KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Denny Hamlin faced overwhelming disappointment after losing a chance to reach his 60th career Cup victory at Kansas Speedway on Sunday. His hopes for a milestone win and advancement in the NASCAR playoffs slipped away in a heart-wrenching finish, marked by mechanical issues and a late-race battle.
Hamlin’s Kansas disappointment was underscored by a series of setbacks during the race that ultimately allowed Chase Elliott to narrowly claim victory by just 0.069 seconds.
Dominant Performance Marred by Mechanical Failures and Pit Stop Troubles
Hamlin, who led 159 of the 273 laps, appeared set to dominate the event until about 50 laps before the finish when the power steering on his car began to fail. The challenge of controlling his vehicle grew, leaving him frustrated and exhausted.
I don’t know what to do,
Hamlin radioed under caution while still leading.
I can’t (expletive) believe it.
His crew chief, Chris Gayle, urged him to focus on securing the best finish possible to maintain their playoff position ahead of the next elimination race at Charlotte’s Roval.
I got you. You’re just going to do all you can here to get the best finish so we don’t have ourselves in a bad spot next week (for the elimination race at the Charlotte Roval). That’s all you can do.
— Chris Gayle, Crew Chief
Adding to the frustration, Hamlin’s final pit stop was significantly slower than usual due to difficulties faced by Nate McBride, his jackman for the weekend, who struggled with the jack placement. This costly delay dropped Hamlin outside the top five at a critical moment.
We were the best car,
Hamlin said.
We had a bad pit stop, restarted sixth.
Pit Crew Challenges Emerge After Team Suspension
Joe Gibbs Racing entered the event under the cloud of a penalty that suspended two key pit crew members for two races starting at Kansas. This followed an incident where a tire came loose during a previous contest at Bristol. As a result, Hamlin’s pit crew had two new members this weekend, and the adjustment appeared to impact performance during the last pit stop.
Late-Race Battle with Bubba Wallace Sets Stage for Dramatic Finish
Despite battling serious steering challenges, Hamlin fought hard in overtime, moving up to second place on the final lap. He closely pursued Bubba Wallace, teammate and co-owned driver of the 23XI Racing team alongside Michael Jordan, running side-by-side through Turn 3.
One to go, I’m thinking find a way to get to 60,
Hamlin said.
Obviously, not having power steering that was not ideal.
Hamlin later reflected on his driving strategy, wishing he had kept a bit more space between himself and Wallace.
If I had to do it all over again,
Hamlin said,
I think I would run a little bit lower to allow a space between us so I don’t get so tight and then try to turn the wheel more.
Chase Elliott Capitalizes to Secure Close Victory
Seizing an opening left by Hamlin and Wallace’s close duel, Chase Elliott drove the inside line on the final lap and surged ahead to win the race.
I saw (Hamlin) and (Wallace) race hard in (Turn) 3 and I thought, ‘Man, if I just stick the bottom here, I might be at least three wide with them off (Turn) 4,
Elliott said. “That’s what I was shooting for. … I just saw them running there really hard.
My eyes went to just do the best I could to (run) the bottom as fast as I could (run) it. I really kind of quit watching them. Then I saw (Hamlin) come back down and obviously ran into him. I think he was trying to cover my run, but he was too late at that point.
— Chase Elliott, Driver
The Emotional Toll of a Narrow Miss at a Milestone Victory
After the race, Hamlin received a brief hug from Bubba Wallace but was left to wrestle with what might have been. Although Hamlin remains 48 points above the playoff cutline heading into the Charlotte Roval elimination race, the sting of missing a golden opportunity visibly weighed on him.
Just massive disappointment,
Hamlin reflected earlier in the day.
What was on my mind was winning 60,
he said.
That was it.
Just super disappointed,
Hamlin admitted,
that I couldn’t finish this one out.
Historic Significance of the 60th Victory Goal
Reaching 60 career Cup wins is a major milestone in today’s fiercely competitive NASCAR landscape, with only Kyle Busch, who has 63, achieving that feat among active drivers. Joey Logano ranks next with 37 victories. For Hamlin, this goal symbolizes an elite standard of success that motivates his efforts each race.
The Kansas loss slams home the fierce challenges drivers endure, not just from rivals but from the unpredictable nature of racing mechanics, team coordination, and split-second decisions. Hamlin’s Kansas disappointment illustrates the razor-thin margins that often separate victory from defeat in the sport’s highest level.
