The 2023 YellaWood 500 was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on October 1, 2023, at Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama. Contested over 188 laps on the asphalt superspeedway, it was the 31st race of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season, fifth race of the Playoffs, and second race of the Round of 12.
Report
Background
Talladega Superspeedway, originally known as Alabama International Motor Superspeedway (AIMS), 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. The track is a tri-oval and was constructed in the 1960s by the International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France family. Talladega is most known for its steep banking and the unique location of the start/finish line that's located just past the exit to pit road. The track currently hosts the NASCAR series such as the NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series and the Craftsman Truck Series. Talladega is the longest NASCAR oval with a length of tri-oval like the Daytona International Speedway, which also is a tri-oval.
Entry list (R) denotes rookie driver. (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points. (P) denotes playoff driver. (OP) denotes owner’s playoffs car.
Driver Team Manufacturer 1 Ross Chastain (P) 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 (P) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 6 Brad Keselowski (P) RFK Racing Ford 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 8 Kyle Busch (P) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 9 Chase Elliott (OP) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 11 Denny Hamlin (P) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 12 Ryan Blaney (P) Team Penske Ford 13 Chandler Smith (i) Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 14 Chase Briscoe Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 15 Brennan Poole (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 16 A. J. Allmendinger Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 17 Chris Buescher (P) RFK Racing Ford 19 Martin Truex Jr. (P) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 20 Christopher Bell (P) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 21 Harrison Burton Wood Brothers Racing Ford 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 23 Bubba Wallace (P) 23XI Racing Toyota 24 William Byron (P) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 31 Justin Haley Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 36 Riley Herbst (i) Front Row Motorsports Ford 38 Todd Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 41 Ryan Preece Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 42 Carson Hocevar (i) Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet 43 Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet 45 Tyler Reddick (P) 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 77 Ty Dillon Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 78 B. J. McLeod (i) Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing ChevroletOfficial entry list
Qualifying Aric Almirola scored the pole for the race with a time of 52.715 and a speed of .
Qualifying results Pos Driver Team Manufacturer 1 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 52.944 52.715 2 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 52.761 52.719 3 14 Chase Briscoe Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 52.949 52.724 4 5 Kyle Larson (P) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 52.867 52.746 5 6 Brad Keselowski (P) RFK Racing Ford 52.951 52.757 6 36 Riley Herbst (i) Front Row Motorsports Ford 52.716 52.790 7 2 Austin Cindric Team Penske Ford 52.721 52.823 8 24 William Byron (P) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 52.984 52.926 9 23 Bubba Wallace (P) 23XI Racing Toyota 52.942 52.934 10 12 Ryan Blaney (P) Team Penske Ford 52.933 52.968 11 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 52.992 — 12 11 Denny Hamlin (P) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 53.021 — 13 45 Tyler Reddick (P) 23XI Racing Toyota 53.039 — 14 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 53.048 — 15 20 Christopher Bell (P) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 53.052 — 16 19 Martin Truex Jr. (P) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 53.073 — 17 38 Todd Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 53.085 — 18 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 53.100 — 19 41 Ryan Preece Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 53.105 — 20 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 53.121 — 21 21 Harrison Burton Wood Brothers Racing Ford 53.128 — 22 54 Ty Gibbs (R) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 53.129 — 23 9 Chase Elliott (OP) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 53.142 — 24 17 Chris Buescher (P) RFK Racing Ford 53.143 — 25 8 Kyle Busch Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 53.216 — 26 43 Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet 53.232 — 27 51 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 53.242 — 28 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 53.266 — 29 15 Brennan Poole (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 53.281 — 30 31 Justin Haley Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 53.281 — 31 16 A. J. Allmendinger Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 53.341 — 32 1 Ross Chastain (P) Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 53.365 — 33 77 Ty Dillon Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 53.449 — 34 13 Chandler Smith (i) Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 53.470 — 35 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 53.505 — 36 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 53.731 — 37 78 B. J. McLeod (i) Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet 53.841 — 38 42 Carson Hocevar (i) Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet 0.000 —Official qualifying results
Race
Race results
Stage results
Stage One Laps: 60
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 12 Ryan Blaney (P) Team Penske Ford 102 24 William Byron (P) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 93 5 Kyle Larson (P) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 84 9 Chase Elliott (OP) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 75 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 66 2 Austin Cindric Team Penske Ford 57 31 Justin Haley Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 48 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 39 41 Ryan Preece Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 210 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 1Official stage one results
Stage Two Laps: 60
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 6 Brad Keselowski (P) RFK Racing Ford 102 24 William Byron (P) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 93 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 84 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 75 9 Chase Elliott (OP) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 66 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 57 14 Chase Briscoe Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 48 5 Kyle Larson (P) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 39 77 Ty Dillon Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 210 45 Tyler Reddick (P) 23XI Racing Toyota 1Official stage two results
Final Stage results
Stage Three Laps: 68
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 10 12 Ryan Blaney (P) Team Penske Ford 188 502 8 24 William Byron (P) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 188 533 12 11 Denny Hamlin (P) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 188 344 36 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 188 345 7 2 Austin Cindric Team Penske Ford 188 376 30 31 Justin Haley Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 188 357 23 9 Chase Elliott (OP) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 188 438 19 41 Ryan Preece Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 188 319 6 36 Riley Herbst (i) Front Row Motorsports Ford 188 010 28 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 188 3211 34 13 Chandler Smith (i) Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 188 012 17 38 Todd Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 188 2513 3 14 Chase Briscoe Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 188 2814 15 20 Christopher Bell (P) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 188 2315 4 5 Kyle Larson (P) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 188 3316 13 45 Tyler Reddick (P) 23XI Racing Toyota 188 2217 1 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 188 2018 16 19 Martin Truex Jr. (P) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 188 1919 24 17 Chris Buescher (P) RFK Racing Ford 188 1820 31 16 A. J. Allmendinger Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 188 1721 18 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 188 1622 35 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 188 1523 9 23 Bubba Wallace (P) 23XI Racing Toyota 188 1424 2 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 188 2425 25 8 Kyle Busch (P) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 188 1226 26 43 Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet 188 1127 33 77 Ty Dillon Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 188 1228 20 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 188 1529 37 78 B. J. McLeod (i) Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet 187 030 29 15 Brennan Poole (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 186 031 21 21 Harrison Burton Wood Brothers Racing Ford 175 632 5 6 Brad Keselowski (P) RFK Racing Ford 161 1533 14 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 161 1134 22 54 Ty Gibbs (R) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 161 335 38 42 Carson Hocevar (i) Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet 161 036 27 51 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 83 037 32 1 Ross Chastain (P) Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 59 1DSQ 11 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 188 1Official race results
Race statistics Lead changes: 70 among 24 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 4 for 19 laps Red flags: 1 for 9 minutes and 57 seconds Time of race: 3 hours, 7 minutes, and 25 seconds Average speed: Margin of victory: 0.012 seconds
Media
Television NBC Sports covered the race on the television side. Rick Allen, Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte and six-time Talladega winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. called the race from the broadcast booth. Dave Burns, Kim Coon, Marty Snider, and Dillon Welch handled the pit road duties from pit lane.
NBCBooth announcersPit reporters Lap-by-lap: Rick AllenColor-commentator: Jeff BurtonColor-commentator: Steve LetarteColor-commentator: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dave BurnsKim CoonMarty SniderDillon Welch
Radio MRN had the radio call for the race, which was also simulcasted on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Alex Hayden, Jeff Striegle and Rusty Wallace called the race for MRN when the field races thru the tri-oval. Dave Moody called the action from turn 1, Mike Bagley called the action for MRN when the field races down the backstraightaway, and Kurt Becker called the race from the Sunoco tower just outside of turn 4. Steve Post, Georgia Henneberry, Brienne Pedigo, and Jason Toy called the action for MRN from pit lane.
MRN Booth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Alex HaydenAnnouncer: Jeff StriegleAnnouncer: Rusty Wallace Turns 1 & 2: Dave MoodyBackstretch: Mike BagleyTurns 3 & 4: Kurt Becker Steve PostGeorgia HenneberryBrienne PedigoJason Toy
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 William Byron 3,136 2 Denny Hamlin 3,108 (–28) 1 3 Christopher Bell 3,080 (–56) 7 4 Ryan Blaney 3,078 (–58) 2 5 Chris Buescher 3,077 (–59) 1 6 Martin Truex Jr. 3,075 (–61) 1 7 Kyle Larson 3,073 (–63) 1 8 Brad Keselowski 3,060 (–76) 1 9 Tyler Reddick 3,058 (–78) 1 10 Bubba Wallace 3,051 (–85) 5 11 Ross Chastain 3,050 (–86) 12 Kyle Busch 3,034 (–102) 2 13 Joey Logano 2,111 (–1,025) 14 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 2,111 (–1,025) 1 15 Michael McDowell 2,103 (–1,033) 3 16 Kevin Harvick 2,103 (–1,033)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Chevrolet 1,145 2 Toyota 1,076 (–69) 3 Ford 1,065 (–80)
Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings.
Notes
References