Talladega Top Ten Starters

1. Michael McDowell
2. Austin Cindric
3. Todd Gilliland
4. Kyle Busch
5. Ryan Blaney
6. Joey Logano
7. Austin Dillon
8. Denny Hamlin
9. Harrison Burton
10. Daniel Hemric

Full Starting Lineup 

Talladega Pre-Race Notes

Christopher Bell and Daniel Suarez both started in the rear of the field due to unapproved adjustments.

Shane van Gisbergen drove the #16.

AJ Allmendinger drove the #13.

Justin Haley drove the #7.

Corey LaJoie drove the #51.

Stage #1 Top Ten Finishers (Lap 60): 17,47,24,5,20,45,1,14,2,12

Stage #2 Top Ten Finishers (Lap 120): 2,9,8,16,24,48,23,12,5,1

Talladega Race Notes

Michael McDowell who started on the pole led the opening 13 laps. Early in the race, McDowell led 36 of the first 38 laps.

Notable: After the competition of lap #1, Daniel Suarez had to do a drive thru penalty. He remained on the lead lap for a short period of time following his penalty.

Running order on lap 10: 34,6,38,17,12,41,3,2,10,8 … 21,19,22,9,47,16,5,14,51,45 … 48,51,7,78,24,31,13,54,44,17 … 23,20,77,43,4,71,11,1,42,99

Big: On lap 12, the field caught up to Daniel Suarez and lapped him and as he was falling back thru the pack, he did a really stupid move and ducked in front of BJ McLeod and crashed himself. This brought out the first caution. McLeod didn’t appear to have any level of damage that impacted him competitively.

Running order on lap 20: 34,6,3,2,17,10,8,12,19,41 … 47,21,38,22,14,7,9,15,48,45 … 54,31,4,11,16,24,1,71,13,43 … 5,23,51,62,78,42,77,20,44,99

Running order on lap 30: 34,38,8,41,7,2,17,6,48,12 … 31,3,47,11,10,1,22,19,71,45 … 9,13,14,5,21,62,4,15,78,24 … 16,44,20,23,54,51,43,42,77,99

Running order on lap 40: 7,1,2,34,5,17,38,54,12,48 … 8,20,47,31,24,22,11,41,45,43 … 6,23,78,21,3,51,14,10,9,4 … 19,15,42,71,44,16,13,62,77,99

Running order on lap 50: 1,31,11,54,48,5,2,43,7,20 … 17,34,78,24,12,21,38,23,47,14 … 22,51,16,45,41,9,15,42,8,77 … 10,13,44,71,4,3,6,19,62,99

Running order on lap 57: 1,48,2,7,47,12,34,5,45,38 … 17,24,22,20,54,9,43,51,11,14 … 41,6,15,23,21,16,42,13,78,8 … 31,10,71,4,44,77,19,62,3,99

On the last lap of Stage #1, Chris Buescher made a pass for the Stage win.

Stage #1 Top Ten Finishers (Lap 60): 17,47,24,5,20,45,1,14,2,12

Running order on lap 73: 17,20,12,34,2,22,54,14,45,41 … 51,47,4,42,21,10,15,8,16,24 …  1,5,9,71,6,11,3,43,7,77 … 19,31,13,23,38,48,78,44,99,62

Running order on lap 80: 34,17,15,21,51,14,20,12,41,54 … 2,4,45,22,47,10,8,16,77,1 … 5,42,9,6,24,38,7,3,71,19 …  11,23,13,43,78,48,31,44,62,99

Notable: On lap 83, a contingent of Ford cars came to pit road to begin a round of green flag pit stops.

Notable: Brad Keselowski and Todd Gilliland missed pit road on lap 83. It was a costly mistake at the time. This put them at risk of getting lapped.

Notable: On lap 94 during extended green flag pit stops, Martin Truex Jr. spun out on entry of pit road.

Running order on lap 100 (During an extended green flag pit cycle): 16,12,2,22,9,71,51,77,8,21 … 31,78,3,1,24,48,5,47,7,17 … 14,34,41,4,10,23,45,54,43,13 … 20,42,11,6,38,44,62,15,19,99

On lap 101 while leading, it was mentioned that Justin Haley had some sort of brake pedal issue.

Running order on lap 110: 2,9,12,16,24,8,23,1,31,48 … 5,54,22,45,51,43,11,71,21,47 … 77,17,42,4,14,7,10,41,34,20 … 78,3,13,6,38,15,19,99,62,44

Notable: On lap 116, Michael McDowell came to pit road as strategy play.

Running order on lap 116: 2,9,12,16,8,24,1,23,48,31 … 5,54,22,45,43,51,17,11,21,47 … 71,14,10,41,4,42,77,34,20,78 … 3,6,38,15,19,13,7,99,62,44

Big: On the last lap of Stage #2 coming to the line, Ryan Blaney was wrecked. Drivers collected in the carnage were the 45,48,34,17,9,13,2,21,22,42,14,23,10,99,51,4,38,62,71,19,16,20,43. Blaney and Chastain who were both running near the front were done for the day.

Stage #2 Top Ten Finishers (Lap 120): 2,9,8,16,24,48,23,12,5,1

Notable: Alex Bowman got a pit penalty during the Stage #2 caution.