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Kyle Larson was well behind Denny Hamlin as the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race approached the final laps Sunday night at Phoenix Raceway, but teammate William Byron brought out a caution when one of his tires blew.
Larson went to the pits to get some fresh tires and the quick stop allowed him to gain a better track position, whereas Hamlin’s stop was slower and he dropped from first all the way back to 10. In overtime, with two laps remaining, Larson got a good jump and was able to hold off Hamlin to secure his second career NASCAR Cup Series Championship.
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Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, celebrates with a burnout after finishing the first of the NASCAR Cup Series Championship 4 drivers to win the NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway on November 2, 2025 in Avondale, Arizona. (Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
Hamlin led 208 laps and was in the lead when the caution came out. He told NBC that he really hoped a caution flag wouldn’t come out in the final laps. Unfortunately, hope was dashed.
He looked shocked when the NBC cameras showed him sitting in his No. 11 Toyota. He won six races on the year but failed to finish ahead of Larson to secure what would have been the first championship of his career.
Instead, it was Larson who did just enough to hold the trophy in the end. He had three wins on the year and held his ground in the playoffs to become one of the Championship Four drivers. He did not lead any laps in the championship race.
Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, drives during the NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway on November 2, 2025 in Avondale, Arizona. (Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
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Byron, who won the Martinsville race to clinch the championship, finished 33rd. He led 52 laps and gave Hamlin the biggest run for the money for most of the race.
Briscoe finished 18th. He led three laps.
Ryan Blaney won the race itself. He finished ahead of Brad Keselowski and Larson. Joey Logano and Kyle Busch rounded out the top five.
Larson became the third Hendrick Motorsports driver to win multiple NASCAR Cup Series titles, joining Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson.
Denny Hamlin leads the field during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, in Avondale, Arizona. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
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Hamlin has 60 career wins but has yet to win a Cup Series title.
