Backup car leads Chastain to Coca Cola 600 victory

Ross Chastain turned adversity into his first 2025 victory by overtaking William Byron in the closing laps of the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The #1 driver had to start from 40th position after his Trackhouse Racing team worked overnight to build a completely new car following Saturday's practice crash.

Against-the-clock rebuild

The tire blowout that sent Chastain into the outside wall between turns 3 and 4 during Saturday's practice forced Trackhouse Racing to scrap their primary car. The team worked from 5:30 AM until 2:30 AM building the backup car that would carry Chastain to victory.

When I left the shop last night, I went and sat in this car for the first time. It was about 10 PM when I left. They worked until 2:30. They came back at 5:30 in the morning.

Being unable to qualify due to the car change placed Chastain in the last starting row, facing a 39-position climb through the field.

Byron leads but falters in final stretch

William Byron delivered a near-perfect performance by leading 283 of 400 laps and winning the first three stages. The Hendrick Motorsports driver seemed poised to complete a perfect weekend after his Xfinity Series win on Saturday.

The third stage provided the most intense battle when Byron and Denny Hamlin exchanged the lead nine times. Byron regained first place on lap 291 and maintained his advantage until Chastain executed his winning move.

Perfect timing in final strategy

Phil Surgen, Chastain's crew chief, had planned to make the final pit stop two laps earlier, but confusion led the driver to wait until lap 350. This accidental decision proved crucial when Chastain made his pass on Byron on lap 395.

The fresher Goodyear Eagles tires gave Chastain the extra grip needed to complete the move. He dove below Byron's Chevrolet in turn 1 and slid up in turn 2 to take the lead he wouldn't relinquish.

Fuel error eliminates Hamlin

Denny Hamlin had been Byron's main rival for much of the race, but a team error during the lap 348 fuel stop ruined his chances. His crew failed to completely fill the tank, forcing an unscheduled stop on lap 388 that took him out of victory contention.

Larson struggles after double duty

Kyle Larson flew from Indianapolis after dropping out of the Indy 500 to compete at Charlotte, but his double attempt ended in frustration. After leading 34 laps early in the race, he hit the wall and damaged his car's alignment. The problems continued until he was eliminated in a multi-car crash on lap 246.

Zilisch makes Cup Series oval debut

Connor Zilisch, the 20-year-old Xfinity Series phenom, made his Cup Series oval debut. Despite being involved in the crash that eliminated Jimmie Johnson on lap 112, Zilisch managed to continue and finish 23rd.

Direct playoff berth

Chase Briscoe rounded out the podium in third place after overcoming a tire violation penalty on his first pit stop. AJ Allmendinger finished fourth, while Brad Keselowski earned his first top-10 of the season by finishing fifth.

The victory guarantees Chastain a spot in the 2025 playoffs and gives Trackhouse Racing its first crown jewel win. Chase Elliott, Michael McDowell, Christopher Bell, Ryan Preece and Noah Gragson rounded out the top-10.