NASCAR confirmed Kyle Larson as the winner of the YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway after his No. 5 Chevrolet passed post-race inspection without any issues.
However, a late crash involving Joey Logano and Riley Herbst left questions about the damaged cars and NASCAR’s next steps.
FOX Sports reporter Bob Pockrass reported that Larson’s car cleared inspection, confirming the result after a close overtime finish. Larson passed Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron by 0.041 seconds to secure his first superspeedway win in the Cup Series.
While Larson celebrated his 35th career victory, NASCAR sent Herbst’s damaged No. 35 Toyota to its Research and Development Center for further review. The move came after Herbst hit the outside wall and then struck the inside barrier during the late-race crash.
NASCAR Confirms Kyle Larson’s Talladega Win After Inspection
NASCAR completed post-race inspection on Sunday night and found no issues with Larson’s winning Chevrolet. Pockrass shared the update, writing, “Tech is complete. No issues. Larson is the winner.”
Larson won the YellaWood 500 after charging from 11th place on the final lap of overtime. He beat Byron by just 0.041 seconds, earning his first Cup Series win on a drafting track after 59 attempts.
The result marked Larson’s 35th career NASCAR Cup Series victory. It also gave him a 73-point lead over Denny Hamlin in the Chase for the Championship standings with two races remaining.
NASCAR’s inspection confirmed the race result, but the series still had another matter to review after the late crash involving several cars.
NASCAR Sends Riley Herbst’s Damaged Toyota for Further Review
The late crash began when contact involving Carson Hocevar turned Joey Logano’s No. 22 Ford toward the outside wall. Logano’s car then went onto its roof after further contact with Chase Briscoe. The car slid upside down before coming to a stop.
Logano walked away without serious injury and later said he was “happy to be alive.”
Herbst’s No. 35 23XI Racing Toyota also suffered heavy damage. The car hit the outside wall on its right side before crossing the track and striking the inside SAFER barrier nearly head-on.
Herbst finished 26th and left the infield care center with his wrist wrapped. He confirmed he was okay and thanked 23XI Racing and Toyota for their support.
He also shared advice from his father: “If you’re going to be dumb, you better be tough.”
RACER reporter Kelly Crandall reported that NASCAR was taking Herbst’s car to its Research and Development Center. This allows officials to inspect the damaged car more thoroughly than during the usual post-race inspection.
NASCAR Crash Review Could Help Explain the Impact
Crandall later reported that the Cup Series inspection at Talladega found no issues. That update confirmed the race results while the separate review of Herbst’s car continued.
NASCAR’s R&D Center will assess the damage from both impacts and study how the car and safety barriers responded to the crash. The review could also help officials assess whether any mechanical issue contributed to the car’s movement after the first impact. However, no mechanical failure has been confirmed in the information available.
The crash came during a race marked by four cautions and 41 lead changes. The severity of the impacts involving Logano and Herbst drew attention to driver safety even after NASCAR confirmed Larson’s win.
Larson celebrated in Victory Lane with his children after securing a major Chase result. With two races left, he holds a strong points lead, while NASCAR’s review of Herbst’s car may provide further information about the Talladega crash.
NASCAR Post-Race Inspection Raises New Questions After Talladega Crash