Winners and losers from a sensational Coca-Cola 600

Ross Chastain is officially a winner of the Coca-Cola 600, fighting back from incredible odds in a total team effort to win NASCAR’s longest race. And while it was elation for him, it was a bitter disappointment for Hendrick Motorsports, and not just because William Byron lost after dominating most of the race. Kyle Larson’s ‘Double’ attempt ended in two DNFs, Denny Hamlin ran out of fuel, and the NASCAR Cup Series aired exclusively on streaming for the very first time.

So, let’s take a look at the biggest winners and losers from 600 miles at Charlotte:

WINNER: Every single person who worked on Ross Chastain’s backup car

Nearly 30 people dropped what they were doing to help in preparing Chastain’s backup car after a practice crash, burning the midnight oil and working past 2am to get the car race-ready. Even the crew chief was operating on less than three hours of sleep. And yet, they didn’t just succeed in making the car competitive,  but they gave Chastain a No. 1 Chevrolet he was able to drive from last to first — which has never been done before in the Coca-Cola 600. A true Herculean effort by the entire organization. 

LOSER: Kyle Larson’s double disaster

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Photo by: Logan Riely / Getty Images

Larson has officially run the Indy-Charlotte Double on the same day, becoming the fifth drier to do so, but he came over 500 miles shy of running the full distance. He recorded two DNFs to show for his efforts, crashing out of the Indy 500 and later the Coca-Cola 600. At Charlotte, he took the lead early, but actually hit the wall and spun while in complete control of the race. The team spent most of the race trying to fix the toe, only for him to be collected in a race-ending crash just after the halfway point. Don’t be surprised if we never see Larson attempt the ‘Double’ again after how his last two outings have gone.

WINNER: AJ Allmendinger carries Kaulig to its best run in years

AJ Allmendinger, Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

Photo by: James Gilbert / Getty Images

Allmendinger is quietly one of the most versatile racers out there. A winner in NASCAR, IMSA, CART and several other disciplines, the 43-year-old showed up to NASCAR’s longest race and delivered an incredible performance. After qualifying fifth for the Coca-Cola 600, he stayed right there the entire night, finishing fourth in his best Cup finish on a non-drafting oval since Homestead in 2022. It’s also his best finish ever in the 600, rebounding from back-to-back races with DNFs.

LOSER: Denny Hamlin for running on empty

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Photo by: Getty Images

Hamlin appeared to have the second-best car all night and was the only driver to consistently challenge Byron for the race lead, but when the checkered flag flew, he was in 16th place. Hamlin was running second after the final round of pit stops, but his Joe Gibbs Racing pit crew failed to properly connect the second gas can and were unable to get the tank full. Forced to make an unscheduled pit stop, he could only watch as 600 miles of hard work evaporated in front of his eyes.

WINNER: Brad Keselowski finally puts a full race together

Brad Keselowski, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford

Photo by: David Jensen / Getty Images

This has been a horrendous season so far for Keselowski, and while Sunday’s showing won’t save him from the points hole he’s now in, it is certainly a step in the right direction. The veteran driver charged from 35th on the grid, avoiding all of the drama to finish a quiet fifth, scoring both his first top and first top ten of the 2025 season. Maybe the No. 6 RFK Racing Ford is finally turning things around.

LOSER: The fan who stole Chastain’s hat

Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Photo by: Logan Riely / Getty Images

After battling Byron for the win, Chastain faced a different kind of battle on pit road after the race. An audacious fan reached into the car and stole the hat from atop his head. Chastain revealed later just how important his race-winning hats are to him and how he could hardly believe it as the fan tried to run off. Thankfully, he got the hat back in the end, but what a bizarre end to his otherwise perfect day.

WINNER: Prime Video for taking NASCAR coverage to the next level

Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Photo by: Logan Riely / Getty Images

Cable TV beware. The NASCAR Cup Series ran a race exclusively on streaming for the very first time and it was a hit. With a professional broadcast and tons of both pre and post-race coverage, Prime Video is receiving overwhelming praise. The entire final run of the race went uninterrupted with zero commercials, and it seemed like the broadcast would never end as they interviewed several drivers and the top two finishers twice! The broadcast was engaging and the commentator team, which included Dale Earnhardt Jr., kept those watching on the edge of their seats. And the promotion leading up to the event was also impressive, including the production of a highly acclaimed documentary on the late, great Dale Earnhardt. The only negative is that Prime didn’t purchase more than five races this summer!

LOSER: Whatever was going on at Team Penske

Daniel Suarez, Trackhouse Chevrolet, Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford

Photo by: David Jensen / Getty Images

Penske had a bad week that culminated with a rough day at both Indianapolis and Charlotte. At the 600, Ryan Blaney crashed out of the race and finished 38th. Austin Cindric’s car got damaged at some point and he limped around to a 31st-place finish, 12 laps down. And then there’s Joey Logano, who was deep in the pack for most of the race, but he was at least able to fight his way up to an unimpressive 17th as he was last car on the lead lap. This is certainly one ‘Month of May’ Roger Penske will surely want to forget.