Kyle Larson never led a single lap, but beat a dominant Denny Hamlin on late race pit strategy to capture the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series championship in Sunday’s season finale at Phoenix.
Throughout most of the race, pole-sitter Hamlin proved he was the dominant driver out of the Championship 4 drivers competing for the 2025 NASCAR Cup title. Leading a race-high 208 laps, the 44-year-old Virginia veteran appeared to be finally headed to his first NASCAR Cup championship in 20 attempts.
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