Ryan Blaney held off the pack to win at Talladega after a chaotic final lap. Kevin Harvick had the lead heading into the last stretch, staying low to block the inside lane. Blaney sat just behind, waiting for his moment. As Harvick moved up to block Blaney’s charge, Blaney ducked underneath and grabbed the inside line with help from a drafting teammate. That push made the difference.
Things got messy behind them. Car 36 tried to jump into a third lane to either charge forward or block others from passing. That move backfired. The car behind clipped him, sending both spinning. One of them took out another contender, but the car behind Blaney kept pushing clean. Harvick lost his draft help and couldn’t hang on. Blaney edged him out at the line, while several others crossed sideways in a wrecked mess.
Blaney celebrated the win with a quick burnout. It was his third career victory at Talladega and a key moment in the playoffs. The margin wasn’t even his closest at the track, but it was enough to seal the win after a fast, wreck-filled finish.