Denny Hamlin comes clean on being out of options at the Daytona 500’s final lap: “I didn’t think I could’ve done anything differently”

NASCAR veteran Denny Hamlin, who was leading before the restart, found himself in the challenging position to take the lead back during the final lap of the 2025 Daytona 500 on Sunday (February 16) at Daytona International Speedway. After the race, he explained his thought process on the final lap, admitting that he didn’t have much option to do anything differently to change the outcome.

On the final lap of NASCAR overtime, Hamlin was in a strong position running second to win his fourth Daytona 500 until a contact between Cole Custer and his teammate Chase Briscoe triggered a multi-car crash that involved the #11 driver as well. Due to the wreck, #11 ended up finishing P24 at Daytona.

Speaking to FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass in the post-race interview, Denny Hamlin explained his thought process in the closing lap of a race, where he believed he was in a strong position to win and said:

“It was gonna be close, I thought I had a really big push from the #19 [Chase Briscoe]. I had the ability to turn left and get myself clear of the two, so I had—I thought I was in a really good spot. That's why I chose not to block the #41 [Cole Custer]’s run down the back stretch is that, you know, it's okay to be side by side, like on the last lap and going through the last few corners, but I didn't think I could’ve done anything differently; it just didn't work out.”

Things didn’t work out in Denny Hamlin’s favor on the final lap, and he ultimately missed out on winning the Daytona 500 for the fourth time in his career.

---

Denny Hamlin didn’t blame Cole Custer for the last-lap wreck at Daytona

In the aforementioned interview, #11 Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin didn't blame Cole Custer for making a bold move that caused the wreck on the final lap of the Daytona 500. Instead, he defended Custer’s move, stating that #41 has returned to the Cup Series and had a significant opportunity to secure a playoff spot.

On Custer’s last-lap wreck, here’s what Hamlin said:

“I don't fault Cole going for it. I mean, he's, you know, back in the Cup Series; he's, you know, got a good opportunity to go out here and lock himself in the playoffs. I mean, it's probably pretty big all around for the 41 team, so he's gonna do everything he can to, you know, make a move that he thinks is the race-winning move.”

William Byron, who was ninth at the time of the contact, avoided the chaos and held off Tyler Reddick to win his back-to-back Daytona 500s.