Kyle Larson Becomes Multi-Time Champion, Denny Hamlin Heartbroken, And Ryan Blaney Wins Wild Finale at Phoenix

EDDIE KALEGI - NASCAR REPORTER

Kyle Larson celebrates second NASCAR Cup Series championship with family. (Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images, November 2nd, 2025)

A race that marked perhaps the end of an era for how NASCAR crowns its champions had it all; from intense racing at the front, to tire issues for all four drivers in the championship fight, to an eventful overtime finish, Phoenix Raceway delivered.

20 years of trying will continue into year 21 for Denny Hamlin, who’s chance at glory was derailed by a late caution, as Kyle Larson cycled to the championship lead and used an immaculate restart to win his second NASCAR Cup Series championship, while 2023 champion Ryan Blaney ended the 2025 season with a race victory.

Title contenders locked up the first three spots on the grid in qualifying Saturday, as Denny Hamlin narrowly notched his 48th career pole over Hendrick Motorsports teammates William Byron and Kyle Larson. Chase Briscoe had to play catch up, starting the race from 12th after being one of several drivers to encounter tire issues in Friday’s practice, costing him vital track time.

Hamlin fired off quite nicely, taking the early lead in front of a sellout crowd. William Byron remained tightly in tow in second, while Kyle Larson lost third place to Austin Cindric. 

Late in stage one, the gap between Hamlin and Byron began to close as the #11 Toyota hit lapped traffic. After leading the first 51 laps, the speed of the #24 Chevrolet proved too much for Hamlin, as Byron made the pass around the outside, and was ultimately victorious in the opening stage.

Ryan Blaney leapfrogged the title contenders as the drivers made their first pit stops of the race, and Denny Hamlin began to complain about clutch pedal issues, a problem that has plagued him multiple times throughout the season. A quick caution for a spinning John Hunter Nemechek would halt progress as Hamlin passed Byron and was bearing down on Blaney.

On the ensuing restart, Blaney was slow through turn one, ceding the lead to Hamlin, as Larson and Byron climbed to second and third respectively. Hamlin began to pull away, but the field was brought back together after a Shane van Gisbergen spin. The caution was especially beneficial for Hamlin’s Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Chase Briscoe, who was running sixth but had a tire go flat just as the yellow flag flew. Briscoe would remain on the lead lap, but an ongoing vibration buried the title contender at the back of the pack.

Despite clutch issues, Hamlin held serve after the second round of pit stops and again had a blinding restart to build a multiple second advantage over the Hendrick Motorsports duo. But as the run went longer, Friday’s field-wide tire issues arose again, as Kyle Busch lost a right rear right before AJ Allmendinger nailed the outside wall after blowing a right front. Hamlin would follow with yet another commanding restart, and hold off Ryan Blaney to clinch stage two after Ty Dillon hit the wall to bring out a caution.

Then on pit road, disaster struck. Cording tires led to arduous stops for both Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson, knocking both contenders outside the top ten. William Byron would subsequently take control of the lead and the championship, as Chase Briscoe surged all the way back to second. 

Hamlin and Larson quickly re-entered the top ten, but with 98 laps to go, Larson lost a right front tire, pitting under green and falling a lap down. Moments later, Chase Briscoe lost a tire as well, putting the 19 team well behind for the second time in the race.

Then, it was Carson Hocevar’s turn for a flat, this one bringing out the caution, allowing Chase Briscoe to get the free pass to return to the lead lap, while Larson took the wavearound.

Chase Elliott suddenly found himself in control of the field with 87 laps to go, as Byron held the championship advantage over Hamlin. Eventually, Byron would work his way past his Hendrick teammate to claim the lead ahead of an expected trip down pit road.

A caution would come out as Austin Cindric tattooed the outside wall. It was a mistake-free trip to pit road for both Byron and Hamlin, as the Axalta Chevrolet remained in front, while Chase Elliott was sent to the rear of the field for speeding.

On a heated restart, Denny Hamlin prevailed on the outside, clearing Byron for the top spot with 44 laps to go, but a tire issue for JJ Yeley would send the field back down pit road. Kyle Larson and Chase Briscoe took a risk, each taking two tires to cycle back in front, while Hamlin and Byron put on four, moving the Championship Four into the top four spots ahead of a restart with 28 laps to go.

Four tires prevailed, as Hamlin and Byron took the slower pair four wide, with Hamlin taking the lead and pulling away. As the #24 car faded in Hamlin’s mirror, it started to feel like the elusive championship would finally come. But with three laps to go, William Byron became the last of the four title contenders to have a tire failure, hitting the turn three wall, bringing out the caution, and sending the season finale past the scheduled distance.

Most of the field pitted for fresh tires, but another slow pit stop knocked Hamlin back to ninth place, as Kyle Larson, who was a lap down earlier in the stage, found himself in the championship lead. 

RFK Racing teammates Brad Keselowski and Ryan Preece cycled to the front on old tires and led the field to the overtime restart. Ryan Blaney, who won the race off pit road, effortlessly worked his way to the front, while Kyle Larson made his signature move, ripping the high line through turn two to separate himself definitively from Hamlin and Briscoe. 

Ryan Blaney took the victory, becoming the second driver to win the finale without qualifying for the Championship Four, but the story was Larson, who overcame adversity to become a multi-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, earning Hendrick Motorsports and Chevrolet its first title since 2021.

“I’m just speechless, I can’t believe it, we had an average car at best,” Larson said. “Just an unbelievable year for this whole Hendrick Motorsports team. Cliff Daniels, his leadership showed that whole race.”

Meanwhile, Denny Hamlin was distraught. NASCAR’s tenth all-time winningest driver was comforted by teammates, family, and owner Joe Gibbs after falling short in heartbreaking fashion once again. After 20 seasons and 60 wins, Hamlin still doesn’t have a Cup Series title to his name.

Larson caps off an impressive 2025 season as champion, winning three races, scoring 15 top fives, and ending the season on a high note, scoring finishes of 7th or better in six of the final seven races of the campaign, including a third-place at Phoenix in the championship clincher.

It will be an offseason of celebration for Hendrick Motorsports, soul searching for Denny Hamlin and Toyota, and conversations about potential structural change in NASCAR.