Fueling blunder denies Denny Hamlin a shot at Coke 600 win

Hamlin's hopes of winning NASCAR's longest race were shattered because of a failure to get the car full of fuel during the final pit stop

Throughout most of the Coca-Cola 600, William Byron was a constant at the very front of the field, but so was Denny Hamlin. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver led 53 laps, second only to Byron in that category. But when the checkered flag flew, he was scored 16th as the last car on the lead lap.

Hamlin, who won the Coke 600 in 2022, was running second during the final cycle of green-flag pit stops. However, after getting back out on track, he was faced with some troubling news as he did not have enough fuel to reach the checkered flag.

William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet; Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Photo by: Logan Riely / Getty Images

During the pit stop as the fueler put the second can in, it never actually connected properly and fuel began to spill all over the ground. Hamlin could only keep racing, helplessly hoping for a caution that never came. He finally pitted with 12 laps to, giving up the third position on track as eventual race winner Ross Chastain had already passed him.

He had few words to share after the race, and when asked if there needs to be a conversation with the team, Hamlin said: "I mean, they're the pros. I'm not a pit guy, but I tried to do everything I could for the National Debt Toyota Team. Fun battling up front. It was a heck of a battle there and would have liked to see it through, but unfortunately just didn't get enough gas in it and had to come back in."

Unfortunately, mistakes on pit road are not a new phenomena for Hamlin, who has been vocal about other issues in the past, saying his crew was in a "slump" last fall as mistakes held him back during the 2024 playoff run.