“I thought we were in a great spot many times in the last 10 laps”, Denny Hamlin said after a last-lap miscalculation that cost him his fourth Daytona win. What could have been a possible winning move ended with a wreck, initiated by Cole Custer, and ultimately left him to finish the race in a P24. The Daytona 500 saw quite a few wrecks, with Joey Logano losing control of his speed and causing a Big One. 

However, coming so close to the finishing line and then losing grip proved fatal for Hamlin. Not only did it rob Hamlin of his position, but it also ensured that William Byron got hold of a strategic edge and emerged victorious. 

Three wide in the middle, Hamlin was in a tight spot

Denny Hamlin appeared to take the lead on the final lap. His confidence grew when Riley Herbst spun into the infield grass. Expecting NASCAR to throw a caution, after the Xfinity Series race had ended under yellow the previous day Hamlin believed the race might freeze with him in the lead. However, this did not happen. Herbst managed to regain control without bringing out a caution. As the pack grew more aggressive in the final moments, Hamlin found himself in a three-wide battle. 

Cole Custer played a key role in Denny Hamlin’s downfall in the final lap of the Daytona 500. As the race neared its climax Hamlin made a strategic decision not to block him. Hamlin was pushing Austin Cindric (#2) as low as possible while ensuring Custer had enough space to maintain his momentum. However, Hamlin believed that Custer suddenly steered left. This move potentially crowded the lane. It ensured that there was chaos which prevented the pack from making it cleanly through Turn 4. Kelly Crandall, tweeted, “Cole Cuter on pushing Christopher Bell… “I can’t lay off him with three to go. Really hard to make a decision there.” 

To this, Hamlin commented, “Yes you can.”  Hamlin implied that Custer should have eased off Christopher Bell instead of aggressively pushing him, which contributed to the crash.

The crash disrupted Hamlin’s chances for the victory. Even before he could recover, William Byron surged ahead to claim the victory. If the crash had not materialized, Hamlin, Custer, or Austin Cindric would have been the winner of the Daytona 500.  

Top Comment by Scott

Custer doesn’t belong in the Cup Series!

Share your take

Debate

Custer’s coming to Cup Series might have made him aggressive on tracks 

Cole Custer is back in the Cup Series season under the renewed team structure of Haas Racing. After spending the past two seasons in the Xfinity Series following a demotion from Stewart-Haas Racing, Custer has to prove himself worthy of the position. With SHR shutting down operations at the end of last season, team owner Gene Haas opted to field a single Cup car and brought Custer back to the top level of NASCAR competition.

This might be a very big reason why he is choosing to go all out on the tracks. Citing the same, Denny Hamlin said, “I don’t fault Cole. I mean, he’s back in the Cup Series, he’s got a good opportunity to go out there and lock himself in the playoffs. It’s probably pretty big, all around, for the 41 team, so he’s doing everything he can to make a move that he thinks is the race-winning move.”

Custer’s aggressive tactics may have cost Hamlin a shot at victory, but they also underscored his desperation to cement his place in the Cup Series. Whether it was a necessary risk or an overzealous move, only time will tell if it pays off for the No. 41 team.