“I would not have passed him ,” said a visibly distraught Denny Hamlin to crew chief Chris Gayle. Four drivers were eliminated from the Cup Series playoffs when the checkered flag was waved at the Charlotte Roval. Ross Chastain was one of them. The Trackhouse driver fought with the reigning champ, Joey Logano, over the eighth and final spot. Driving the No. 1 Chevy, Chastain did all he could to remain in contention, even launching a desperate move on the No. 11 Toyota in the closing stages of the race.

The gamble backfired. Hamlin inadvertently helped Joey Logano remain in the playoff hunt, a decision that may come to haunt him later. However, the Team Penske driver couldn’t help but offer his honest verdict on the situation, revealing that it was a Sophie’s choice scenario for the Joe G

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