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Massive crash takes out majority of NASCAR Cup field at Talladega
NASCAR Cup Series drivers Ryan Preece (60) wins stage one with Brad Keselowski (6) and Joey Logano (22) taking second and third and Chris Buescher (17) in fourth place during the Jack Links 500 NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway. Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

Massive crash takes out majority of NASCAR Cup field at Talladega

Talladega Superspeedway is known for massive crashes, and one in Stage 2 of Sunday's Jack Link's 500 NASCAR Cup Series race involved a majority of the 40-car field. 

On Lap 115 of 188, Bubba Wallace was turned into the outside wall after receiving a shove from Ross Chastain. Wallace was leading the race at the time, and all the pack could do was pile into the accident in turn 3. 

Only three drivers — Ryan Preece, his RFK Racing teammate in Chris Buescher and Chastain made it through unscathed, with Michael McDowell making slight contact with the wall before emerging on the other side of the smoking wreckage. 

"Uh... damn," Wallace told Fox Sports. "Nothing to show for in the first stage. Just hate it. Don't want to have any DNFs, we have two now. We gotta figure out how to be pushed better. I take responsibility on that."

Majority of NASCAR Cup field taken out at Talladega

It's not the first time in 2026 that a huge crash at a drafting race has started from the lead. In the season-opening Daytona 500 on Feb. 15, leader Justin Allgaier attempted to block Denny Hamlin, triggering a crash that took out roughly 20 drivers. 

FOX reported that at least 26 drivers were involved in Sunday's crash at Talladega, including Cup Series points leader and Wallace's 23XI Racing teammate in Tyler Reddick. 

Samuel Stubbs

Hailing from the same neck of the woods as NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin, Samuel has been covering NASCAR for Yardbarker since February 2024. He has been a member of the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) since October of 2024. When he’s not writing about racing, Samuel covers Arkansas Razorback basketball for Yardbarker

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