The last race of the Cup Series takes place on the Talladega Superspeedway, the fastest track in NASCAR, on Sunday.
While spectators may not see the untested speed of previous races, they can at least expect many 200-mile laps of bumper-to-bumper groupings – and the constant threat of obliterations.
The biggest story in the 2021 Geico 500 is whether Denny Hamlin, owner of the 2021 Cup series, owner of 434 points and eight top 5 finishes – including six in a row – can claim his first win of the season. Fortunately, he has five super speedway wins, including his last one at the Yellawood 500 2020. Even though he has driven this year, it’s only a matter of time before he sees the checkered flag first.
Behind him on Sunday are Joey Logano (third overall with 352 points), Martin Truex Jr. (second with 353 points and the only two-time winner this year) and William Byron (fourth with 310 points).
Sporting News is following live updates and lap-by-lap highlights from the NASCAR race in Talladega. Follow for full results of the Geico 500.
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NASCAR at Talladega Live Updates, Geico 500 Highlights
All times east.
3:17 pm: Preece and Matt DiBenedetto are fighting for first place, only three laps left in the first stage. Both are looking for their first career win.
3:15 pm: And now it’s Ryan Preece in the leading group with only five laps left in the first stage.
3:11 pm: Logano just pushed Blaney to the top of the lead, giving Team Penske teammates the first two places in the race with 10 laps to go.
3:05 pm: Hamlin, Keselowski, Blaney, Kyle Busch and Logano make up the top 5 of the second warning with only 17 laps left on the stage.
3 p.m .: Second caution: We’re on our second caution after Joey Gase threw his 28cc car out; Corey LaJoie hardly avoided him.
2:56 pm: Kyle Busch briefly took the lead from teammate Joe Gibbs, who quickly regained the lead.
2:48 pm: Out of caution: Hamlin i at the top, followed by Kyle Busch, Blaney, Christopher Bell and Byron in the top five.
2:45 pm: Then there is Harrison Burton, making his Talladega debut, pulling a gas can from the pit lane.
2:43 pm: Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Blaney, Byron, Kurt Buch, Austin Dillon, and Blaney are under the caution of competition .; Truex did too and will move backwards in the row of pits after accelerating.
2:40 p.m .: Be careful with the competition: Kyle Busch leads the field after 25 laps and expresses the first caution of the competition.
2:31 pm: Larson is ready for the day. In times like these, you really miss getting out on the track before the race. Might have helped his team notice something about the car:
2.30: And now Wallace is on top! Excellent driving from him to get from worst to first. Kevin Harvick, Ross Chastain, Tyler Reddick and Chase Elliott round out the top 5.
2:26 pm: Meanwhile, Larson’s car is smoking; He tried to rejoin the race but now only goes nine laps to Talladega in the garage.
2:25 pm: Bubba Wallace has made considerable progress after joining the line-up and is currently in fifth place.
2:23 pm: According to the Fox broadcast, all of the Toyota cars that drove back passed the inspection initially – but on the start line, NASCAR officials apparently saw something they didn’t like about the contouring of the cars on the driver’s side and moved everyone back but Kyle Busch . A little more detail:
It was an A Mail violation of the cars falling backwards: Hamlin Truex Bell Wallace and HBurton (not Suarez) who are now all backing up to make unauthorized adjustments
– Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) April 25, 2021
2:22 pm: Kyle Larson is already struggling with temperature issues. A little early for that, but we’ll see how that works out.
2:20 pm: William Byron and Logano swap between first and second place one lap before the start of the race.
2:20 pm: And they are gone!
2:19 pm: All Toyota vehicles except Kyle Busch (ninth on the line-up) are moving backwards due to unapproved adjustments. These include pole leader Hamlin and Truex Jr. Incredible.
2:08 pm: Hip-hop duo tag team with the famous words “start your engines.” Green flag is coming soon.
1:55 pm: No problems with the weather:
NASCAR race start time
The green flag for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway is slated to fly shortly after 2 p.m. ET.
NASCAR line-up in Talladega
Here is the complete starting grid for the GEICO 500 without qualification:
| Start pos. | driver | Car no. | team |
| 1 | Denny Hamlin | 11 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 2 | Joey Logano | 22nd | Team Penske |
| 3 | Martin Truex Jr. | 19th | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 4th | William Byron | 24 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 5 | Alex Bowman | 48 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 6th | Christopher Bell | 20th | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 7th | Ryan Blaney | 12th | Team Penske |
| 8th | Chase Elliott | 9 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 9 | Kyle Busch | 18th | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 10 | Brad Keselowski | 2 | Team Penske |
| 11 | Austin Dillon | 3 | Richard Childress Racing |
| 12th | Kyle Larson | 5 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 13th | Matt DiBenedetto | 21 | Wood Brothers Racing |
| 14th | Aric Almirola | 10 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| fifteen | Kurt Busch | 1 | Chip Ganassi Racing |
| 16 | Kevin Harvick | 4th | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 17th | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 47 | JTG Daugherty Racing |
| 18th | Ross Chastain | 42 | Chip Ganassi Racing |
| 19th | Daniel Suarez | 99 | Trackhouse Racing Team |
| 20th | Tyler Reddick | 8th | Richard Childress Racing |
| 21 | Chris Buescher | 17th | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 22nd | Erik Jones | 43 | Richard Petty Motorsports |
| 23 | Michael McDowell | 34 | Motorsport in the front row |
| 24 | Bubba Wallace | 23 | 23XI Racing |
| 25th | Chase Briscoe | 14th | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 26th | Corey LaJoie | 7th | Spire Motorsports |
| 27 | Cole Custer | 41 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 28 | Ryan Newman | 6th | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 29 | Ryan Preece | 37 | JTG Daugherty Racing |
| 30th | Anthony Alfredo | 38 | Motorsport in the front row |
| 31 | BJ McLeod | 78 | Live motorsport fast |
| 32 | Quin Houff | 00 | StarCom Racing |
| 33 | Cody ware | 51 | Petty Ware Racing |
| 34 | Justin Haley | 77 | Spire Motorsports |
| 35 | Joey Gase | 28 | Rick Ware Racing |
| 36 | Josh Bilicki | 52 | Rick Ware Racing |
| 37 | JJ Yeley | fifteen | Rick Ware Racing |
| 38 | Kaz Grala | 16 | Cheeky Racing |
| 39 | Harrison Burton | 96 | Gaunt Brothers Racing |
| 40 | Timmy Hill | 66 | MBM Motorsport |
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