Ross Chastain wins Coca-Cola 600 after comeback drive, mastering a dramatic last-to-first victory Saturday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Leading only the final six laps, Chastain overtook the favorites in a stunning finish to the longest race in the NASCAR Cup Series calendar.
Chastain’s Challenging Weekend Culminates in Victory
The Florida driver’s path to the top step of the podium began with adversity in Saturday’s practice, when he crashed his No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet. The incident forced his team to skip qualifying and prepare a backup car overnight. Despite this setback, Chastain and his crew quickly regrouped and focused on staying competitive for the 600-mile challenge.
Throughout the night, Chastain positioned himself smartly in the field. Late in the race, he made a critical pass on Denny Hamlin to move into second, then pursued William Byron, the Charlotte native who had dominated most of the event. As the laps counted down, Hamlin was sidetracked by a fueling issue during his final pit stop, dropping him from the top positions. Chastain and Byron each navigated lapped cars, including Hamlin and Joey Logano, as the tension built in the closing miles.
On lap 395, Chastain surged to the inside of Byron entering the first corner and swept into the lead, completing a comeback that seemed nearly impossible after the troubles of the previous day. It marked the most significant win of his Cup career so far.
“I went over, sat in this car for the first time, it was about 10 o’clock when I left,”
— Ross Chastain, driver
“They worked until 2:30, they were back at 5:30 this morning. Most of them drive 30, 45 minutes home. A little shower, I think, I don’t even know if they slept, back there at 5:30 to get this thing ready. That’s the dedication that it takes at Trackhouse.”
— Ross Chastain, driver
Honoring Service and Seizing the Moment
The Coca-Cola 600 is not only a major race but also serves as a time to honor military service and remember fallen heroes. This year, Chastain commemorated U.S. Army Specialist Kevin M. McCrea, carrying his name throughout the event and sharing the victory with McCrea’s family in attendance. Reflecting on the significance, Chastain expressed deep gratitude for their presence and the meaning behind this emotional win.
“He was riding with me, Mr. McCrea,”
— Ross Chastain, driver
The McCrea family, including Allie, McCrea’s mom, and siblings, witnessed Chastain’s performance, as he acknowledged the advice passed down from their late father to “be a sponge”—though Chastain admitted to feeling more like he was being tossed around the track than absorbing the moment. He also highlighted the final challenge of pursuing and passing two cars that had outperformed him earlier in the race.
Strategy, Tire Management, and Late-Race Drama
Chastain’s success hinged in part on the timing of his last pit stop and the performance of his tires. He revealed that a brief miscommunication with crew chief Phil Surgen led to pitting two laps later than planned, ultimately giving Chastain fresher tires during the scramble for the lead. The No. 1 Team’s real-time adjustment became critical as he pressed for victory.
“Holy cow, we just won the World 600.”
— Ross Chastain, driver
William Byron, who led a remarkable 283 laps out of 400, found himself losing grip and speed as the final laps unfolded. Byron detected tightening in his car and struggled to defend against Chastain’s late-race charge, compounded by time lost navigating traffic—including Tyler Reddick’s near incident ahead of them, which cost Byron precious seconds.
“We’ll just keep going and keep trying to put races together like that.”
— William Byron, driver
Hamlin and Other Notable Finishers
Denny Hamlin, after leading 53 laps and putting up a strong battle at the front alongside Byron, was hampered by a late-race refueling mishap, forcing an unscheduled return to pit road and dropping him to a 16th-place finish. Despite the setback, Hamlin reflected on the effort and excitement of the race but acknowledged the misfortune that cost him contention for the win.
“You’ve got to live with it. They’re the pros. I’m not a pit guy. I tried to do everything I could for the National Debt Toyota team. We had a great car. It was fun battling up front. It was a heck of a battle up there. I would have liked to have seen it through, but, unfortunately, just didn’t get enough gas in it and had to come back in.”
— Denny Hamlin, driver
Chase Briscoe finished third, followed by A.J. Allmendinger in fourth and Brad Keselowski in fifth. Another pre-race favorite, Kyle Larson, encountered trouble as his bid for “The Double” was derailed by a spin during the Coke 600 and earlier challenges at the Indianapolis 500. Larson’s night in Charlotte ended with a crash on lap 246, relegating him to 37th place.
Looking Ahead for the NASCAR Cup Series
This year’s Coca-Cola 600 provided an emotionally charged, unforgettable night, with Ross Chastain navigating the odds from the last row to victory lane, supported by his Trackhouse Racing crew. The NASCAR Cup Series will continue its high-stakes action next Sunday, June 1, with the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway. Fans can follow the event on Prime Video, the Performance Racing Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
