Maggie Mackenzie Mon, October 26, 2026 at 9:53 PM UTC · 2 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kyle Larson's dramatic Talladega victory is officially in the books.
NASCAR completed its post-race inspection following Sunday's YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, confirming that Larson's No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet passed inspection without any issues.
The result means Larson keeps his victory , along with the substantial championship advantage he gained during one of the most unpredictable finishes of the NASCAR Cup Series season.
There was, however, one additional development involving a car damaged in Sunday's frightening late-race accident.
Larson's first Cup Series superspeedway victory came in extraordinary fashion.
After taking the white flag in the lead, Larson lost momentum and dropped outside the top 10 on the final lap. With help from Ross Chastain and an opening in the traffic ahead, he recovered to beat Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron to the checkered flag by just 0.041 seconds.
The victory was Larson's first at Talladega and came at a crucial point in the championship race.
Several of his closest competitors endured difficult afternoons, including Christopher Bell, Chase Briscoe and Ryan Blaney, who all finished outside the top 30.
Larson, meanwhile, left Alabama with a 73-point lead over Denny Hamlin in the Cup Series Chase standings.
NASCAR's inspection results removed any lingering uncertainty about the outcome. With no issues found on the No. 5 Chevrolet, Larson's win stands.
Although Larson's Chevrolet cleared inspection, NASCAR confirmed that Riley Herbst's No. 35 Toyota will be taken to its Research and Development Center for further evaluation.
Herbst was involved in a violent multicar accident late in Sunday's race. His car slammed into the inside SAFER barrier during the same incident that sent Joey Logano's No. 22 Ford onto its roof.
Both drivers were evaluated and released from the infield care center.
Herbst was later photographed in the garage with his left wrist and forearm heavily wrapped, although the extent of any injury has not been publicly confirmed.
NASCAR's decision to examine the No. 35 car gives officials an opportunity to study the damage and how the vehicle performed during the impact. The additional evaluation does not, by itself, indicate that a safety issue has been identified.
With Talladega's results now official, the Cup Series turns its attention to Martinsville Speedway for the penultimate race of the 2026 season.
Larson arrives with a commanding championship lead, but two races still stand between him and another Cup Series title.
Source: Sports
