Ricky Stenhouse Jr. gets First NASCAR Win at Talladega [VIDEO, PHOTOS]

Posted on May 8, 2017

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. got his first win NASCAR‘s top division Sunday afternoon in the Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.

Ricky started the race from the pole at the track simply called “Dega” by fans and drivers. The track is considered a “wild card” because of its massive 2.66-mile distance around and wide racing surface. The “pack racing” while at full speed typically makes drivers fear and fans anticipate the “Big One” when NASCAR races at “Dega.”

Most of the 188-lap race was handled very well by the drivers from the front to the rear of the field. There were only five caution periods over the first 161 laps of the race. Two of those yellow flags were issued at the end of the first two segments which were won by Brad Keselowski (Stage 1) and Denny Hamlin (Stage 2). The early cautions for track incidents only included four total cars among the three caution periods not at the end of the stages of the race.

However, nearing the end of the race intensity increased and the “Big One” did happen. AJ Allmendinger taps the rear of Chase Elliott’s car while the two were racing at the front of the pack. Both cars get sideways as a result collecting 14 other cars in the ensuing melee. Two more yellow flags would be issued after that one for a total of eight in the race. The final yellow would send the race into the NASCAR overtime of a green-white-checkered finish.

Kyle Busch had the lead on the race’s final restart. He was one of 14 drivers to exchange the race 25 times during the race to that point. There would be one more lead change on the last lap.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was able to rebound from some incidents during the race to pass Kyle on the last lap to capture his first win of his career in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. The win was also the first for Jack Roush and Roush Fenway Racing since 2014 breaking a 101 race winless streak.

Jamie McMurray finished in second place as he was also able to get past Kyle Busch on the last lap relegating Kyle to a third place finish. Aric Almirola captured the fourth place finish with Kasey Kahne coming across the line in fifth place. See the complete race results in the Geico 500 at Talladega here.

Kyle Larson continues to lead the point standings following the race at “Dega” with Martin Truex Jr. holding at second place. Brad Keselowski moves up two spots to third place in the standings. Chase Elliott falls back a spot to fourth. After the penalty that was issued for a rule violation to Joey Logano following his win last week in Richmond and being part of the “Big One” in the “Dega” race this week, Joey Logano falls out of the top five in the standings allowing Jamie McMurray to move into fifth place. See the complete NASCAR Monster Energy Point Standings here.

The teams will be racing Saturday night under the lights this week as NASCAR heads to Kansas Speedway for the Go Bowling 400 May 13th.

By: Buck Stevens

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2017 Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway

TALLADEGA, AL - MAY 07: Fans participate in pre-race activities prior to during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on May 7, 2017 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo courtesy of NASCARmedia.com/by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images)
TALLADEGA, AL - MAY 07: Fans participate in pre-race activities prior to during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on May 7, 2017 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo courtesy of NASCARmedia.com/by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images)

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