Team Penske NASCAR Cup Series Race Report - Talladega

April 28, 2025


Jack Link's 500 - Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega, Alabama - April 27, 2025

(Stage finishes reflect results prior to post-race inspection. Race finishes reflect results following post-race inspection.)


AUSTIN CINDRIC No. 2 MENARDS/QUAKER STATE FORD MUSTANG

START: 7TH     
STAGE 1: 21ST     
STAGE 2: 4TH     
FINISH: 1ST     
POINTS: 14TH
 

RACE RUNDOWN: Austin Cindric and the No. 2 Menards/Quaker State Ford Mustang team powered their way to victory on Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway, winning the Jack Link's 500 and delivering Roush Yates Engines its 200th points-paying NASCAR Cup Series victory. The win marked Cindric's third career Cup Series triumph. After a solid qualifying effort that placed all three Team Penske entries inside the top 10, Cindric rolled off seventh and quickly settled into the fast-paced, three-and-four-wide racing that took shape just laps into the race. He reported early that the No. 2 Ford was handling well and remained steady through the opening stage, finishing 21st after a pit stop for fuel only. In Stage 2, Cindric methodically worked his way forward, climbing into the top five and securing a fourth-place finish at the stage end to bank valuable points. After restarting 10th for the final segment, Cindric stayed patient in the draft and kept the No. 2 Mustang clear of trouble. In a race typically known for its chaos and close calls, Cindric and the No. 2 team executed when it mattered most, surging through the late-race battles to take the checkered flag.

CINDRIC'S THOUGHTS: "It takes everything and we've had it so many races here and you've got to have a little bit more. I'm just so proud of everybody on this race team. Team Penske, the entire shop deserves wins at these racetracks with how fast our race cars are and I'm just so proud to be able to win for John Menard and the Menards team - to get this yellow car in Victory Lane and get in the playoffs."


RYAN BLANEY No. 12 ADVANCE AUTO PARTS FORD MUSTANG

START: 9TH     
STAGE 1: 39TH     
STAGE 2: 39TH     
FINISH: 37TH     
POINTS: 8TH
 

RACE RUNDOWN: A promising day for Ryan Blaney and the No. 12 Advance Auto Parts Ford Mustang team ended on lap 43. Blaney would roll from seventh starting position and hold steady in the lead pack conserving fuel to the first round of pit stops. Unfortunately, Blaney would be an innocent bystander when two cars would get together triggering a multi-car accident. The damage to the right rear suspension would prove to be too much and ended the day for the No. 12 team.

BLANEY'S THOUGHTS: "We just broke too many pieces in the right-rear. That took all the damage. The right-rear wheel and it broke everything. We couldn't fix it, unfortunately, but I don't really know. I kind of saw a little bit of a replay. It looked like a group of guys trying to get to pit road and maybe some guys not knowing that they were coming to pit road and not giving them any room. I saw the 8 and 6 kind of get hooked together and they were going up the track, so I kind of picked the bottom and tried to get out of there and I think they clipped someone outside of them and the 6 came back into me and I got clipped in the right-rear. Oh gosh, man, another DNF. It just sucks. Just when we were kind of getting our momentum and didn't even get to race today. We'll just move on to Texas."


JOEY LOGANO No. 22 SHELL-PENNZOIL FORD MUSTANG

START: 3RD     
STAGE 1: 27TH     
STAGE 2: 2ND     
FINISH: 39TH     
POINTS: 11TH
 

RACE RUNDOWN: Joey Logano started third and crossed the line unofficially fifth in Sunday's Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, but following post-race inspection, the No. 22 Ford Mustang was disqualified, relegating the team to a 39th-place finish. Following the drop of the green flag, Logano would take his Shell-Pennzoil Mustang to the lead early. Logano would get shuffled out late in the stage to come home 21st reporting the balance of his Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang was on the loose side. Logano would restart 11th and work his way back to the lead by lap 100. He would report his car was looser during the run and would pit for fuel only on lap 112. Logano would put himself in position to win the stage, ultimately coming home in the second. Logano would begin the final stage with four fresh tires. Using a strong push from other Ford Mustangs, Logano would cross the fifth in the race. During the post-race inspection, one of the 18 bolts on the surface of the spoiler that connect to the base was found to be loose, and NASCAR disqualified the team as a result. This was not intentional and happened throughout the course of the race event. Team Penske accepts the disqualification.

Team Penske statement on disqualification of No. 22 Team Penske Ford Mustang this evening at Talladega: "The No. 22 Team Penske Ford Mustang was disqualified following post-race inspection at Talladega today. One of the 18 bolts on the surface of the spoiler that connect to the base was found to be loose, and NASCAR penalized the team as a result. This was not intentional and happened throughout the course of the race event. Team Penske accepts the disqualification."


Next Sunday, May 4, the NASCAR Cup Series heads to the Lone Star State for a stop at Texas Motor Speedway. Live coverage of the Würth 400 begins at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1 with in-car camera angles available all race long through the MAX Driver Cam.