Credit: 308532Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images. Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet, waves to fans after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on May 3, 2015 in Talladega, Alabama.
Starting from 4th place Car 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Nationwide Chevrolet won the 46th Annual GEICO 500 , his 24th victory in 551 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races. This is Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s 1st win & 6th Top 10 finish in 2015. This is Earnhardt Jr.’s 6th win & 15th Top 10 finish in 31 races at Talladega Superspeedway. Earnhardt ties Jeff Gordon for the most wins at Talladega among active drivers with 6 each. 2nd Place Car 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe’s Chevrolet started from 5th place posted his 11th Top 10 finish in 27 races at Talladega Superspeedway. It is Johnson’s 7th Top 10 finish in 2015. 3rd Place Car 27 Paul Menard Quaker State/Menards Chevrolet
started from 7th place posted his 4th Top 10 finish in 18 races at Talladega Superspeedway.
Credit: 308533Jerry Markland/Getty Images. Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on May 3, 2015 in Talladega, Alabama.
4th Place Car 21 Ryan Blaney Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford started from 3rd place followed by 5th place Car 78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row/Visser Protection Chevrolet started from 36th place. 6th Place Car 9 Sam Hornish Jr. Medallion Bank Ford started from 12th place followed by 7th place Car 31 Ryan Newman Caterpillar Chevrolet started from 18th place. 8th Place Car 4 Kevin Harvick Outback Steakhouse Chevrolet started from 24th place followed by 9th place Car 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Express Toyota started from 17th place. Lastly in the Top 10 was Car 98 Josh Wise Phoenix Construction Ford in 10th place, started from 34th place. Matt
DiBenedetto (18th) was the highest finishing rookie. Kevin Harvick leads the point standings by 40 points over Martin Truex Jr.
Credit: 308524Drew Hallowell/Getty Images. A large incident occurs on the backstretch during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on May 3, 2015 in Talladega, Alabama.
The race had lots of action with 6 Cautions for 23 Laps: 1st Caution on lap 20 for Car 55 Michael Waltrip Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota, Car 33 Brian Scott Shore Lodge Chevrolet crash in Turn 1. 2nd Caution on lap 48 for Car 83 Matt DiBenedetto Dustless Blasting Toyota, Car 42 Kyle Larson Target Chevrolet, Car 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Fifth Third Bank Ford, Car 51 Justin Allgaier Brandt Chevrolet, Car 16 Greg Biffle Ortho Ford, Car 18 David Ragan Pedigree Toyota, Car 40 Landon Cassill Chevrolet, Car 22 Joey Logano Shell Pennzoil Ford, Car 6 Trevor Bayne AdvoCare Ford, Car 5 Kasey Kahne Farmers Insurance Chevrolet, Car 10 Danica Patrick GoDaddy Chevrolet, Car 7 Alex Bowman Golden Corral Chevrolet, Car 62 Brendan Gaughan Dia Thrive Chevrolet, Car 43 Aric Almirola Fresh from Florida Ford, Car 4 Kevin Harvick Outback Steakhouse Chevrolet big crash on the Backstretch [Red 11:32]. 3rd Caution on lap 56 for Debris on the Backstretch. 4th Caution on lap 92 for Car 62 Brendan Gaughan Dia Thrive Chevrolet crash in Turn 2. 5th Caution on lap 116 for Debris in Turn 3. 6th Caution on lap 159 for Fluid On Track From Car 3 Austin Dillon Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet.
Credit: 308527Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images. Austin Dillon, driver of the #3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet, catches fire during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on May 3, 2015 in Talladega, Alabama
The race had lots of action up-front 27 Lead Changes among 15 drivers. Lap Leaders: J. Gordon 1-3; K. Kahne 4-6; T. Stewart 7-11; D. Earnhardt Jr. 12-15; J. Gordon 16-19; K. Harvick 20; J. Allgaier 21; B. Labonte 22; J. Gordon 23-48; K. Busch 49; J. Johnson 50-91; D. Gilliland 92; J. Wise 93; J. Gordon 94-95; J. Johnson 96-103; D. Earnhardt Jr. 104; D. Hamlin 105-106; D. Earnhardt Jr. 107-110; J. Gordon 111-115; C. Mears 116; J. Gordon 117-123; D. Earnhardt Jr. 124-147; T. Stewart 148; D. Earnhardt Jr. 149-155; D. Hamlin 156-158; R. Stenhouse Jr. 159; C. Whitt 160-161; D. Earnhardt Jr. 162-188. Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): D. Earnhardt Jr. 6 times for 67 laps; J. Johnson 2 times for 50 laps; J. Gordon 6 times for 47 laps; T. Stewart 2 times for 6 laps; D. Hamlin 2 times for 5 laps; K. Kahne 1 time for 3 laps; C. Whitt 1 time for 2 laps; D. Gilliland 1 time for 1 lap; K. Harvick 1 time
for 1 lap; K. Busch 1 time for 1 lap; C. Mears 1 time for 1 lap; R. Stenhouse Jr. 1 time for 1 lap; J. Allgaier 1 time for 1 lap; B. Labonte 1 time for 1 lap; J. Wise 1 time for 1 lap.
Credit: 308531Jeff Zelevansky/NASCAR via Getty Images. Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet, takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on May 3, 2015 in Talladega, Alabama.
NASCAR’s most popular driver won Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the 46th Annual GEICO 500 race at Talladega Superspeedway. Dale Earnhardt Jr. beat his team-mate Jimmie Johnson with a Margin of Victory of 0.158 Seconds. Like Daytona last year this win most likely puts him in the Chase for the Cup. It was an exciting race in the final laps to the checkered flag.
Credit: 308528Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images. Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet, races Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on May 3, 2015 in Talladega, Alabama.
Top 16 in Points: K. Harvick – 394; M. Truex Jr. – 354; J. Johnson – 342; J. Logano – 335; D. Earnhardt Jr. – 319; B. Keselowski – 305; J. Mcmurray – 297; M. Kenseth – 292; K. Kahne – 286; D. Hamlin – 281; P. Menard – 280; A. Almirola – 279; J. Gordon – 277; R. Newman – 271; K. Busch – 255; D. Patrick – 253.
Credit: 308520Jeff Zelevansky/NASCAR via Getty Images. Jeff Gordon, driver of the #24 Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet, and Kasey Kahne, driver of the #5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet, lead the field past the green flag to start the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on May 3, 2015 in Talladega, Alabama.
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race Number 10
Unofficial Race Results for the 46Th Annual Geico 500 – Sunday, May 3, 2015
Talladega Superspeedway – Talladega, AL – 2.66 Mile Paved
Total Race Length – 188 Laps – 500.08 Miles – Purse: $6,183,287
Finishing Position Starting Position Car # Driver Team Laps Status
1. 4. Car 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Nationwide Chevrolet 188 Running
2. 5. Car 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe’s Chevrolet 188 Running
3. 7. Car 27 Paul Menard Quaker State/Menards Chevrolet 188 Running
4. 3. Car 21 Ryan Blaney(i) Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford 188 Running
5. 36. Car 78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row/Visser Protection Chevrolet 188 Running
6. 12. Car 9 Sam Hornish Jr. Medallion Bank Ford 188 Running
7. 18. Car 31 Ryan Newman Caterpillar Chevrolet 188 Running
8. 24. Car 4 Kevin Harvick Outback Steakhouse Chevrolet 188 Running
9. 17. Car 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Express Toyota 188 Running
10. 34. Car 98 Josh Wise Phoenix Construction Ford 188 Running
11. 27. Car 1 Jamie McMurray McDonald’s Chevrolet 188 Running
12. 19. Car 41 Kurt Busch Haas Automation Chevrolet 188 Running
13. 41. Car 35 Cole Whitt Speed Stick Ford 188 Running
14. 42. Car 23 JJ Yeley(i) Dr Pepper Toyota 188 Running
15. 28. Car 43 Aric Almirola Fresh from Florida Ford 188 Running
16. 37. Car 7 Alex Bowman Golden Corral Chevrolet 188 Running
17. 31. Car 47 AJ Allmendinger Kroger/Hungry Jack Chevrolet 188 Running
18. 43. Car 83 Matt DiBenedetto # Dustless Blasting Toyota 188 Running
19. 6. Car 14 Tony Stewart Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevrolet 188 Running
20. 39. Car 38 David Gilliland Farm Rich Ford 188 Running
21. 25. Car 10 Danica Patrick GoDaddy Chevrolet 188 Running
22. 15. Car 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Ford 188 Running
23. 35. Car 51 Justin Allgaier Brandt Chevrolet 188 Running
24. 38. Car 34 Chris Buescher(i) CSX/Play It Safe Ford 188 Running
25. 8. Car 20 Matt Kenseth Dollar General Toyota 188 Running
26. 29. Car 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Fifth Third Bank Ford 188 Running
27. 32. Car 32 Bobby Labonte C&J Energy Services Ford 188 Running
28. 11. Car 13 Casey Mears GEICO Chevrolet 188 Running
29. 40. Car 46 Michael Annett Bene-fit Chevrolet 188 Running
30. 10. Car 15 Clint Bowyer PEAK Commercial & Industrial Toyota 188 Running
31. 1. Car 24 Jeff Gordon Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet 188 Running
32. 22. Car 19 Carl Edwards ARRIS Toyota 188 Running
33. 21. Car 22 Joey Logano Shell Pennzoil Ford 186 Running
34. 2. Car 5 Kasey Kahne Farmers Insurance Chevrolet 158 Running
35. 14. Car 3 Austin Dillon Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet 157 Engine
36. 23. Car 55 Michael Waltrip Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota 151 Running
37. 20. Car 16 Greg Biffle Ortho Ford 147 Running
38. 9. Car 18 David Ragan Pedigree Toyota 123 Running
39. 30. Car 40 Landon Cassill(i) Chevrolet 91 Accident
40. 33. Car 62 Brendan Gaughan(i) Dia Thrive Chevrolet 90 Accident
41. 26. Car 6 Trevor Bayne AdvoCare Ford 46 Accident
42. 13. Car 42 Kyle Larson Target Chevrolet 46 Accident
43. 16. Car 33 Brian Scott(i) Shore Lodge Chevrolet 18 Engine
Race Comments: Prior to the start of the race, no cars dropped to the rear of the field.
Failed to Qualify: (2) 95 Michael McDowell, 26 Jeb Burton #. Time of Race: 03 Hrs, 08 Mins, 08 Secs. Average Speed: 159.487 MPH Margin of Victory: 0.158 Seconds
Credit: 308521Chris Trotman/NASCAR via Getty Images. Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet, leads the field during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on May 3, 2015 in Talladega, Alabama.
3M Lap Leader: Dale Earnhardt Jr, #88 67 Laps Coors Light Pole Award: Jeff Gordon, #24 194.793 mph Ingersoll Rand Power Move: Kurt Busch, #41 18 positions Mahle Clevite Engine Builder of the Race: Hendrick Engines, #88 Mobil 1 Driver of the Race: Sam Hornish Jr, #9 Moog Chassis Parts Problem Solver of the Race: Paul Menard, #27 , -0.200 secs Sherwin-Williams Fastest Lap: Carl Edwards, #19 Sunoco Rookie of the Race: Matt DiBenedetto, #83
Credit: 308523Chris Trotman/NASCAR via Getty Images. Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevrolet, pits during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on May 3, 2015 in Talladega, Alabama.
(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series
Next Race: May. 9, 2015 – Kansas Speedway
Credit: 308526Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images. Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet, races Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Ford, and Jeff Gordon, driver of the #24 Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on May 3, 2015 in Talladega, Alabama.
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