Ross Chastain has overcome starting at the back of the field to win the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Chastain, who had to switch to a backup car after a crash in practice on Saturday, passed William Byron with just six laps remaining to secure his first NASCAR Cup Series victory of the year.
Byron, the Charlotte native who recently signed a four-year contract extension with Hendrick Motorsports, had a dominant performance throughout the race, winning the first three stages and leading 283 laps. However, he was unable to hold off Chastain’s late charge, resulting in a bitter disappointment for Byron, who has now finished in the top three in the last three Coca-Cola 600s without a win.
“To drive on that final run in the 600 and pass two cars that had been better than me all night, wow,” said Chastain, who celebrated by standing on his car and slamming a watermelon down on the track, a tradition he follows after each victory. “Holy cow! We just won the 600.”
Chastain revealed that his crew had worked tirelessly to build him another car after the wreck in practice. “We thought we were going to have to fix the primary and NASCAR said, no, there is something bent (so) go build another one,” Chastain said. “That’s how we did that.”
Byron expressed his frustration over the loss, saying, “He was catching me and I was trying to defend and I was getting a little tight. He got a run on me and was able to get to the bottom of the track off of two. It’s disappointing to lead that many laps… It just sucks. We will try to keep going and put together some races like that.”
In the final 100 laps, Byron found himself battling with Denny Hamlin, exchanging the lead several times before both drivers pitted with 52 laps remaining for a final fuel stop. However, Hamlin’s car did not receive enough fuel, forcing him to pit again and taking him out of contention. He ultimately finished 16th.
Pole-sitter Chase Briscoe finished third, rounding out the podium.
Kyle Larson, who had attempted to complete “The Double” by racing in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day, saw his day end in disappointment. After crashing out of the Indy 500, Larson arrived at Charlotte Motor Speedway via helicopter more than an hour before the start of the race. Despite starting on the front row and taking the early lead, Larson hit the wall on lap 38 and later got caught up in a wreck involving Ryan Blaney, Chase Briscoe, and Daniel Suarez, forcing him behind the wall. He finished 37th.
Seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson’s quest for a record-tying fifth Coca-Cola 600 victory ended early in the second stage when he hit the wall in Turn 4, causing severe damage to his No. 84 Toyota. Johnson, who was making his 700th career Cup Series start, finished last in 40th place.
“I make a rookie mistake,” Johnson said. “The traffic situations are different with this car and I reacted in a way I shouldn’t have.”
As part of the Memorial Day weekend tribute, drivers pulled their cars down pit road to a complete stop for a moment of silence to “honor and remember” those service members who have lost their lives.
