NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 takeaways: Ross Chastain makes history in NASCAR's longest race

Here are three takeaways from NASCAR's longest race:

Ross Chastain goes from last to first

Chastain began the Coca-Cola 600 last in the field after a spin in practice on Saturday. Despite only leading eight of the 400 laps, Chastain prevailed after 600 miles to score his sixth career win and first in Charlotte. Per the Prime Video broadcast, the 40th-place starting spot is the lowest of any winner in the 66-year history of the Coca-Cola 600.

Although the 2025 season has been disappointing, primarily due to poor qualifying efforts, Chastain flipped the script on Sunday to claim his first crown-jewel win and spoil a dominant run from Byron, who led a career-high 283 laps in his runner-up showing.

Kyle Larson's day goes from bad to worse

Larson entered Sunday looking to join Tony Stewart as the only two drivers to complete all 1,100 miles of the Indianapolis 500, Coca-Cola 600 "Double." Instead, a crash on Lap 92 ended his day prematurely in the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing."

While a front row starting spot and 33 laps led early in the race at Charlotte looked promising, a spin from the lead on Lap 42 put him behind in Stage 1. On Lap 244, a spin after getting hooked by Daniel Suarez ended his Coca-Cola 600 hopes for good and capped a disappointing second attempt at the "Double."

Carson Hocevar's bid for first career win goes up in smoke

Due to a spin on his qualifying lap on Saturday, Hocevar started Sunday's race in 39th. Despite the adversity leading up to the race, Hocevar rallied and battled Denny Hamlin and Byron for the Stage 3 win before his impressive run came to an abrupt end.

On the Lap 308 restart to begin the final stage, Hocevar's engine expired while he was alongside Hamlin for the lead. Although his 34th-place result ended up being his fourth DNF of the season, Hocevar continues to put himself in contention and show what he is capable of.