NASCAR playoffs at Talladega, 3 takeaways as Ricky Stenhouse wins. Updated playoff standings

Talladega didn’t disappoint.

Well, assuming you’re into that sort of thing.

Forget Texas, everything is truly bigger at Talladega , NASCAR’s oversized superspeedway.

That includes the Big One, the inevitable multi-car crash that can strike at any time but seems to swell in possibility when the shadows are growing long.

And whaddaya know! With four laps to go, the Big One bowed up and redefined the term, claiming well over half the field and shaking up the playoff race along its smoky way.

GREAT AMERICAN READ Celebrate a fast-paced history of the Daytona 500 with new book; foreword by Richard Petty

The roll call went 28 deep. They tell us 28 is a new record for the Big One, and who’s to argue?

You know who loved it? Ricky Stenhouse. The plate-racin’, superspeedway ace got another big-track win. It’s his second at Talladega, to match his two at Daytona. And that makes up the four career wins for the Mississippi native.

1. Somehow, the OT at Talladega was clean

Stenhouse started the two-lap overtime with the lead and battled side-by-side with Brad Keselowski through the entire two laps, finishing six thousandths of a second ahead at the stripe. That’s about the length of your hand.

“This team has put a lot of hard work in. We knew this track is one of ours to come get,” Ricky said afterward.

With the Stenhouse win, three of the first five playoff races have been won by a non-playoff driver.

2. The BIGGER One at Talladega, a new NASCAR standard

The reason for overtime was the massive crash that presumably couldn’t be avoided. Austin Cindric was leading and had put a decent gap on the trailing Keselowski in the low lane.

Problem was, Kez got a big push from the car behind him, who got a push from the car behind him, and so on.

“Got a push from the 21, it transferred to the 6, and transferred to the 2,” explained Joey Logano, who gave Kez the big bump into Cindric to trigger the massive crash.

Cindric: “Obviously, incredibly frustrated. Great shot to win the race. Put ourselves in position. I don’t feel like complaining right now. I’m too pissed off and it won’t do anything.”

Pole winner Michael McDowell: “When you get down to five or six laps to go, you feel like it’s coming.”

3. NASCAR Playoffs Round of 12 will conclude at the Charlotte Roval

And now for something completely different ...

In the Round of 12, NASCAR's Cup Series started with normal intermediate track at Kansas, then came wild and wooly (and mammoth) Talladega. And now it's time to recalibrate entirely as the fifth and final road-course race of the season approaches next Sunday from the Roval at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

That's the last you'll hear of the Round of 12, because after the Roval the playoff field will be cut to the top eight drivers and teams for the ... you guessed it ... the Round of 8.

Updated NASCAR playoff standings

Here’s the updated situation with one race left before the top eight advance and 9-through-12 join those looking for the type of consolation prize Stenhouse grabbed at Talladega.

1. William Byron — Has clinched advance to Round of 8

2. Christopher Bell — +57 ahead of 9th

3. Kyle Larson — +52

4. Denny Hamlin — +30

5. Alex Bowman — +26

6. Ryan Blaney — +25

7. Tyler Reddick — +14

8. Chase Elliott — +13

9. Joey Logano — -13

10. Daniel Suarez — -20

11. Austin Cindric — -29

12. Chase Briscoe — -32

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: NASCAR playoffs at Talladega, 3 takeaways as Ricky Stenhouse wins. Updated playoff standings