NASCAR Playoffs Round of 12 at Talladega results: Denny Hamlin edges Matt DiBenedetto in thrilling finish

Hamlin joins Kurt Busch in the Round of 8 with six spots still up for grabs

Denny Hamlin won his seventh race of the season at Talladega in a photo-finish, just beating Matt DiBenedetto to the start-finish line in triple overtime for the victory in the YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Hamlin advanced to the Round of 8 in the NASCAR Playoffs alongside Kurt Busch, who won the Round of 12 opener at Las Vegas. 

It was a three-way race to the finish coming around Turn 4 between Hamlin, DiBenedetto and William Byron. Ultimately, Hamlin was able to edge out DiBenedetto by a narrow margin of .023 seconds.  

Hamlin made a pass below the double-yellow line before taking the lead on the final lap, but NASCAR reviewed it and declared Hamlin was forced there, meaning it was legitimate. DiBenedetto, who crossed the line second, was issued a double-yellow line penalty which turned his second-place finish into a finish outside the top 20.

After the race, NASCAR senior vice president of competition Scott Miller said that the yellow line decisions were pretty clear cut. Miller also added that NASCAR needs the rule to help prevent wrecks. Sunday's race featured a record amount of cautions at Talladega, where the sport has been racing since 1969. 

"They called it all day," Hamlin said of the penalty, referring to Joey Logano's multiple penalties throughout the race. "I've been a victim of getting forced down there all the time and finally they put their foot down and said this is the rule and we're going to enforce it." 

Chase Elliott was originally issued a penalty for passing below the double-yellow line but nearly an hour after the race, NASCAR rescinded the penalty and Elliott was scored as the fifth-place finisher. Elliott was in the lead in the first and second overtimes, but pit heading into the third due to fuel concerns. 

In the first overtime, Tyler Reddick got into the back of Kyle Busch to cause a huge pile-up and in the second it was Bubba Wallace making contact with Ryan Preece. Before crashing, Wallace has spent time in the lead, and was in contention at the end of regulation at the same track where a rope fashioned as a noose was discovered in his garage earlier this season. 

"This should piss the haters off," Wallace joked on the team radio after taking the lead for the first time with less than 60 laps to go. The 10 laps led by Wallace were the most he's ever led in a single-race at a track in his Cup series career.

As for the playoff field, Kyle Busch, Austin Dillon, Clint Bowyer and Aric Almirola are the four drivers below the transfer line heading into the cutoff race at the Charlotte Roval. All four were involved in wrecks on the track at Talladega. Almirola was the first of the drivers to go out, wrecking at the end of Stage 1 while Bowyer was collected in 'The Big One' late in Stage 2 after contact that sent Kurt Busch airborne.  

"Hate it when I'm right," Kyle Busch said to NBC after crashing out in overtime. Prior to the Round of 12 beginning, Busch predicted that he would be eliminated before the Round of 8. Busch is the first driver below the cutline and could advance with a solid finish or with his first win at the Charlotte Roval next week. 

Busch's current Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Erik Jones finished the race second. Jones, who is still without a ride for next season, said after the race that he is currently in conversations with other teams. He also noted that he believes that had he produced a similar result earlier in the season, it wouldn't have mattered as JGR was already going to replace him with Christopher Bell in the No. 20. 

Ty Dillon finished the race third and now has the best average finish at Talladega among active NASCAR drivers with five or more starts there. Dillon is also in the midst of contract talks after the charter that Germain Racing has -- his current team -- was bought by Michael Jordan and Hamlin with plans to field Wallace as the driver. 

"I have nothing yet," Dillon said after the race. "Hopefully this inspires some more talks." 

Hamlin won his 44th career race, which ties him for 18th on the all-time wins list with Hall of Famer Bill Elliott, who is Chase's father. The elder Elliott announced earlier in the week that he'd be joining the Superstar Racing Experience next summer, which is set to air Saturday's in primetime on CBS. 

[Oct 4, 2020 at 6:37 pm ET · Matthew Mayer]

WILD PHOTO FINISH AT TALLADEGA. DENNY HAMLIN DECLARED THE WINNER.

[Oct 4, 2020 at 6:36 pm ET · Matthew Mayer]

White flag. Matt DiBenedetto is the leader looking for his first career win.

[Oct 4, 2020 at 6:35 pm ET · Matthew Mayer]

Green flag on 3OT.

[Oct 4, 2020 at 6:33 pm ET · Matthew Mayer]

Of the current top 10 drivers.... 7 of them had +4000 odds or longer to win at Talladega. Coming to triple overtime. Favorite Denny Hamlin (+900) is still alive.