The way Denny Hamlin lost the NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway in 2025 cannot be described with words. It was a heartbreaking scenario where he almost became the first champion of his career.
After a fiery Kyle Larson’s drive in the final stages of the race, which led to his third-place finish, he eventually grabbed the trophy for the second time. Kyle Larson was able to take the trophy for a second time following an amazing late-race surge that resulted in his third-place finish.
Nevertheless, Denny Hamlin, who was dominating the race most of the time, ended up being sixth as a late caution threw the race into confusion. A caution came out as a tire on William Byron’s car blew out, making it only three laps from the finish, and therefore, the race was extended.
Hamlin, visibly emotional after the finish, said the loss would take time to sink in. “I mean, I’m really numb right now,” he said. “Right now, it’ll take a little while to feel all the emotions, but yeah, it’s just unfortunate.”
Denny Hamlin Reflects on the Missed Opportunity
Denny Hamlin shared that he and his team did everything possible to win. The veteran driver said there wasn’t anything more they could have done. “Just can’t think of anything we could do to build a faster car, execute better on restarts. We just did everything we possibly could. It just didn’t work out,” Hamlin added.
Hamlin, who has now seen several championship chances slip away, admitted the emotional weight was heavy. “NASCAR racing, it’s just championships are made on green-white checkers,” he said.
Standing by His Team
Even after the tough finish, Denny Hamlin showed leadership by thanking his pit crew. “Be the quarterback,” he said when asked about the moment. “You know, the pit crew did a great job all day. Everyone did their part. These guys were out here till late last night working on the pit stall and just did everything. They did everything right.”
Hamlin showed respect for Larson and his team, saying, “Kyle Larson has the trophy, but we dominated. We did our job. We did the best we could. They’re a championship team and a championship driver, and they’re going to win a lot more than just these two. But when everyone had to bring their best, I think it was evident who was the best today.”
The heartbreak left Hamlin drained. “In this moment, I never want to race a car ever again. My fun meter is pegged,” he said, summing up his disappointment.
Kyle Larson Shares Empathy After the Win
Kyle Larson, who became a two-time Cup Series champion, admitted he felt conflicted after the race.
“I mean, there’s definitely a large piece of me that feels really bad and sad. But at the same point, I’m happy. It’s such a weird feeling,” Larson said. “When you don’t win the race, you don’t lead a lap, you win the championship, you steal it from a guy who’s tried for so long and had it in his fingertips, it’s a really weird feeling.”
Larson said he even expected to congratulate Hamlin before things turned around. “I was gonna be happy for him to win. That’s kind of what I was thinking about halfway through the race, like, ‘I can’t wait to tell him good job.’ And then, you know, circumstances changed, and here we are,” he said.
He also acknowledged the tough nature of the sport. “They’ve been so close so many times, and to have it snatched away like that, it’s just brutal,” Larson noted. “And that’s the part that sucks, because Denny drove his heart out today. He was the best car out there for most of the race. But that’s racing, I guess. It’s not always fair, but it is what it is.”
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