 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 66 2 Austin Cindric Team Penske Ford 57 42 Noah Gragson (R) Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet 48 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 39 41 Ryan Preece Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 210 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 1Official stage one results
Stage Two Laps: 60
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 102 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 93 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 84 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 75 21 Harrison Burton Wood Brothers Racing Ford 66 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 57 41 Ryan Preece Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 48 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 39 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 210 42 Noah Gragson (R) Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet 1Official stage two results
Final Stage Results
Stage Three Laps: 68
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 17 8 Kyle Busch Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 196 402 5 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 196 353 10 17 Chris Buescher RFK Racing Ford 196 344 4 14 Chase Briscoe Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 196 335 20 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 196 326 24 43 Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet 196 317 18 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 196 378 6 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 196 299 22 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 196 2910 28 36 Todd Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 196 2711 38 51 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 196 012 29 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 196 4413 27 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 196 3314 32 77 Ty Dillon Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 196 2315 33 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 196 2316 13 45 Tyler Reddick 23XI Racing Toyota 196 2117 1 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 196 2318 37 78 B. J. McLeod Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet 196 1919 26 31 Justin Haley Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 196 1820 36 15 Riley Herbst (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 196 021 11 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 196 2422 2 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 196 2523 23 1 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 196 2324 31 62 Austin Hill (i) Beard Motorsports Chevrolet 196 025 34 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 196 1326 15 2 Austin Cindric Team Penske Ford 196 1627 7 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 196 1528 12 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 195 1629 19 16 A. J. Allmendinger Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 195 830 8 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 195 1031 3 54 Ty Gibbs (R) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 194 632 30 42 Noah Gragson (R) Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet 189 1033 9 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 189 1034 16 41 Ryan Preece Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 189 935 21 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 189 236 25 21 Harrison Burton Wood Brothers Racing Ford 183 737 35 38 Zane Smith (i) Front Row Motorsports Ford 141 038 14 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 141 1Official race results
Race statistics Lead changes: 57 among 21 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 8 for 34 Red flags: 0 Time of race: 3 hours, 33 minutes, and 25 seconds Average speed:
Media
Television Fox Sports covered their 23rd race at the Talladega Superspeedway. Mike Joy, Clint Bowyer and 2008 fall Talladega winner Tony Stewart called the race from the broadcast booth. Jamie Little, Regan Smith and Josh Sims handled the pit road for the television side. Larry McReynolds provided insight from the Fox Sports studio in Charlotte.
FoxBooth announcersPit reportersIn-race analystLap-by-lap: Mike JoyColor-commentator: Clint BowyerColor-commentator: Tony Stewart Jamie LittleRegan SmithJosh Sims Larry McReynolds
Radio MRN had the radio call for the race which was also simulcasted on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Alex Hayden & Jeff Striegle called the race in the booth when the field raced through the tri-oval. Dave Moody called the race from the Sunoco spotters stand outside turn 2 when the field raced through turns 1 and 2. Mike Bagley called the race from a platform inside the backstretch when the field raced down the backstretch & Dillon Welch called the race from the Sunoco spotters stand outside turn 4 when the field raced through turns 3 and 4. Steve Post, Georgia Henneberry, Chris Wilner and Brienne Pedigo worked pit road for the radio side for MRN.
MRN RadioBooth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Alex HaydenAnnouncer: Jeff Striegle Turns 1 & 2: Dave MoodyBackstretch: Mike BagleyTurns 3 & 4: Dillon Welch Steve PostGeorgia HenneberryChris WilnerBrienne Pedigo
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Christopher Bell 331 2 Ross Chastain 319 (–12) 3 Kevin Harvick 311 (–20) 4 Kyle Larson 295 (–36) 3 5 Kyle Busch 290 (–41) 6 Tyler Reddick 286 (–45) 2 7 Martin Truex Jr. 281 (–50) 2 8 Ryan Blaney 276 (–55) 2 9 Alex Bowman 270 (–61) 1 10 Denny Hamlin 270 (–61) 4 11 Joey Logano 268 (–63) 12 Brad Keselowski 267 (–64) 13 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 247 (–84) 1 14 William Byron 245 (–86) 1 15 Chase Briscoe 243 (–88) 16 Chris Buescher 240 (–91)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Chevrolet 382 2 Toyota 342 (–40) 3 Ford 338 (–44) Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings. . – Driver has clinched a position in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
References