Kyle Larson Crowned NASCAR Champion in an Epic Race
AVONDALE, Arizona – Kyle Larson clinched the NASCAR championship, securing his second title after an exciting final at Phoenix Raceway. The race, which seemed destined for Denny Hamlin, took an unexpected turn with a late yellow flag that changed the course of the competition.
Larson, aware that he couldn’t catch Hamlin in the final laps without external intervention, received the help he needed. The yellow flag, caused by a puncture and the impact against the wall by William Byron, altered the fate of the race when Hamlin seemed to have the victory secured.
“Simply incredible. I can’t believe it,” Larson expressed after the victory.The image shows Kyle Larson celebrating with his children after securing the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Championship. This is the second championship for Larson, who won his first title in 2021 when he joined Hendrick Motorsports.
Hamlin’s strategy, who opted for four new tires during the yellow flag, relegated him to tenth position for the restart. Larson, on the other hand, only changed two tires, which allowed him to start fifth. The difference in positions and the little time remaining prevented Hamlin from regaining ground, finishing sixth, while Larson secured third place, enough for the victory.
Ryan Blaney, who was not in contention for the title, won the race. “You have to feel sorry for that group and for Denny. They did a good job all day, but it didn’t work out for them. But that’s how motorsport is. Sometimes it’s tough,” commented Blaney.
For Hamlin, the defeat was a hard blow, once again, in his career. “I really don’t have many emotions at the moment. I’m just numb from the shock,” said Hamlin, visibly affected. He led 208 of the 319 laps and started from the pole position, but luck was not on his side.The image shows that it is the sixth NASCAR championship opportunity that has escaped Denny Hamlin in his 20 years of driving for Joe Gibbs Racing. He led 208 of the 319 laps and started from the pole. “I couldn’t have done anything different,” said Hamlin.
Despite the disappointment, Hamlin acknowledged that his team did the right thing by opting for the four new tires, although the strategy did not favor him. “It wasn’t meant to be,” he concluded.
Hamlin’s teammate, Chase Briscoe, finished 18th in his championship final debut, while Byron, Larson’s teammate, finished 33rd after his incident. Byron regretted ruining Hamlin’s opportunity, even though his Hendrick Motorsports teammate won the championship.
