Rick Ware Racing’s Talladega performance featured Cody Ware making a statement by leading multiple laps during a tense and unpredictable YellaWood 500, held on Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway. Despite engine issues forcing an early retirement for Ware, the team made its presence felt amid a competitive NASCAR Playoffs field.
Cody Ware Battles at Talladega, Leads Laps for RWR
Cody Ware started from the 35th position but managed to charge forward, ultimately leading five laps across three different stints. This brings his career total of laps led at Talladega to 11, demonstrating the ability of Rick Ware Racing to compete at the front, even with limited resources. Ware completed 165 out of 193 laps before engine troubles ended his race, resulting in a final placement of 31st.
Reflecting on his performance after the race, Ware shared his mixed emotions about the outcome after showing speed at the front but falling short of the checkered flag. He remarked,
“The engine started laying down and then it just let go. Incredibly disappointing. We drove our Arby’s Steak Nuggets Ford Mustang to the front and led laps, so they knew we were here. Just wish we could’ve finished it.”
– Cody Ware, driver of the No. 51 Arby’s Steak Nuggets Ford Mustang Dark Horse
Playoff Action: Briscoe Captures Talladega Victory
Chase Briscoe, representing Joe Gibbs Racing in a Toyota, claimed victory in the YellaWood 500, locking up a spot in the Championship 4. He finished ahead of Todd Gilliland by just 0.145 seconds in a thrilling overtime battle. Briscoe’s win marked his fifth career NASCAR Cup Series triumph, and his first at the storied Talladega track. Ty Gibbs, Briscoe’s teammate, won Stage 1, while Briscoe also secured the Stage 2 win during intense racing action.
The race saw a total of six caution periods, accounting for 28 laps under yellow, and, notably, 26 of the 40 drivers managed to finish on the lead lap—showing the event’s competitiveness and the high stakes of the playoffs at Talladega.
What’s Next for Rick Ware Racing and the Series
Cody Ware currently stands 36th in the driver points with 221 points after Talladega. Looking ahead, the next race on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia on October 26, with television coverage set for NBC and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. As the playoff pressure ramps up, Rick Ware Racing will look to build on their aggressive showing and recover momentum heading into the season’s penultimate event.
