Ryan Blaney booked his place in the semi-finals of the NASCAR Playoffs by edging Kevin Harvick by 0.012s at Talladega to win the Yellawood 500.
A largely calm race featured a red flag with 27 laps to go after an incident on the front straight that eliminated Stage 2 winner and fancied runner Brad Keselowski and the likes of Austin Dillon and Ty Gibbs.
Another brief caution for debris followed after the suspension but the race boiled down toa. typical Talladega finish with three lanes vying for the lead with Blaney and Harvick running one-two.
Blaney was on the inside, and just managed to fend off the charging Harvick in his final superspeedway event before retirement by just 0.012s as a wreck ensued behind.
Blaney joins third-placed William Bryon in securing a spot in the semi-finals of the Playoffs, with just the Charlotte Roval remaining in the Round of 12.
As it stands, Kyle Larson, Bubba Wallace, Tyler Reddick and Kyle Busch are the drivers below the bubble, with Blaney actually 11th in points, but locked in by dint of his win.
Stewart Haas Racing duo Ryan Preece and Chase Briscoe - sporting Ricky Bobby and Cal Naughton Jr liveries from Talladega Nights ran strongly and finished ninth and 14th, respectively.
Full 2023 NASCAR Cup Yellawood 500 results from Talladega
| Position | Driver | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Ryan Blaney - Playoffs | #12 Team Penske |
| 2nd | Kevin Harvick | #4 Stewart Haas Racing |
| 3rd | William Byron - Playoffs | #24 Hendrick Motorsports |
| 4th | Denny Hamlin - Playoffs | #11 Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 5th | Corey Lajoie | #7 Spire Motorsports |
| 6th | Austin Cindric | #2 Team Penske |
| 7th | Justin Haley | #31 Kaulig Racing |
| 8th | Chase Elliott | #9 Hendrick Motorsports |
| 9th | Ryan Preece | #41 Stewart Haas Racing |
| 10th | Riley Herbst | #36 Front Row Motorsports |
| 11th | Daniel Suarez | #99 Trackhouse Racing |
| 12th | Chandler Smith | #13 Kaulig Racing |
| 13th | Todd Gilliland | #38 Front Row Motorsports |
| 14th | Chase Briscoe | #14 Stewart Haas Racing |
| 15th | Christopher Bell - Playoffs | #20 Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 16th | Kyle Larson - Playoffs | #5 Hendrick Motorsports |
| 17th | Tyler Reddick - Playoffs | #45 23XI Racing |
| 18th | Aric Almirola | #10 Stewart Haas Racing |
| 19th | Martin Truex Jr - Playoffs | #19 Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 20th | Chris Buescher - Playoffs | #17 Roush Fenway Keselowski |
| 21st | AJ Allmendinger | #16 Kaulig Racing |
| 22nd | Michael McDowell | #34 Front Row Motorsports |
| 23rd | Ricky Stenhouse Jr | #47 JTG Daugherty |
| 24th | Bubba Wallace - Playoffs | #23 23XI Racing |
| 25th | Joey Logano | #22 Team Penske |
| 26th | Kyle Busch - Playoffs | #8 Richard Childress Racing |
| 27th | Erik Jones | #43 Legacy Motor Club |
| 28th | Ty Dillon | #77 Spire Motorsports |
| 29th | Alex Bowman | #48 Hendrick Motorsports |
| 30th | BJ McLeod | #78 Live Fast Motorsports |
| 31st | Brennan Poole | #15 Rick Ware Racing |
| 32nd | Harrison Burton | #21 Wood Brothers Racing |
| 33rd | Brad Keselowski - Playoffs | #6 Roush Fenway Keselowski |
| 34th | Austin Dillon | #3 Richard Childress Racing |
| 35th | Ty Gibbs | #54 Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 36th | Carson Hocevar | #42 Legacy Motor Club |
| 37th | JJ Yeley | #51 Rick Ware Racing |
| 38th | Ross Chastain - Playoffs | #1 Trackhouse Racing |
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