WATCH: JHN's hard crash with Bubba Wallace disrupts Toyota's strategy including Denny Hamlin at Talladega

Bubba Wallace, Denny Hamlin, Erik Jones, and John Hunter Nemechek were involved in a massive Lap 157 crash, causing mayhem as multiple Toyota drivers faltered early at Talladega Superspeedway on April 21.

While Ford dominated the NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500 race in Talladega, it was Toyota's Tyler Reddick who emerged victorious in the 188-lap event. Regardless, several Toyota drivers endured a tough weekend in Talladega, dealing with crashes and DNFs.

Among those were 23XI Racing star Bubba Wallace, his boss and Joe Gibbs Racing veteran Denny Hamlin, and Legacy Motor Club drivers John Hunter Nemechek and Erik Jones.

The pivotal moment unfolded when seven of Toyota's cars opted to pit independently in the Final Stage, aiming to make a decisive push towards the end, while the rest of the field faced a precarious situation managing fuel consumption. However, the No. 43 Legacy Motor Club car driven by Erik Jones encountered instability entering Turn 3, triggering a chain reaction resulting in a four-car wreck involving Jones, Wallace, Hamlin, and Nemechek.

The aftermath of the crash saw Jones, Wallace, and Hamlin retiring from the race, while Nemechek persevered albeit multiple laps down.

Notably, this was Denny Hamlin's second incident of the night. The 43-year-old was previously involved in a spin when he lost control of his No. 11 Toyota as he entered the pit road for the first time in the race. Subsequently, he made contact with Nemechek, though neither driver encountered major damages.

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How does Bubba Wallace feel about his points cushion compared to last year?

Bubba Wallace entered the Talladega race with a 39-point cushion above the cutoff. Last season, the 23XI driver was 49 points behind the cutoff after 10 races.

Speaking to NASCAR journalist Bob Pockrass prior to the GEICO 500 race, the 30-year-old driver expressed his satisfaction with the progress made, contrasting it with his challenging position a year ago. He said:

"For sure, we are in a much better spot. Now, we are not naive to the fact that it can all be taken away in one race. So, we have to just not get comfortable and stay hungry."

"Proud of the effort though, we've put in this year," he said. "There has been a Cup race that we've given away, but much better spot than 365 days ago, for sure."

Bubba Wallace registered his first DNF of the season in Talladega. He has secured three top-5 finishes so far, recording his best start to a Cup Series campaign.