Talladega as it happened

TALLADEGA, AL - MAY 03: Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet, leads the field during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on May 3, 2015 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)
TALLADEGA, AL - MAY 03: Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet, leads the field during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on May 3, 2015 in Talladega, Alabama.  (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)
TALLADEGA, AL – MAY 03: Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet, leads the field during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on May 3, 2015 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)

Dale Earnhardt Jr. raced to victory at Talladega Superspeedway Sunday.  The win was Earnhardt’s sixth at Talladega and his first since October of 2004.  He led a race high 67 of the 188 laps in route to the 26th victory of his career. Earnhardt becomes the eighth different driver to win in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series in 2015. Here’s what went down in the GEICO 500 at Talladega Sunday:

Jeff Gordon led the field to the green from his third pole of the season under perfect skies. Gordon took a clear lead as Ryan Blaney followed in second,  Kasey Kahne third.  Jimmie Johnson slid into third under Kahne on lap 3.  By lap 4 Kahne moved ahead of the pack and into second.

Gordon dropped back on lap 5 leaving the lead to be settled between Tony Stewart and Kahne. MORE>>>

Greg Engle
About Greg Engle 7421 Articles
Greg is a published award winning sportswriter who spent 23 years combined active and active reserve military service, much of that in and around the Special Operations community. Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.