Kyle Larson has pushed back against sympathy for Denny Hamlin after beating his rival to the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series championship at Phoenix Raceway. Speaking on Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour podcast, Larson said both drivers knew the rules before the title race, even though Hamlin came close to winning his first championship.
Hamlin led 208 laps before a late caution and a pit strategy change helped Larson secure his second Cup Series title. Larson admitted he felt bad for Hamlin immediately after the race but no longer views the result as something to regret.
His comments come as the 2026 NASCAR season uses a new 10-race Chase format, with Larson holding a 73-point lead over Hamlin and two races remaining.
Kyle Larson Explains Denny Hamlin’s NASCAR Title Loss
Hamlin appeared set to win his first NASCAR Cup Series championship in the 2025 finale at Phoenix. Starting from the pole, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver led a race-high 208 laps before a late caution for William Byron’s crash changed the outcome.
With three laps remaining, teams made their final pit stops. Hamlin took four fresh tires, while Larson’s Hendrick Motorsports team, led by crew chief Cliff Daniels, chose two. The shorter stop helped Larson gain track position for the overtime restart.
Larson finished third among the four championship contenders to claim his second Cup Series title. Hamlin finished sixth.
Larson previously admitted he felt uncomfortable winning under those circumstances.
“I don’t know. I mean, there was definitely an element last year in the race at Phoenix where I did feel bad for him. That was such an awkward feeling. It was just an awkward position for me to be in, to even have to feel that way, you know?”
However, Larson made clear that he no longer feels sympathy over the result.
“I don’t feel bad, and I don’t want that to come across the wrong way either. But we’re competing, and you know, we knew the format and he did as well.”
He added that teams must reach their best form at the right time, as happens in football, baseball and hockey.
NASCAR Championship Format Changes for 2026
NASCAR replaced the single-race Championship 4 format with a 10-race Chase for the 2026 season. The new system allows 16 drivers to compete for the title through accumulated points, with no intermediate eliminations.
Hamlin entered the Chase as the regular-season champion, carrying a 25-point bonus and four wins into the postseason. Larson started seventh but gained ground with victories at Gateway and Kansas before winning at Talladega on October 25.
The Talladega victory marked Larson’s first career win at the superspeedway and strengthened his position in the NASCAR Cup Series standings.
Larson also acknowledged Hamlin’s performance during the 2026 campaign, despite the gap between them.
“But this year, I feel like he’s performed really well. It’s not like he’s had a… In his defense, maybe there’s been some bad luck and things, but Phoenix was definitely bad luck.”
Kyle Larson Holds 73-Point NASCAR Chase Lead
Following his Talladega victory, Larson held a 73-point advantage over Hamlin, with the standings at approximately 2,441 points to 2,368. Two races remained, leaving Hamlin with a chance to reduce the gap before the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Larson’s lead reflects a run of strong results and key wins under NASCAR’s new Chase format. Hamlin, who has 60 Cup Series victories, continues to pursue the championship that has eluded him throughout his career.
The 2025 Phoenix finale showed how a late caution and different tire strategies could change the outcome under the previous championship system. Hamlin controlled much of the race, but Larson capitalized on the final restart to secure the title.
Larson has stressed that both drivers understood the rules and competed under the same format. Under the 2026 Chase, their title hopes depend on points earned across multiple races rather than a single Championship 4 showdown.
With two races remaining, Larson has the advantage. Hamlin must close the 73-point gap if he hopes to challenge the defending champion before the season ends.
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