Denny Hamlin Urges NASCAR Management to Act Quickly on Ross Chastain’s “Intentional Crash” on the Final Lap at Charlotte. Management’s Reaction Leaves Him Speechless, Sparking Heated Debate
In the high-stakes world of NASCAR, where every turn can rewrite a driver’s destiny, the final lap of the Bank of America Roval 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on October 5, 2025, delivered one of the most controversial moments of the season. Shane van Gisbergen crossed the finish line first, securing a stunning victory in the Cup Series Playoffs Round of 12 elimination race, but it was the chaos behind him that stole the spotlight. Ross Chastain, desperate to hold off Joey Logano for the final transfer spot to the Round of 8, executed a bold—and what many are calling intentional—move that spun out Denny Hamlin, allowing Logano to slip through unscathed and clinch advancement by a mere four points. Now, Hamlin, a veteran Joe Gibbs Racing driver and co-owner of 23XI Racing, is publicly calling on NASCAR officials to intervene swiftly, decrying the lack of immediate action as “speechless” and igniting a firestorm of debate across the sport.
The incident unfolded in the dying seconds of the 109-lap race on the 2.32-mile road course hybrid layout. Chastain, piloting the No. 1 Busch Light Chevrolet for Trackhouse Racing, entered the final lap tied with Logano on points but holding the disadvantage in the tiebreaker. To advance, he needed to maintain track position ahead of the No. 22 Team Penske Ford. Hamlin, comfortably in the mix for a solid finish after advancing to the Round of 8 by 33 points, had just passed Chastain in Turn 7, capitalizing on the fading grip of the No. 1 car. With no knowledge of the playoff implications—his team had gone radio silent on the matter—Hamlin pressed on, unaware he was unwittingly becoming the linchpin in Chastain’s elimination.
As the field barreled toward the frontstretch chicane, Chastain dove deep into the corner, hooking the right rear of Hamlin’s No. 11 Progressive Toyota. The contact sent both cars into a spin, with Hamlin’s machine careening backward across the finish line in a bizarre reverse burnout that captured the absurdity of the moment. Logano, trailing closely, threaded the needle through the wreckage, finishing 20th but securing his spot with a points edge that felt like divine intervention. Chastain, meanwhile, dropped to 23rd after the spin, his championship hopes extinguished for another year. “I did what I had to do to be in front of the 11,” Chastain admitted post-race, unapologetic in his candor. “They said I had to be ahead of him. Get to the 11—that was the call.”
Hamlin, who finished 23rd after untangling his car, wasted no time expressing his frustration. In the immediate aftermath, he was seen pulling Chastain aside for a private conversation away from the media scrum, a moment captured on video by onlookers. The exchange appeared cordial, but Hamlin’s true sentiments bubbled over on his “Actions Detrimental” podcast the following day. “That was an intentional wreck,” he declared, his voice laced with disbelief. “Best case for him, he throws me off balance and finishes the corner. But there’s a low percentage chance we don’t spin out from that contact. And it worked out for Joey, but come on—NASCAR needs to act quick on this.” Hamlin, drawing parallels to past infractions, referenced the 2024 Martinsville penalty where his 23XI team was docked 50 points for allegedly aiding Bubba Wallace in a similar points manipulation scheme. “They fined us last year for less,” he said. “What’s the difference between that and a right-rear hook here? If Ross advances because of this, it’s a precedent they can’t ignore.”
NASCAR’s response—or lack thereof—has only fueled Hamlin’s ire. Officials reviewed the incident in the impound lot but issued no penalties, classifying it as “racing incident” under the intense pressure of the playoffs. Chastain received no fine or points deduction, a decision that Hamlin called out directly: “I’m speechless. They set a precedent on intentional stuff before—tell me if this would’ve been a penalty if he made it through.” The sanctioning body has remained tight-lipped, with senior vice president of competition Elton Sawyer stating only that “post-race reviews are ongoing,” but sources indicate no further action is expected. This hands-off approach echoes NASCAR’s historical reluctance to penalize aggressive moves in elimination races, prioritizing the spectacle of hard racing over punitive measures that could alter playoff outcomes.
The debate has exploded across the NASCAR community, dividing fans, drivers, and analysts. Chastain’s defenders point to his history of wall-riding heroics—like the infamous “Hail Melon” at Martinsville in 2022 that propelled him into the Championship 4—as evidence of a win-at-all-costs mentality that’s core to the sport’s DNA. “Ross races like it’s his last lap every time,” said Trackhouse owner Justin Marks in a statement. “He owned it, apologized to Denny as an innocent bystander, and that’s racing.” Chastain himself echoed this, expressing regret only for the collateral damage: “I’m sorry to Denny, to JGR, to his whole team. They were innocent in it. The past speaks for itself—I’m more aware now.”
Critics, however, see a dangerous line crossed. Veteran broadcaster Dale Earnhardt Jr., on his podcast, sided with Hamlin: “This wasn’t door-banging; it was calculated to take someone out. NASCAR’s got to draw a line before every final lap becomes a demolition derby.” Social media erupted, with #ChastainCrash trending and memes of Hamlin’s backward finish going viral. Joey Logano, the unintended beneficiary, stayed neutral: “I didn’t see it coming—literally. But points are points, and I’m grateful.” Other drivers weighed in too—Kyle Larson tweeted support for stricter enforcement, while William Byron quipped, “Playoffs make monsters of us all.”
Hamlin’s plea for swift action underscores broader tensions in NASCAR’s governance. As a driver-owner hybrid, he has skin in the game beyond his own No. 11, advocating for consistency to protect the integrity of the playoffs. “We can’t have teams hypersensitive to last year’s penalties and then radio silent when it matters,” he lamented, revealing his crew’s caution stemmed from fear of reprisal. The incident also highlights the razor-thin margins of the format: Logano advanced by four points, a chasm that felt like a canyon in the heat of battle.
As the Cup Series shifts to Las Vegas for the South Point 400 next weekend, the Round of 8 field—now featuring Logano alongside Ryan Blaney, William Byron, Chase Briscoe, Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, Chase Elliott, and Hamlin—prepares for the next elimination. Chastain, out for the second straight year on a last-lap controversy, faces an uncertain offseason, his aggressive style both his superpower and Achilles’ heel. For Hamlin, the sting lingers, but so does his resolve. “I would’ve made the best decision for me if I’d known,” he said. “But NASCAR? They need to decide what’s best for the sport—fast.” In a series built on speed and split-second calls, this wreck has slowed everyone down to reflect: How far is too far when the championship is on the line? The answer, for now, hangs in the exhaust fumes, waiting for NASCAR’s next move.
