Talladega Superspeedway Race Report: Hamlin Stymied by Chastain in Final Stages
Denny Hamlin faced a frustrating afternoon at Talladega Superspeedway, ultimately finishing 23rd after a pivotal encounter with Ross Chastain thwarted his progress. Leading into the final pit cycle, Hamlin was poised in second place behind Toyota teammate Ty Gibbs, with a strong contingent of fellow Toyota drivers aiming for a competitive finish.
With 25 laps remaining, Hamlin and his teammates—Carson Hocevar, Michael McDowell, and Justin Haley—were the first to dive into the pits under green flag conditions. Hocevar emerged as the fastest off pit road, but the momentum was quickly jeopardized when the group encountered Chastain on the track.
In a critical moment in Turn 3, Hocevar managed to navigate between Chastain and Cody Ware, but Hamlin found himself trapped, resulting in a complete stall of momentum. This setback meant Hamlin could not contend with the leading Ford and Chevrolet drivers, ultimately hindering his chances of victory.
In the final standings, Bubba Wallace was the highest finishing Toyota in 10th place, while Tyler Reddick, Chase Briscoe, Ty Gibbs, and Erik Jones rounded out the Toyota results in 16th to 20th positions.
Hamlin reflected on the incident, stating, “I didn’t know how far up we were actually going to be able to get, but certainly [Chastain] making a move there to kind of wreck us was not ideal.” He acknowledged the unpredictable variance of speeds at Talladega and suggested the Toyota group fought hard to put on a show, but noted a shortfall in their overall race strategy.
"The package in the Cup Series doesn’t allow many runs to develop," Hamlin pointed out, highlighting challenges he faced in navigating through a tightly packed field. "Once you’re behind the two-by-two, there is nowhere to go."
While Hamlin’s afternoon ended in disappointment, Hocevar managed to distinguish himself with an impressive eighth-place finish, demonstrating an aggressive driving style that Hamlin sought to emulate in his efforts to stay competitive. “I was just committed to his back bumper and trying to make the best lap time I could for our group,” he added, emphasizing the difficulty of maneuvering through the congested race traffic.
As the race unfolded, it became apparent that the strategic intricacies of pit timing and track positioning played a decisive role in the outcome, marking a challenging day for Hamlin and his fellow Toyota drivers at Talladega.
