Ross Chastain makes history, goes from worst to 1st to win NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600

Ross Chastain passed William Byron with five laps left and won the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway, becoming the first driver to win the event after starting at the back of the field.

Byron won the first three stages and led 283 laps, but surrendered the lead to Chastain, who started in 40th place and led just eight laps in his first NASCAR Cup Series victory of the year.

It was a huge boost to Trackhouse Racing, and a bitter disappointment for Byron, the Charlotte native who had signed a four-year contract extension Friday with Hendrick Motorsports.

Ross Chastain celebrates his historic Coca-Cola 600 victory by smashing a watermelon. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images)

Byron became the first driver to sweep the first three stages at NASCAR's longest race, but found himself in a battle with Denny Hamlin in the final 100 laps. They exchanged the lead a few times before both drivers pitted with 52 laps for one final fill up on gas.

But Hamlin didn't get enough fuel in his car and would have to pit again, falling out of contention. He would finish 16th.

Chastain, running in a backup car, ran down Byron for his sixth Cup Series win and first crown jewel victory.

Pole-sitter Chase Briscoe finished third.

Kyle Larson's day ended the way it started at the Indianapolis 500 — with a wreck.

Larson arrived at Charlotte Motor Speedway via helicopter more than an hour ahead of the start of the race after crashing out at the Indianapolis 500 in his failed second attempt to complete "The Double."

In North Carolina, he started on the front row and ran out to the early lead before hitting the wall in Turn 3 on lap 38.

A few laps later his car got loose, sending him spinning across the front straightaway and