Overview

• Denny Hamlin dominated by leading 159 laps and sweeping the first two stages before late contact with Bubba Wallace allowed Chase Elliott to slip past for the victory.
• Hamlin said a slow pit stop and a power-steering issue set up the situation, acknowledged he got too close to Wallace, and noted he would have run lower if he could redo the corner.
• Bubba Wallace finished fifth, showed his displeasure with a gesture on the cooldown lap, and criticized the maneuver in blunt post-race comments.
• NASCAR voices Steve Letarte and Jeff Gordon backed Hamlin’s approach, saying he raced as a driver pursuing a win rather than as a team co-owner.
• The outcome keeps Hamlin 48 points above the playoff cutline, while 23XI drivers head to the Charlotte Roval in must-win positions.