NASCAR Charlotte 2017 results: Austin Dillon wins Coca-Cola 600

Austin Dillon scores first Cup Series win on late-race fuel gamble.

Austin Dillon had just enough fuel to make it across the finish to win his first career Monster Energy Cup Series race Sunday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Jimmie Johnson and Austin Dillon each elected to gamble on fuel strategy as the Coca-Cola 600, NASCAR’s longest race, closed with an extended green flag run. But when Johnson’s tank went dry with three laps remaining, Dillon inherited the lead then nursed his car to the checkered flag, just ahead of Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr., who had pitted and were fast closing.

The 27-year-old Dillon stretched his fuel 70 laps to earn his first victory in his 133rd Cup start. Matt Kenseth and Denny Hamlin completed the top five, followed by Kurt Busch, rookie Erik Jones, pole-sitter Kevin Harvick, Ryan Newman, and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

“I was just trying to be patient with (Johnson),” Dillon said. “I could see him saving. I thought I’d saved enough early where I could attack at the end, but I tried to wait as long as possible. And when he ran out, I figured I’d go back in and save where I was lifting and it worked out. I ran out at the line and it gurgled all around just to do one little spin and push it back to victory lane.”

Dillon’s triumph also marked the first premier division win for the No. 3 since the late Dale Earnhardt reached victory lane at Talladega Superspeedway in Oct. 2000. Richard Childress, Dillon’s grandfather and the car owner for both Dillon and Earnhardt, did not use the number until he promoted his grandson to Cup in 2014.

“I can’t thank my grandfather enough,” Dillon said. “He’s put a lot into me.”

Truex dominated the Coca-Cola 600 for a second straight year, leading a race-high 233 laps. A year ago, the Furniture Row Racing driver lead a NASCAR-record 392 laps of a possible 400.