They entered the Charlotte ROVAL’s final lap locked in a must-pass war. Joey Logano and Ross Chastain were deadlocked for the final transfer spot, each willing to risk it all. In Turn 7, Denny Hamlin sliced inside Chastain and made contact, spinning both cars. Chastain attempted a last-second dive back but was unable to reach the finish line on time. Instead, Logano edged past the chaos to advance by just 0.167 seconds.

In his post-race reflection, Hamlin admitted he had no clue about the playoff stakes at the moment: “I was just running. I saw the 1 was fading. I didn’t see the 22. … I had no idea the points situation.” He later conceded, “I mean, truthfully, I wish I would have just known what the last scenario was, and then I could make the best decision I can for me.” That chaot

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