NASCAR Talladega race winners and losers: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. wins, Penske Racing struggles

The NASCAR Cup Series drivers found out the toughness Talladega Superspeedway brings.

Sunday's YellaWood 500 produced the largest wreck in NASCAR Cup Series history with 28 cars, including six Cup Series Playoffs drivers, another wreck involving a playoff driver and the first Ricky Stenhouse Jr. victory since the 2023 Daytona 500.

Here are the winners and losers from Sunday's NASCAR race at Talladega Superspeedway.

HOW IT HAPPENED: NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega: Live updates, highlights, leaderboard of YellaWood 500

TALLADEGA RESULTS: Who won NASCAR Cup race in Talladega? Winner is Ricky Stenhouse Jr., plus full results

PLAYOFF PICTURE: NASCAR playoff picture: Cup Series points standings after Talladega

RYAN BLANEY, ROSS CHASTAIN WRECK: Ryan Blaney out at Talladega with crash at end of stage two

Winners

William Byron

Byron was about 10 feet away from winning Sunday's race. He made a move on the outside to try and pass Ricky Stenhouse at the line, but just came up short. While the disappointment of not winning the race may sting, Byron can race at Charlotte comfortably as he clinched a spot in the Round of 8 for the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.

Kyle Larson

Larson finished fourth and had an outside chance of winning the race if the leaders had wrecked or if he could have made a move. He was boxed in on the low side pushing Brad Keselowski at the finish. Larson had a slight issue on pit road after the first stage where he overdrove the pit box and needed to back up, which cost the team track position. However, he was able to work through the field and earn his 12th top five of the season and 15th top 10 finish.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

It's easy to pick the race winner, but Stenhouse found himself at the front most of the day and led 19 laps. He also fended off getting the left door slapped by Austin Cindric as part of "The Big One," then held off Brad Keselowski and William Byron to score his first win since the 2023 Daytona 500.

Losers

Ryan Blaney

Ryan Blaney, the defending Cup Series champion, was running in the top 10 for a good portion of the race, but he was caught up in a wreck at the end of the second stage when Alex Bowman hit his rear bumper, which sent Blaney into Shane van Gisbergen then up into the outside wall, collecting Ross Chastain. The one silver lining is Blaney sits on the positive side of the cut line going into the elimination race at Charlotte.

Austin Cindric

Cindric led 29 laps on Sunday and looked to be in a great spot to gain a huge jump in the playoff standings or even win and clinch a spot in the Round of 8. However, he was the car that triggered the 28-car wreck and wiped all of his positive momentum away in an instant. Cindric now needs to go to the Charlotte ROVAL next weekend and win because he finds himself in 11th of the 12 playoff drivers.

Joey Logano

Joey Logano won the first race of the Cup Series Playoffs at Atlanta but hasn't won since. Logano got caught up in the wreck which took out Ryan Blaney and had some front-end damage to his No. 22 Penske Racing Ford. However, Logano was able to overcome it and get back to the front, leading 19 laps. Then, Logano was caught up in the big wreck triggered by his teammate, Austin Cindric, and ended up finishing 33rd. Logano now sits in the first driver out of the Round of 8 heading to Charlote.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: NASCAR Talladega race winners and losers: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. wins, Penske Racing struggles