Josh Bilicki's race recap in the 2026 Chase race at Talladega

Josh Bilicki produced one of the stronger recovery performances in Saturday’s The Progress Group 250 at Talladega Superspeedway, finishing 16th after starting 35th. The SS-Green Light Racing driver gained 19 positions during an afternoon that featured multiple accidents and an overtime finish.

Bilicki began the race near the rear of the field, facing the challenge of working through a competitive lineup. His No. 07 Chevrolet remained in competition during the opening stages as several drivers struggled with the constantly changing drafting lanes. Although JR Motorsports controlled much of the racing near the front, Bilicki steadily advanced through the field.

The race’s most significant incident occurred on Lap 57 when contact involving Harrison Burton and Taylor Gray triggered an accident involving multiple championship contenders. Bilicki avoided the problems that affected those drivers and continued improving his position. The final stage featured another caution and an overtime restart, allowing Bilicki to maintain his opportunity for a solid result.

He ultimately crossed the finish line 16th, completing all 94 laps and earning 21 points. The performance helped Bilicki maintain 25th in the overall NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series standings with 366 points. He will attempt to build on the recovery effort at Martinsville and Homestead-Miami.

This article originally appeared on Motorsports Wire: Josh Bilicki’s race recap in the 2026 Chase race at Talladega