Talladega Superspeedway is known for producing insane last-lap passes – and that’s exactly what drafting track ace Austin Cindric did on April 27th, 2025. He slingshot his No. 2 NASCAR Ford Mustang Dark Horse ahead of the pack when it mattered most, thundering down the front stretch heading toward the start/finish line for the final time.
To avoid becoming mired deep in the pack and miss his shot at the victory, Cindric’s NASCAR Ford team capitalized on pit stops, electing to make quick stops to simply fill the tank instead of service the car fully. That allowed Cindric to keep his No. 2 Mustang on pace with the leaders, giving him a shot at the line when it mattered most. Interestingly, Cindric received help from a Chevy driver, Kyle Larson, to lunge out in front of the pack.
“It definitely wasn’t easy,” Cindric said of holding off the Hendrick teammates for the checkered flag. “I give a lot of credit, Kyle [Larson] did a lot to take care of me, pushing me at the right times in the tri-oval and as mad as I was at him after Atlanta [race], I feel like we’re good now. That was great and having a photo-finish at Talladega and get in the Playoffs in front of this amazing crowd, beautiful day in Alabama.”
Cindric crossed the line .002 seconds ahead of the No. 60 NASCAR Ford of Ryan Preece, who was ultimately disqualified for illegal parts on his race car. Larson was credited with P2, followed by Chevy driver William Byron, while the No. 4 NASCAR Ford of Noah Gragson finished fourth. Chase Elliott’s Chevy rounded out the top five after penalties were handed out, as Joey Logano’s No. 22 NASCAR Ford Mustang also failed postrace inspection.
Brad Keselowski, driver of the No. 6 Mustang, was taken out in an early race incident. During a pit stop cycle, traffic became stacked up, tagging Keselowski and causing his race car to wreck. Ryan Blaney’s No. 12 Mustang also retired early due to damage sustained in the same crash.
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