Ross Chastain started in last to win Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
CONCORD, N.C. — Ross Chastain put an end to William Byron’s dominant day in the Coca-Cola 600 by making an impressive pass for the win in the closing laps.
Chastain ran down Byron during the final run to steal the win. Byron led over 280 laps in the event, dominating every stage until the final laps.
The Trackhouse Racing driver started last in the field after wrecking during practice. He paced himself throughout NASCAR’s longest race to take the victory in the crown jewel event.
“My team built me another car,” Chastain said after the win. “We just stayed in it.”
“I was trying to defend and was getting a little bit tight,” Byron said. “Disappointing to lead that many laps [and not win].”
Kyle Larson’s attempt at “the double” ended a few hundred miles short of the intended distance. Larson crashed out during the Indianapolis 500 before spinning out from the lead at Charlotte in the first stage. Larson wrecked out in a crash later in the race.
Denny Hamlin challenged for the lead in the last stage, but a fueling issue on the last pit stop prevented him from contending late. Hamlin ran out of fuel in the closing laps and finished 16th.
Chase Briscoe started from the lead but only stayed in front for the first lap. Byron began his command of the field on the second lap, taking the lead from Briscoe.
Larson later took over the lead and looked to be a dominant force. He stayed unchallenged until lap 42 when he got loose and spun across the infield grass. The incident crushed Larson’s hopes of winning the race.
Alex Bowman, another Hendrick Motorsports driver, crashed on lap 98. The incident brought the end of the first stage.
Four-time Coca-Cola 600 winner Jimmie Johnson crashed out of the event on lap 111 after spinning and making contact with Cole Custer and Connor Zilisch.
The biggest crash of the day happened on lap 245 when Chase Briscoe turned Daniel Suárez, who was sent into Ryan Blaney. Larson made contact with Suárez, ending both drivers’ days.
This story will be updated.
