Kyle Larson clinches second NASCAR Cup Title as Ryan Blaney wins Phoenix finale

AVONDALE, Ariz. (KYMA) - Kyle Larson didn't lead a single lap Sunday, but when the checkered flag waved, he was the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Champion.

Larson survived a chaotic final stage and a late overtime restart to capture his second career championship, outlasting Denny Hamlin in a wild finish at Phoenix Raceway that saw Ryan Blaney take the race win.

It was a race that felt lost more than once for Larson. A flat tire, a botched pit stop, and a mid-race slump left him outside the top 25 but through it all, the Hendrick Motorsports driver never folded.

"We did the best job we could," Larson said. "Honestly, I can't believe it. We didn't lead a lap today...somehow won the championship. I mean, really, I'm just speechless. We had an average car at best. Lost a lap, got it back, took two tires and just hung on. What a year for this Hendrick Motorsports team."

Crew chief Cliff Daniels called it "a championship of perseverance," crediting his team for staying calm and executing when it mattered most.

"After we had the flat tire, there wasn't a lot of good things coming our way," Daniels said. "But the way the team stuck together and continued to believe in each other...that was what was put on display today."

Team owner Rick Hendrick echoed that sentiment, admitting he nearly gave up hope with two laps to go.

"I almost jumped off the box," Hendrick said. "I was ready to call Joe and say congratulations to Denny. All of a sudden, here we are...we're going to win this thing."

For Denny Hamlin, it was the latest in a long line of near-misses. The Joe Gibbs Racing veteran led 208 of the 319 laps and appeared to have the title secured before a late caution flipped the race upside down.

"Nothing I can do different," Hamlin said afterward. "My team gave me a fantastic car. I was just praying that no caution would come out and it did. We took four tires, which was the right call, but so many took two. It just didn't happen. I'll try again. I got a couple more shots at it."

Ryan Blaney, meanwhile, ended his season on a high note, winning the race just one year after claiming his first Cup title in the same venue.

"It's just cool to end it on a good note," Blaney said. "Those guys were just really good and it took my car a while to come in, but it was a really good call for two there and keeping track position. I'm happy for Kyle and that team. Congrats to them."

Brad Keselowski finished second, his best run in months, while Joey Logano crossed the line fourth and praised the drama of the final laps.

"You see the leaders right there in front of you and think you've got a shot at it," Logano said. "When they're four-wide across the line in front of you, what more could people want? Kyle deserves it. He's a fantastic racer. They were down and out today and figured out a way to win the championship."

The caution that set up Larson's championship run came from a devastating blowout by teammate William Byron, one that changed the entire complexion of the race.

"Yeah, I'm just super bummed that it was a caution," Byron said. "I hate that. Hate it for Denny. I'm happy for Kyle and Mr. Hendrick, they deserve it. I felt something funny off of two, thought it might be a flat, and it just went straight into three. I was a passenger at that point."

That yellow flag erased Hamlin's massive lead and allowed Larson to line up inside the top five for the final restart, the break he needed to seal his second championship.

Larson's second title came amid personal loss and team changes at Hendrick Motorsports. The No. 5 team endured multiple pit crew swaps and mourned the passing of longtime Hendrick publicist Jon Edwards earlier this year.

Jackman Eric Ludwig said the championship was deeply emotional for everyone involved.

"Myself and my carrier both lost our moms this year," Ludwig said. "We lost Jon Edwards. It's been a roller coaster, and I'm just glad the man upstairs allowed us to perform our duties the way we're supposed to."

As Larson celebrated with his family and team, his thoughts still turned to the friend he beat.

"It's great to celebrate and all that, but it does feel a little awkward," Larson said of Hamlin. "He's put so much time and energy into this. Sure, he's a competitor, but he's also a friend."

With two championships now to his name, Larson joins an elite class, and does so in a season defined not by dominance, but by resolve.

"It's still so fresh that it's hard to believe I'm sitting here after what we went through tonight," he said. "The last 40 minutes of that race were incredible. Sometimes, it's not about having the best car. It's about never giving up."