Kyle Larson NASCAR Champion: He Snapped the Title from Denny Hamlin in Epic Final

Kyle Larson Crowned NASCAR Champion in Dramatic Finale

AVONDALE, Arizona – Kyle Larson clinched his second NASCAR championship in an exciting and dramatic race at Phoenix Raceway, snatching the title from Denny Hamlin in a final that kept fans on the edge of their seats. Larson, aware that he couldn’t catch Hamlin in the final laps without a yellow flag, received the luck he needed. The race, which seemed destined to crown Hamlin as champion, took an unexpected turn when a late caution flag changed the course of the competition.

Simply incredible, I can’t believe it.
Kyle Larson

The yellow flag, caused by a puncture in William Byron’s tire, completely changed the landscape. Hamlin, who was leading the race, was forced to pit to change tires, while Larson opted for only two. This strategy placed Larson in fifth position for the restart, while Hamlin was tenth.

Kyle Larson celebra con sus hijos después de ganar el campeonato de la NASCAR Cup Series 2025. Es el segundo campeonato de Larson, quien ganó su primer título en 2021 cuando se unió a Hendrick Motorsports.

With so little time to catch Larson, Hamlin finished sixth, while Larson secured third place, enough to win the championship. Ryan Blaney, who was not in contention for the title, won the race. The disappointment for Hamlin was palpable. Despite leading 208 of the 319 laps and starting from the pole position, victory slipped through his fingers. “There’s not much I can say at the moment. I’m in shock,” commented Hamlin after consoling his daughters in the pit. The Hamlin team, Joe Gibbs Racing, experienced a scene of disbelief. Team members were crying, and Gibbs himself wore an expression of astonishment. This is the sixth time Hamlin has seen a championship slip away in his 20-year career.

Larson, for his part, expressed his surprise at the victory, highlighting that they did not lead any laps and still won the championship. “We had an average car and, even so, we did it,” Larson said.

Chase Briscoe, Hamlin’s teammate, finished in 18th place, while Byron, Larson’s teammate, finished in 33rd place after the incident that caused the yellow flag. Byron regretted having ruined Hamlin’s opportunity.