Crucial pit road mishap dooms Denny Hamlin in Coca-Cola 600

Pit road was a major key in both of Denny Hamlin's wins in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season at Martinsville and Darlington. In Sunday's Coca-Cola 600, however, it was the No. 11 team's downfall. 

On Hamlin's last scheduled pit stop, an issue with the second fuel can ended up with Hamlin having significantly less fuel than those around him. Hamlin, who was running second, was forced to pit from the top five in the closing laps and ultimately finished 16th. 

"You can't change the result, you have to live with it," Hamlin told Prime Video. "They're the pros. I'm not a pit guy. We had a great car, fun battling up front. It was a heck of a battle, would've loved to have seen it through, but we didn't get enough gas in it and had to come back in." 

Hamlin battled with William Byron and Carson Hocevar for the race lead late in Stage 3, but Byron held Hamlin off for the stage win. Before Hamlin had to make his final pit stop in Stage 4, eventual race winner Ross Chastain got around Hamlin before chasing down Byron for the victory. 

Hamlin led 53 laps on the night and earned a total of 22 stage points before a disappointing fourth and final stage.