Denny Hamlin stood tall at Dover once again, conquering the concrete mile with grit, precision, and just enough luck to survive two overtime restarts and a mid-race rain delay. But while Hamlin celebrated his fourth Cup Series win of the 2025 season in the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400, the conversation among NASCAR fans turned fiery in the aftermath. From strategy questions to missed opportunities and hard crashes, fans took to social media to vent, question, and joke about what they saw—and what they didn’t.
Denny Hamlin Wins, but Fans See Missed Opportunities
Hamlin led the final 67 laps at Dover and held off his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Chase Briscoe in an intense final restart. Briscoe, on fresher tires, got to Hamlin’s door but couldn’t seal the pass as the two traded paint in the final lap. While the JGR camp had reason to celebrate, fans looking at the broader playoff picture saw something else: a series of decisions that may have cost others a shot at victory.
Tyler Reddick, who finished 12th, drew criticism for choosing the inside lane during the final restarts. “What on earth was Reddick thinking on those final restarts?” one fan posted. “Feel like he could’ve been in Briscoe’s position if he chose the outside.”
But the most pointed frustration was aimed at Chase Elliott. The No. 9 car led more than half the race and had a chance to assist teammate Kyle Larson on a restart alongside Denny Hamlin. Instead, Elliott appeared to hold back. “Just watched the replay,” one fan noted.
“When Larson was on the front row with Denny, he had a legit shot to win for HMS had Chase decided to actually push him. No idea why the 9 held back and basically handed it to the Gibbs boys.”
That moment triggered fresh debate over Hendrick Motorsports’ team coordination—or lack thereof—at critical stages of the race.
Where Was Chastain? Fans Answer Themselves
Ross Chastain didn’t factor into the finish—not because of strategy, but because of a race-ending incident that left his car behind the wall. Fans quickly picked up on his disappearance from the leaderboard.
“What happened to Chastain?” someone asked online.
The answer came just as fast, with typical NASCAR fan humor:
“He done hit the wall. Such a shame for a man who broke a watermelon with Hegseth 🤣.”
Chastain was officially listed as “Out” and placed 33rd—another frustrating early exit for a driver who’s struggled to find consistency in 2025.
Dillon, Larson, and the HMS Letdown
While Hamlin and Briscoe delivered a show at the front, other fan favorites fell short of expectations. Austin Dillon ran inside the top 10 late in the race, only to fade to 15th at the finish. “Was hoping Austin Dillon could have held on to a top 10,” one disappointed fan commented.
Meanwhile, Kyle Larson looked poised for a win, especially when restarting alongside Hamlin. But with no visible help from Elliott behind him, Larson eventually fell back to fourth. The Hendrick duo’s lack of synergy left fans scratching their heads. Despite having four cars in the top six, HMS left Dover without the trophy.
Richard Childress Radio Message Adds Fuel to Fire
One of the most pointed moments came after the checkered flag—not on pit road, but over the No. 8 team radio. Richard Childress was caught expressing frustration about the state of his race program.
“We are in trouble, we have got to get some race cars, period.” – Richard Childress
Fans didn’t hold back in response.
“No shit grandpa, whose fault is that?” one user replied, calling out the disconnect between RCR’s investment promises and its on-track performance. The team’s struggles in 2025 have been evident, and the growing frustration within the organization now seems to be spilling over publicly.
Tyler Reddick, now with 23XI Racing but formerly with RCR, finished just outside the top 10 after what many saw as a strategic misstep. Austin Dillon, Childress’s grandson, fell out of the top 10 in the closing laps. Meanwhile, other Chevrolet drivers like Kyle Busch (11th) and Kyle Larson (4th) continue to outperform RCR week after week.
Full Race Results: AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400
| Fin | Driver | Diff |
| 1 | Denny Hamlin | — |
| 2 | Chase Briscoe | 0.31 |
| 3 | Alex Bowman | 0.409 |
| 4 | Kyle Larson | 0.667 |
| 5 | Ty Gibbs | 1.465 |
| 6 | Chase Elliott | 1.497 |
| 7 | Bubba Wallace | 1.655 |
| 8 | Ryan Blaney | 1.824 |
| 9 | Chris Buescher | 2.006 |
| 10 | Brad Keselowski | 2.223 |
| 11 | Kyle Busch | 2.282 |
| 12 | Tyler Reddick | 2.537 |
| 13 | Michael McDowell | 2.746 |
| 14 | Joey Logano | 2.812 |
| 15 | Austin Dillon | 2.886 |
| 16 | Austin Cindric | 3.135 |
| 17 | Justin Haley | 3.156 |
| 18 | Christopher Bell | 3.28 |
| 19 | Ryan Preece | 4.064 |
| 20 | Ty Dillon | 5.992 |
| 21 | John Hunter Nemechek | 1 lap |
| 22 | Zane Smith | 1 lap |
| 23 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 2 laps |
| 24 | Riley Herbst | 2 laps |
| 25 | Todd Gilliland | 2 laps |
| 26 | Daniel Suarez | 3 laps |
| 27 | Erik Jones | 3 laps |
| 28 | Josh Berry | 3 laps |
| 29 | Cole Custer | 4 laps |
| 30 | Shane van Gisbergen | 7 laps |
| 31 | William Byron | Out |
| 32 | Noah Gragson | Out |
| 33 | Ross Chastain | Out |
| 34 | JJ Yeley | Out |
| 35 | Carson Hocevar | Out |
| 36 | Cody Ware | Out |
| 37 | AJ Allmendinger | Out |
News in Brief: NASCAR Fans React to 2025 Dover Cup Race
The 2025 Dover Cup race delivered on action, but it was the post-race fallout that truly lit up the fanbase. From restart blunders and teammate miscues to hard crashes and team owner frustration, the drama extended well beyond the checkered flag. While Denny Hamlin and Joe Gibbs Racing celebrated another dominant win, questions swirled around Hendrick Motorsports’ team strategy, Tyler Reddick’s late-race decisions, and the ongoing struggles at Richard Childress Racing. For many fans, this race was less about who won and more about who didn’t rise to the occasion—and why.
ALSO READ: Full 2025 Dover Cup Race Results and Highlights: Denny Hamlin Wins, Chase Elliott Grabs Points Lead
