Ryan Blaney wins the 1000Bulbs 🏁 500 at Talladega Superspeedway 🏁

By: Julio Olmo

After entering the 1000Bulbs.com 500 as the lowest driver in the NASCAR Cup Series playoff picture, Ryan Blaney locked himself into the round of 8 with a win.

How did his win shake up the playoff picture?

Ryan Blaney entered the second of three races in the round of 12 of the four-round, 10-race 2019 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs at Talladega Superspeedway, the 1000Bulbs.com 500, as the 12th of 12 drivers still remaining in the playoffs after a mechanical issue ruined his race at Dover International Speedway.

Blaney ended up winning this 188-lap race around the four-turn, 2.66-mile (4.281-kilometer) high-banked Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama to secure a spot in the round of 8 in a dramatic photo finishing end, ahead of Ryan Newman.

All 12 playoff drivers, including Blaney, experienced some kind of issue in the wreck-filled 1000Bulbs.com 500, which was suspended due to rain after 57 of its 188 laps were contested on Sunday.

Blaney himself spun out while leading the race in Sunday’s portion of the race as he attempted to slow himself down coming into the pits, and he was even penalized for speeding in the pits as a result of this mistake, but he overcame these issues.

Here is the NASCAR Cup Series playoff picture following the 2019 1000Bulbs.com 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.

Rank – Driver, Car, Team, Manufacturer: Points (Behind)
1st – Kyle Larson, #42, Chip Ganassi Racing, Chevrolet: 1 WIN (IN)
2nd – Ryan Blaney, #12, Team Penske, Ford: 1 WIN (IN)
3rd – Denny Hamlin, #11, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota: 3114 (+56)
4th – Martin Truex Jr., #19, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota: 3106 (+48)
5th – Kyle Busch, #18, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota: 3099 (+41)
6th – Kevin Harvick, #4, Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford: 3094 (+36)
7th – Brad Keselowski, #2, Team Penske, Ford: 3078 (+20)
8th – Joey Logano, #22, Team Penske, Ford: 3076 (+18)
————————— ROUND OF 8 CUT LINE —————————
9th – Alex Bowman, #88, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet: 3058 (-18)
10th – Chase Elliott, #9, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet: 3054 (-22)
11th – Clint Bowyer, #14, Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford: 3052 (-24)
12th – William Byron, #24, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet: 3049 (-27)

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Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas is scheduled to host the Hollywood Casino 400 on Sunday, October 20th, which is the next major racing event on the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Series.