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For a few reasons:

1. Before the race, the sanctioning body issued a decree to the drivers that there was to be no bump-drafting in the corners, and that a violation of the rule would lead to immediate penalization. (NASCAR 101 moment: Talladega is one of two tracks where the cars run a restrictor plate that restricts air intake to the carburetor, which slows the cars down and limits acceleration. Because the cars are unable to break away from each other–and the banking at Talladega is such that they can run flat out around the track–the cars run in packs, and bumping the car in front of you has become the preferred way of making a pass on a car in a different line without breaking your own momentum) Well, this isn’t a new rule, as it has been understood that there should be no bump-drafting in the corners in the past, but this was the first time that NASCAR was actually going to enforce the rule.

And, to make matters even more complicated, NASCAR announced that the driver getting bumped would also be penalized. Yes, you read that correctly. Now I assume that was to make sure that the driver in front didn’t drag the brake to force the driver behind to run into him (and draw a penalty) but given the inability of the car in front to pull away, there’s nothing much a driver can do if he’s getting pushed by the car behind him.

So as the drivers were left to ponder the sudden hard-line statement from NASCAR just two hours before the race, their response was obvious: they weren’t going to push the limit. Heck, they weren’t going to come close to pushing the limit.

What resulted was one of the most boring races in Talladega memory. Long segments of the race turned into single-file conga lines, with 35+ cars spaced evenly apart, all with no intentions of passing. When they did form multiple racing lines, the action wasn’t as intense as usual, and drivers were asking their crews–only half-kidding–to help keep them awake.

2. While the racing did pick up a bit in the final laps, the no bump-draft in the corners rule might have caused the first big wreck of the day. With five laps to go, Tony Stewart was forced to check up entering turn 3, a check up that was possibly magnified because of the new situation. Ryan Newman, his teammate, was behind him, and he swerved hard left in an attempt to avoid Stewart. The hard turn sent Newman into a slide, and he was turned backwards by Kevin Harvick. Once the car was backwards, it took off. Literally. That’s the second time a car has gone airborne at Talladega this year, and I’m beginning to wonder if there’s a serious design flaw–whether it’s the rear wing or the roof flaps–that is allowing these cars to take off so easily. Newman was very direct towards NASCAR and their attempts (or lack thereof) to fix the racing at Talladega after walking out of the infield care center. (Not to mention the fact that after Newman landed upside down, it took 12 minutes to get him out)

3. The Chase is now really over. Jimmie Johnson ran around the back of the pack all day in an attempt to avoid the big crash and ended up avoiding two of them and finished sixth. Mark Martin, who is still in second place, was caught up in the final wreck, a big melee one lap from the finish, and ended up flipping two times before his car settled right side up, unlike Newman’s. Martin is now 184 points behind Johnson, which is more than a whole race’s worth. Johnson’s day was made better by some bizarre fuel strategy by drivers that were in front of him. Newman’s crash caused a lengthy delay, and because of that delay many drivers ran out of fuel instead of playing it safe and getting some fuel after the crash like Johnson did. Even Johnson’s teammate, Jeff Gordon, ran out of fuel before the final restart and had to be pushed to pit road.

4. Oh, Jamie McMurray won the race.