NASCAR's 2025 Season Delivers Thrillingly Close Contests, Culminating in a Microscopic Truck Series Finish.

As the dust settles on the 2025 NASCAR season, Motorsport.com has meticulously cataloged the ten most nail-biting finishes across the Cup, Xfinity, and Craftsman Truck Series. Stock car racing has long been synonymous with its capacity for dramatic, down-to-the-wire contests, and this past year proved no exception, even as the closest finish of 2025 would have only secured a fifth-place spot on the previous year’s ledger. Nonetheless, a plethora of electrifying duels captivated audiences throughout the season.

The premier NASCAR Cup Series featured prominently, accounting for half of the top ten closest finishes. The Xfinity Series contributed three, while the Craftsman Truck Series, despite its smaller tally, delivered the year’s absolute tightest finish. Phoenix Raceway emerged as an unexpected focal point, hosting three of these incredibly close races. As is characteristic of superspeedway racing, venues like Talladega, Daytona, and Atlanta continued to be fertile ground for photo finishes, making up the bulk of the list.

Here, presented with supporting visual evidence, are the ten closest finishes from the 2025 NASCAR season:

10. NASCAR Xfinity Series – Talladega (Fall): Austin Hill vs. Carson Kvapil (0.105 seconds)

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The fall race at Talladega Superspeedway in the Xfinity Series saw Austin Hill secure a dominant victory, but the margin was razor-thin. In overtime, Hill masterfully controlled an unorganized pack of competitors. While Nick Sanchez mounted a challenge, he was unfortunately turned into the wall by his pushing car as Hill defended the lead. With the field tightly bunched and side-by-side behind him, no driver could effectively mount a final charge to overtake the superspeedway specialist. This victory marked another testament to Hill’s prowess on restrictor-plate tracks.

9. NASCAR Xfinity Series – Atlanta (Summer): Nick Sanchez vs. Carson Kvapil (0.104 seconds)

Carson Kvapil found himself on the losing end of two incredibly close finishes in 2025, continuing his pursuit of a maiden national series victory. At the EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta, Nick Sanchez clinched his first career win in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Sanchez held the lead as the white flag waved, and with his rivals positioned single-file behind him, they were unable to generate the necessary momentum to challenge for the win in the closing moments.

8. NASCAR Cup Series – Phoenix Finale: Ryan Blaney vs. Brad Keselowski (0.097 seconds)

The season finale at Phoenix Raceway, while primarily focused on the championship battle, also delivered an extraordinary fight for the win. Brad Keselowski, opting to stay out on older tires in a strategic gamble for RFK Racing’s first win of the 2025 season, overshot the final corner. This miscue allowed Ryan Blaney to dive underneath and snatch the checkered flag. Behind them, the battle for second place was equally intense, with three cars running three-wide.

7. NASCAR Cup Series – Kansas (Fall): Chase Elliott vs. Denny Hamlin (0.069 seconds)

A chaotic conclusion at Kansas Speedway saw Chase Elliott emerge victorious in a dramatic showdown with Denny Hamlin. Hamlin, while battling Bubba Wallace, pushed up the track, leading to contact that sent Wallace, whom Hamlin owned a stake in, into the outside wall. Elliott, capitalizing on the ensuing disarray, surged forward on the inside line, engaging in a door-to-door duel with Hamlin before stealing the win with a masterful final lap maneuver.

6. NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series – Talladega (Fall): Gio Ruggiero vs. Corey Heim (0.059 seconds)

The Craftsman Truck Series produced a memorable finish at Talladega, where first-time winner Gio Ruggiero held off his TRICON Garage teammate and newly crowned champion Corey Heim in a breathtaking drag race to the finish line. Heim attempted a last-ditch move to the outside as they approached the stripe, but Ruggiero executed a strong block, narrowly securing the victory. This win marked a significant milestone for Ruggiero in his young Truck Series career.

5. NASCAR Cup Series – Phoenix (Spring): Christopher Bell vs. Denny Hamlin (0.049 seconds)

Phoenix Raceway once again featured prominently on the list, hosting one of its two Cup Series races in this close finish. The first Phoenix event of the year culminated in a photo-finish encounter between two Joe Gibbs Racing teammates. Christopher Bell ultimately prevailed, pushing Denny Hamlin wide and edging him out at the line. This victory marked Bell’s third consecutive win of the season, highlighting a period of exceptional form.

4. NASCAR Xfinity Series – Phoenix (Spring): Aric Almirola vs. Alex Bowman (0.045 seconds)

Another Phoenix thriller, this time in the Xfinity Series, saw Aric Almirola claim a hard-fought victory over Alex Bowman in overtime. Bowman had initially taken the lead with a daring four-wide maneuver. Almirola, however, regrouped and drove back under Bowman. Despite Bowman carrying momentum out of the final corner, Almirola made contact, pushing Bowman into the wall and reclaiming the lead in the race’s dramatic closing moments.

3. NASCAR Cup Series – Daytona (Summer): Ryan Blaney vs. Daniel Suarez (0.031 seconds)

The regular-season finale at Daytona International Speedway produced an exceptionally close finish, with Ryan Blaney mounting an incredible charge from outside the top ten with just two laps remaining. At the checkered flag, the lead was essentially a four-wide affair, with Cole Custer and Justin Haley also in contention alongside Blaney and Daniel Suarez. Ultimately, Suarez was the closest competitor to Blaney as they crossed the finish line in a thrilling display of drafting and pack racing.

2. NASCAR Cup Series – Talladega (Spring): Austin Cindric vs. Ryan Preece (0.022 seconds) Disqualified

This particular finish carries a significant asterisk. While Austin Cindric appeared to edge out Ryan Preece by a mere fraction of a second, Preece was subsequently disqualified following post-race technical inspection. Prior to the disqualification, Preece was on the cusp of what would have been his maiden Cup Series victory. The two Ford drivers engaged in a fierce drag race to the line, with Cindric maintaining a slight advantage, aided by the draft from approaching lapped traffic.

1. NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series – Atlanta (Spring): Kyle Busch vs. Stewart Friesen (0.017 seconds)

The closest finish of the entire 2025 NASCAR season occurred in the Craftsman Truck Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, with Kyle Busch narrowly defeating Stewart Friesen by an astonishing 0.017 seconds. Friesen was aiming to end a winless drought that stretched back to 2022, while Busch sought to further solidify his status as the winningest driver in Truck Series history. Friesen held a slight advantage exiting the final corner, but Busch employed a masterful side-drafting maneuver to claw his way forward. In a breathtaking display of close-quarters racing, Busch’s No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet edged ahead at the stripe by the narrowest of margins.