Austin Cindric beats Ryan Preece in Talladega photo finish
Cindric won the 2025 Jack Link’s 500 at Talladega by 0.022 seconds, a margin that made him the season’s first Cup Series champion and secured a playoff spot.
Key points
- Cindric won the race by 0.022 seconds, the closest finish in Talladega history.
- Preece was disqualified for a spoiler violation, moving Kyle Larson to second and William Byron to third.
- The race featured 67 lead changes among 23 drivers, with a fast final pit stop giving Cindric a chance to win.
- Cindric’s victory locks him into the playoffs and gives Team Penske its first win of the year.
- Byron remains the points leader and Larson’s runner‑up finish keeps him in the top five.
Austin Cindric claimed his first victory of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season Sunday in a heart-stopping finish at Talladega Superspeedway, beating Ryan Preece by a mere 0.022 seconds in the Jack Link’s 500. The No. 2 Team Penske Ford surged ahead on the final lap, capping a side-by-side duel that saw five lead changes in the last six laps
Key Race Highlights
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Historic Margin: The 0.022-second victory marks one of the closest finishes in Talladega history, with Cindric’s hood-length advantage securing Team Penske’s first win of the year
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Pit Stop Prowess: A lightning-fast final pit stop with 17 laps remaining positioned Cindric to battle for the win in a race featuring 67 lead changes among 23 drivers
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Disqualifications Shake Results: Post-race inspections disqualified Preece (originally second) and Joey Logano (fifth) for spoiler violations, promoting Kyle Larson and William Byron to second and third
Standings Impact
Cindric, who entered the race 22nd in points, locks into the playoffs with his third career Cup win William Byron retains the points lead, while Larson’s runner-up finish strengthens his top-five position
Preece’s Career Moment
Despite the disqualification, Preece’s on-track performance marked a career-best finish for the RFK Racing driver, who remains winless in nearly 200 Cup starts
Relive the final-lap drama below:
iframe: YouTube embed of the last-lap battle
Updated NASCAR standings and full Talladega results available on NASCAR.com.
Your questions, answered
How close was the finish at Talladega in 2025?
Austin Cindric beat Ryan Preece by 0.022 seconds, one of the tightest margins in Talladega history.
Why were Ryan Preece and Joey Logano disqualified?
Both drivers were disqualified for spoiler violations during post‑race inspection.
How does this story make you feel?
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