DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Denny Hamlin believed he was on the cusp of capturing his fourth title at the Daytona 500 during the final lap of the race on Sunday evening.
As he surged ahead, a glimmer of hope flickered when Riley Herbst, a driver for the 23XI Racing team co-owned by Hamlin and Michael Jordan, spun through the infield grass.
Hamlin anticipated that NASCAR would surely issue a caution, especially after the previous day’s Xfinity Series race concluded under yellow flags.

However, when Herbst managed to regain control of his Toyota without losing momentum, NASCAR opted not to throw the caution.
Consequently, Hamlin found himself embroiled in the typical chaos that ensues when drivers face desperation, ending up in a three-wide scenario when Cole Custer’s car collided with his, sparking a significant crash.
In the midst of the wreckage, William Byron navigated through the chaos to secure victory in the Daytona 500 for the second consecutive year, while Hamlin finished in 24th place.

“I thought the race would be halted when the wreck involving Herbst occurred, but once it became clear that a caution wasn’t coming… I focused solely on getting a strong run to clinch the win,” Hamlin remarked.

Hamlin expressed understanding toward Custer’s aggressive tactics, recognizing the fierce competition for the win at that moment.
Had the unfortunate crash not taken place, the victory could have easily gone to Hamlin, Custer, or Austin Cindric.

Custer returned to the Cup Series this season after spending the last two years in the Xfinity Series following a demotion at Stewart-Haas Racing.
After winning the Xfinity championship in 2023 and finishing in second place in 2024, he has been given another chance in the Cup Series under a single-car setup after SHR downsized at the end of last season.

“I don’t blame Cole. He’s back in the Cup Series and has a solid chance to secure a playoff spot,” Hamlin stated.
“It’s a significant opportunity for the 41 team, and he’s just trying to take a risk for what he thought could be a winning move.”

Following the race, Hamlin advised Custer that he had made his move prematurely and should have held off until the final turn for a better shot at victory.

Although Hamlin drives a Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, he also co-owns 23XI Racing, which, along with Front Row Motorsports, is currently embroiled in antitrust lawsuits against NASCAR, claiming that the France family has maintained a monopoly over stock car racing.

Hamlin did not suggest that NASCAR withheld the caution to prevent him from winning but noted that the organization was probably responding to recent backlash over their handling of previous races.
“I think they react to criticism. They feel pressured to make calls in the next race to avoid backlash,” he commented.
“Ultimately, we weren’t destined to win, so I have no complaints.”