Fueling Error Costs Denny Hamlin Coke 600 Victory

Denny Hamlin led 53 laps at the 2025 Coca-Cola 600, running near the front alongside William Byron for most of the race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Hamlin appeared to have a shot at his second win in NASCAR’s longest event, but a costly mistake on pit road changed everything in the final stage.

During the last round of green-flag pit stops, Hamlin’s crew struggled while refueling his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. The second fuel can never properly connected, causing fuel to spill onto the ground—a scenario outlined in NHTSA fuel safety protocols—and leaving the car short of what was needed to finish the race.

After returning to the track, Hamlin’s team told him he did not have enough fuel to reach the checkered flag. He continued on in hopes of catching a caution that would allow him to pit under yellow without losing as much track position, but the caution he wanted never came.

With just 12 laps to go, Hamlin was forced to pit from third place, giving up his spot as race leader Ross Chastain powered on toward the finish. Unable to refuel on schedule, Hamlin fell to 16th, the last car to complete all 400 laps.

Speaking after the race, Hamlin said he did everything he could for the No. 11 team and expressed disappointment in the mistake. He called his pit crew professionals and stopped short of placing blame, saying, “I’m not a pit guy. Fun battling up front. It was a heck of a battle there and would have liked to see it through, but unfortunately just didn’t get enough gas in it and had to come back in.”

Hamlin has dealt with several pit road mishaps over the past two seasons. Late in 2024, he commented about his crew’s “slump” during the playoffs, where costly mistakes also played a role in missed opportunities.

Ross Chastain claimed victory after starting last, making history with a charge to the front for Trackhouse Racing. William Byron, who also led more than a quarter of the race, lost ground on late strategy and did not mount a challenge for the win in the closing laps.

Kyle Larson, seeking a strong showing after contesting the Indy 500 endurance standards earlier in the day, was eliminated in a crash with several other cars before the finish.

The Coke 600 saw multiple lead changes, intense battles, and an unpredictable ending. While Hamlin looked to be one of the strongest cars, his finish outside the top 15 reflected how quickly fortune can turn at Charlotte’s marquee event.

Mistakes in the pits can erase a day’s work in an instant, and drivers like Hamlin are left to regroup and look ahead to the next race. With the season reaching the summer stretch, attention now turns to how Hamlin and the No. 11 team will address pit road errors moving forward.

Meanwhile, Chastain’s dramatic win adds another notable result to the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. As rivals search for consistency, the ability to avoid mistakes continues to be a deciding factor in the chase for victory.

Daniel Miller

Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.