Chase Elliott staged a remarkable last-lap comeback to win the NASCAR Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway on September 28, 2025, shaking up the playoff standings and surprising both fans and rivals. The Chase Elliott Kansas Speedway victory unfolded amid chaos during overtime, where favored Toyota drivers saw their dominance slip away in the race’s most crucial moments.
Unexpected Turns Undermine Toyota’s Control
From the drop of the green flag, Toyota drivers appeared in control, occupying the top five spots leading into a critical overtime restart at Kansas City’s celebrated track. Despite their collective strength, team dynamics proved secondary to individual ambitions, with no coordinated effort ensuring victory for the manufacturer. In total, Toyota’s Roster—Denny Hamlin, Bubba Wallace, Christopher Bell, and pole sitter Chase Briscoe—commanded an impressive 234 of 273 laps. However, none managed to prevail when it truly mattered, leaving the door open for others.
Bubba Wallace emerged from the group to seize the restart in the second of two overtimes, desperate for a win that would boost his championship odds. Tyler Reddick, his 23XI Racing teammate, stationed himself behind Wallace, both seeking to advance in the playoffs. Meanwhile, Denny Hamlin lingered with high stakes—the prospect of his 60th career Cup victory and entry into NASCAR’s all-time top 10 for wins. The drama set a turbulent stage for overtaking and gambles with every inch of track position.
Chase Elliott’s Bold Move Defies the Odds
As the final overtime began, Chase Elliott was not among the immediate favorites, starting eighth after opting for fresher tires and lining up on the outer row. Elliott surrendered a row to gain the top lane, wagering all on better traction and opportunity. From the outside of the fifth row, Elliott’s strategy seemed risky, as the Toyotas appeared poised to control the outcome. Yet the unfolding chaos among the leaders gave him the break needed.
Once Wallace accelerated for the restart, things began to unravel for the Toyota front. Reddick attempted a push but fell back, aiming for a run beneath his teammate, only to end up seventh in the final order. At the head of the pack, Wallace led through the early turns with Christopher Bell vying for the advantage, passing and repassing as they battled along the track. Bell nearly made it past, harnessing the high lane’s momentum before Wallace drifted up, squeezing Bell sideways and causing him to lose momentum. This opened the path for Hamlin, Briscoe, and, crucially, Elliott to overtake him as well.
Overtime Climax and Friction Among Teammates
Approaching the white flag, Wallace clung to a slim lead. Hamlin mounted a charge from the top, closing the margin as they barreled down the backstretch toward Turn 3. Attempting a pass on the inside, Hamlin found himself forced up high as Wallace fought back, resulting in Wallace’s car brushing the outside wall in a dramatic Turn 4 showdown. Though Hamlin is not only a Joe Gibbs Racing driver but also co-owner of Wallace and Reddick’s 23XI entries, alliances dissolved in these cutthroat final laps as each driver battled for personal glory and points.
This mayhem on the final lap opened the door wide for Elliott, who stuck tightly to the low line, mashed the throttle, and made contact with Hamlin’s Camry. Elliott’s calculated aggression paid off as he surged forward, edging out his rivals for the win as the checkered flag waved. Hamlin, Bell, Briscoe, and Wallace followed, their finishes as unsatisfying as they were hard-fought given what could have been.
Reactions from Inside the Garage
Frustration and disappointment were evident post-race, particularly among the Toyota drivers who saw a prime opportunity slip away. Christopher Bell expressed his resignation regarding the outcome:
“It went about how we thought it would,”
Bell said after the race, resignation in his voice.
“Just people trying to fight for everything they can get and every inch on the race track. It was just pretty much copy/paste. The 23 (Wallace) ran me up, and then Denny ran him up, and the 9 car (Elliott) drove by all of us.”
– Christopher Bell, NASCAR Cup Series Driver
Bell added further, underscoring a sense of frustration from the team’s perspective:
“Obviously, it’s disappointing from a manufacturer’s standpoint. I don’t know what more you can do. We’ve got to race each other with respect, and that’s why we didn’t win tonight.”
– Christopher Bell, NASCAR Cup Series Driver
Wallace, now facing long odds ahead of next weekend’s critical cutoff race at the Charlotte Roval, recounted his view of the frenetic finish:
“Hard racing, and boundaries got crossed, and got to figure it out,”
said Wallace, who now trails the playoff cut line by 26 points. – Bubba Wallace, NASCAR Cup Series Driver
Denny Hamlin, who led most of the race and contended not only with competitive rivals but also with a loss of power steering, faced intense scrutiny and criticism after the event. He wasted no time addressing both the challenges and backlash he faced on social media, stating:
“I was off the gas 100yds before the 23 let off. I was turning as hard as I could given the aero situation. 11 team deserved that race. It didn’t work out.”
– Denny Hamlin, NASCAR Cup Series Driver
The complex dynamics of professional and personal desire caused these heated exchanges and questionable moves, intensifying the tension throughout the garage after a race that many believed should have yielded a different result for the dominant manufacturer.
Impact on the NASCAR Playoff Picture
Chase Elliott’s win instantly locks him into the Round of 8, handing the No. 9 Kelley Blue Book Chevrolet team unexpected momentum as the playoffs progress. In contrast, several Toyota drivers find themselves scrambling—Wallace in particular now needs a near-perfect performance in Charlotte to revive his championship campaign. Hamlin, having let slip a record-approaching 60th win after leading 159 laps, and Bell, robbed of late-race momentum, both have to regroup as elimination looms.
The emotional turbulence and unforgiving action highlight how every point and position can reshape careers, reputations, and championship dreams. Veteran drivers such as Hamlin and organizations like Joe Gibbs Racing and 23XI Racing face the challenge of resurrecting their playoff ambitions against the intensifying season pressure. Meanwhile, the Hollywood Casino 400’s dramatic conclusion at Kansas Speedway will be remembered for its shattered expectations and its proof that anything remains possible as the playoff battle rages on.
As the NASCAR Cup Series shifts to the Charlotte Roval for the next playoff round, all eyes turn to whether the wounded Toyota contingent can rebound from this heartbreak and whether Chase Elliott’s surge will continue, having proven that patience, bold decisions, and incredible timing can rewrite the script in a single, extraordinary lap.
