TALLADEGA, ALABAMA – JUNE 22: Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Menards/Sylvania Ford, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on June 22, 2020, in Talladega, Alabama. Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images
Ryan Blaney wins by 0.007 of an inch in the NASCAR Cup Series, GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on Monday, June 22nd.
An event that began with a massive show of support for Bubba Wallace ended with one of Wallace’s best friends, Ryan Blaney, celebrating in Victory Lane for the second straight race at Talladega Superspeedway.
TALLADEGA, ALABAMA – JUNE 21: The NASCAR Toyota Track Drying Team works to dry the track prior to the NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500at Talladega Superspeedway on June 21, 2020, in Talladega, Alabama. Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images
Inclement weather forces postponement of the NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on June 21, 2020
Lightning strikes and persistent rain forced the postponement of Sunday’s GEICO 500. The NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway will race Monday afternoon.
HOMESTEAD, FLORIDA – JUNE 14: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 Toyota, leads a pack of cars during the NASCAR Cup Series Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on June 14, 2020 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
NASCAR Cup Series Expectations Check: One-third of the way into the 2020 season is time to do a check on the drivers and whether they’re meeting expectations to this point of a unique year.
As crazy as the 2020 season has been, normalcy is gradually returning to NASCAR. Eight races have been run since the ten-week-long hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, bringing the season to its one-third completion mark. Drivers needed an adjustment period to the post-pandemic era of the sport; no practice, no qualifying, no fans, two races in one weekend, the list goes on and on. As the races continue to roll on by, these adjustments have allowed some drivers to surprise, and caused others to disappoint. With the season at a bit of a junction heading into Talladega, here’s a quick look at which drivers are exceeding expectations, and which drivers are flopping.
HOMESTEAD, FLORIDA – JUNE 14: Matt DiBenedetto, driver of the #21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford, stands on the grid prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on June 14, 2020 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
Part Four No. 48 Series pose answers to two questions, can Matt DiBenedetto get the opportunity of a lifetime?And, what are his chances of falling upward one more time?
Matt DiBenedetto is arguably one of the biggest feel-good stories in recent NASCAR memory. The former NASCAR-Next driver and Joe Gibbs Racing prospect has worked himself from the near bottom to the top of the sport.