NASCAR at Talladega results: Ryan Blaney took the checkered flag, but Bubba Wallace won

NASCAR completed its overtime Talladega Cup race in typical, thrilling superspeedway fashion despite a one-day postponement and hour-long delay for weather Monday.

With three laps to go, Kevin Harvick raced to the inside of Jimmie Johnson running in second place, spinning out the No. 48 driver and forcing the eighth caution of the race. Teams then had to make a call to either pit or stay out as many dwindled on fuel.

Winner Ryan Blaney stayed out — racing to the inside of Harvick, who led with two laps to go on the restart — and edged ahead of the field running four cars wide at the finish. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. finished in second place and Aric Almirola finished third.

Blaney then emerged from his Ford to a screaming crowd of about 5,000 fans, the loudest the grandstands have been since NASCAR postponed its season in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“Definitely a good ending to the day for sure on our end, being able to inch them out there at the line,” Blaney said after the race.

The No. 12 driver led the most laps (10 times for 63 laps) and secured his first win of the season. But after race, Blaney diverted the attention away from his victory to the powerful moments that occurred before the race, in which the entire NASCAR Cup garage — including all 40 drivers and their teams — pushed Bubba Wallace’s No. 43 Chevrolet to the front of the grid to show their support for the only Black driver in the sport’s top series after a noose was found in his team’s garage Sunday.

“What happened yesterday was disgusting,” Blaney said. “I don’t understand how a person or people can have that hatred in their heart for someone who just looks different than they do.”

Blaney, who is close friends with Wallace, said he was almost brought to tears when he learned about the hateful act Sunday evening.

“He doesn’t deserve that,” Blaney said. “No one deserves that.”

During the pre-race ceremony, Wallace accepted hugs from his fellow Cup competitors before the group stood around him for the national anthem. Team owner Richard Petty traveled to Talladega Superspeedway for the first time during the coronavirus pandemic to stand beside his driver in a show of solidarity.

“This is really a driver initiative,” said Johnson, who was partially responsible for coordinating the group demonstration. “Many drivers chipped in. Kevin Harvick had the idea of pushing Bubba’s car down the frontstretch to the front of the field, have the teams follow. I’m happy to play a role in it.”

Less than 30 minutes after the emotional pre-race ceremony, drivers were racing full speed ahead on the 2.66-mile track.

The superspeedway race ran to completion and included first-time stage wins this season for two drivers — Cup Series rookie Tyler Reddick and Stenhouse Jr., respectively. The overtime race was also capped by a thrilling finish and included two- and three-wide driving for a majority of the 191 laps.

Still, no amount of lead changes — a whopping 56 — 200 mile per hour drafting and number of cheering fans could fully brighten the event that occurred the day before, which cast a shadow much more menacing than rain clouds over the sport Monday.

Because a noose was found in Wallace’s car garage stall. A noose. In 2020.

“As we have stated unequivocally, there is no place for racism in NASCAR,” the sport’s president Steve Phelps reiterated during a call with reporters just before the race. “And this act only strengthens our resolve to make this sport open and welcoming to all.”

The sanctioning body launched an investigation with the FBI to determine who committed the act, while providing heightened security at the track. FBI officials were also on site to begin the investigation process, which includes reviewing video footage from the No. 43 garage stall and cross-checking lists of the limited personnel with access to the area.

Despite his win, Blaney said he was reminded of everything happening off the track. Although he finished ahead of Wallace, who finished in 14th after briefly leading the field during the final stage and running in third with five laps to go, Blaney said he was “obviously going to be behind (Wallace) 100 percent.”

“I have been for 15 years,” Blaney said. “I hope to make it 50 more years supporting him every step along the way. That was definitely a special moment to be a part of before the race.”

Wallace, who started the race in tears, ended it with a smile. The 26-year-old driver emerged from his car after the race, grabbed a water bottle and walked over to the fans donning “Black Lives Matter” t-shirts and chanting his name. He high-fived the supporters and paused for the post-race moment he called “probably the most badass.”

“The sport is changing,” Wallace said on FOX. “The deal that happened yesterday — sorry I’m not wearing my mask — but I wanted to show whoever it was that you’re not going to take away my smile.”

“I’m gonna keep on going.”

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