Denny Hamlin stole the lead from Kyle Larson with the first last lap pass in Kansas Speedway history, winning the 2023 AdventHealth 400 in thrilling fashion. It's Hamlin's fourth win at Kansas and first win in his last 33 starts, as he most recently took the checkered flag in the 2022 Coca-Cola 600.
Larson led for almost the entire end of the race, but Hamlin began closing in on the Hendrick Motorsports driver with 20 laps to go. Hamlin inched closer over the ensuing laps, even getting side-by-side with Larson with five to go, but Larson maintained his lead. On the final lap of the race, however, Hamlin made contact with the rear of Larson to get in front and take the checkered flag.
After the race, Larson -- who now has six top-fives this season -- explained his car was "really loose" near the end but admitted Hamlin "was a little bit better than me."
Hamlin's win gives him 49 for his career, tying Tony Stewart for the 15th most in Cup Series history. It also marks two victories in a row for Joe Gibbs Racing -- which now has 400 Cup Series victories -- as Martin Truex Jr. took the checkered flag at Dover on Monday.
The wild finish to the AdventHealth 400 was a perfect encapsulation of the entire race, as a Kansas Speedway-record 37 lead changes occurred. That's 11 more than the previous record, which was set in 2009 in a race the aforementioned Stewart won.
The battle between Hamlin and Larson wasn't the only source of drama at the end of the race, as Ross Chastain punched Noah Gragson in the face during an argument on pit road. Chastain forced Gragson into the wall a while earlier, causing him to spin out.
In his post-race interview, Gragson explained he confronted Chastain to criticize his famously aggressive brand of racing.
"No one else here has the balls to confront him, so at least just grab him and do something or he's just going to keep doing it," Gragson said. " ... Nobody confronts the guy, he keeps doing it, and I'm sick and tired of it."
Chastain didn't apologize for swinging at Gragson, saying after the race that "we have a no-push policy at Trackhouse [Racing]." While Chastain, who finished fifth, was captured on the live broadcast punching Gragson, replay showed Gragson did grab Chastin's fire suit first.
Rounding out the top five in between Hamlin and Chastain were Larson, William Byron and Bubba Wallace. Byron, who was the polesitter, started poorly as he was penalized for speeding off pit road and made contact with the wall, but he recovered nicely for his sixth top five of the season. It's the sixth top five of the year for Chastain and third for Bubba Wallace, who won at Kansas last fall.
The NASCAR Cup Series returns next Sunday at Darlington for the Goodyear 400. That race is slated for 3 p.m. ET on FS1.
Denny Hamlin records the first last lap pass in Kansas Speedway history to steal the win from Kyle Larson. It's Hamlin's fourth win at Kansas and first in 33 starts.
Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin are side by side in a thrilling battle for the lead with five laps to go.
20 laps to go, and Kyle Larson is leading by a wide margin. Denny Hamlin is in second with William Byron in third.
The 11th caution of the day comes out for Erik Jones.
Noah Gragson brings out the 10th caution of the day after spinning out on Turn 2. 61 laps to go.
