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TJ Majors claimed that Kyle Larson "lifted" before the chequered flag at Talladega, hindering Brad Keselowski's chance to win the race. He also mentioned that the Hendrick Motorsports driver was told not to help the #6 in any way.
The event-filled YellaWood 500 came to a battling finish between Brad Keselowski and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. as the Ford and Chevrolet went wide toward the flag. While the #6 of Keselowski seemed to be ahead at a point, he quickly fell back as a gap was created between him and the #5 Chevy of Kyle Larson (who was right behind him).
Keselowski's spotter, TJ Majors, claimed that Larson was asked not to help Keselowski by giving a push on the final lap. He stated that the #5 lifted off from his throttle at around the final corner, which ruined Brad Keselowski's chance to win the race.
"If you fade up, Ricky's not gonna push you," Majors said. "And then you better hope you get back to the bottom to cover it so you get the push."
When asked by his fellow host if Larson had lifted, Majors positively replied.
"Absolutely," he claimed. "Absolutely lifted before the start finish sign. This is already posted on the internet. He was absolutely told not to help us. I mean, it's back to that."
This win would have marked Keselowski's seventh win on the superspeedway and his second win of the season. It would have also been a cheer-up considering his finishes in recent races.
Brad Keselowski's social media post after second-place finish at Talladega
Statistically speaking, Dale Earnhardt Sr. has the most wins at Talladega with a whopping 10 victories. However, Brad Keselowski holds the record for the most wins in the active drivers' list.
On the current full-time grid, Keselowski's six wins on the track remain unmatched by any other driver. During the first race on the track this year, he finished in second place, close to his seventh win. As he closed up on the chances of winning the race during the YellaWood last week, Kyle Larson's distant Chevy hindered the possibilities of that as well. After the race, he posted a message on social media, writing:
"Second... Again."
He was seemingly hopeful for a victory on the track as his post, prior to the race, seemed much more positive.
"Every time we race at Talladega, it’s a shot at making history."
Keselowski was in contention for winning his second Cup Series championship this year. However, back-to-back disappointing finishes at Watkins Glen and Bristol put him out of the playoffs. He then finished at P22 in Kansas. Talladega was his first top-five finish finish since Michigan.
