Larson Offers Words of Empathy for Hamlin's Crushing Championship Defeat

Phoenix, AZ – The air at Phoenix Raceway crackled with the raw, unbridled emotions that only a NASCAR Cup Series Championship can ignite. For Denny Hamlin and the Joe Gibbs Racing team, the sting of a near-victory, snatched away in the dying moments of the season finale, was palpable. Conversely, Kyle Larson and Hendrick Motorsports basked in the triumphant glow of a second championship in five years, yet even amidst the euphoria, the victor acknowledged the profound disappointment of his closest competitor.

The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Championship race was a dramatic crescendo to a season defined by intense competition and unpredictable twists. The four drivers vying for the ultimate prize – Hamlin, Larson, Chase Briscoe, and William Byron – had navigated a grueling 36-race schedule, culminating in a winner-take-all showdown on the desert oval. Throughout the afternoon, the narrative of the race was one of relentless pressure and the ever-present specter of misfortune. Each of the championship contenders experienced moments where their title aspirations seemed to teeter on the brink. Briscoe battled a flat tire, Larson encountered a similar issue, and Hamlin, despite a dominant run, also faced tire troubles that momentarily stalled his progress.

However, Hamlin’s performance was characterized by an extraordinary resilience. Time and again, he demonstrated the superior pace of his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, methodically slicing through the field to reclaim his position at the front. His ability to consistently drive back to the top 10, notably overtaking William Byron in his pursuit of the elusive championship, underscored his car’s exceptional performance and his own flawless execution under the brightest lights of the season.

The pivotal moment, the one that would irrevocably alter the championship outcome, arrived with just three laps remaining in regulation. Hamlin, appearing to be on his way to a long-awaited title, was leading Byron when the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet suffered a catastrophic right rear tire failure, sending Byron spinning into the wall. This incident triggered a caution, forcing the race into overtime and setting the stage for a dramatic green-white-checkered finish.

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It was in this tense, last-ditch scenario that a critical strategic decision by Joe Gibbs Racing crew chief Chris Gayle would become the focal point of post-race analysis. With limited tire options available, Gayle faced a split-second choice that would define the championship outcome. While Larson and his crew chief Cliff Daniels opted for a minimal set of "scuff" tires on the right side of their No. 5 Chevrolet, a strategic gamble based on data suggesting a potential grip advantage, Gayle chose to equip Hamlin’s car with four fresh tires. This decision, Gayle later explained, was driven by the conviction that the added grip would propel Hamlin from his 10th-place starting position in overtime to victory.

Daniels, however, credited his engineering team for pushing him towards the more conservative, yet ultimately successful, approach of utilizing only the right-side scuffs. "I give a lot of credit to those guys because they pushed me in that moment to see what you’re asking of that’s almost the call that we have to make to get ourselves up front and to give ourselves a shot," Daniels stated. "Once we got the final caution, we knew it was going to be a green-white-checkered, that decision almost made itself because Kyle in our code words had already called it out to me, that told me he was already going to have confidence and belief if we did it, he felt he had enough under him to go make it happen."

The strategic gamble played out with a striking parallel to a similar situation in the Truck Series race earlier that weekend, where Corey Heim’s attempt to leverage fresh tires ultimately fell short. In the Cup Series finale, the anticipated gap between Hamlin and his rivals failed to materialize. Air being scrubbed from Hamlin’s front end, coupled with the close proximity of other competitors, created an opening for Larson. Seizing the opportunity, Larson executed a masterful pass on the outside, driving away to secure his second championship.

On pit road, the stark contrast in emotions was stark. Tears flowed from Hamlin, his wife Jordan Fish, and their children, a testament to the profound disappointment of coming so close to realizing a lifelong dream. Hamlin sought out his over-the-wall crew, embracing them in a gesture of shared effort and the shared agony of the outcome. Around them, Joe Gibbs Racing officials and their families grappled with a grief that was described as "hysterically sad" by some observers.

Simultaneously, on the other side of the pit wall, a different scene unfolded. Larson’s team erupted in joyous tears, their elation a stark counterpoint to the heartbreak experienced by their competitors. The clash of these opposing emotions was, by all accounts, palpable.

Chris Gayle, speaking candidly after the race, reflected on the critical tire call. "For a second I could think, ‘oh, well if I took two tires,’ I don’t know if that would have worked," Gayle admitted. "The 5 was doing it, this was their only shot. Really, it was going to dictate on just how many other cars stayed and fit in between you. I think four tires was the right call, it just didn’t get clear on the bottom, and I thought for a split second we were. The 5 got the outside and we were just boxed in with chaos."

Hamlin, visibly devastated, struggled to articulate his emotions in the immediate aftermath. "I really don’t have much for emotion right now," Hamlin stated during a press conference held approximately twenty minutes after exiting his car. "Just numb about it because I’m just in shock. That’s about it."

With 60 Cup Series wins to his name since his debut in 2006, Hamlin has experienced numerous near-misses in his quest for a championship. Sunday’s outcome marked yet another agonizing chapter in a career defined by excellence but devoid of the ultimate prize. "Well, I mean, we were 40 seconds from a championship," Hamlin lamented. "I don’t know. It’s just unfortunate." He continued, "The only difference before is the cautions came maybe a little sooner than that. I don’t know. Gosh, you work so hard. This sport can drive you absolutely crazy ’cause sometimes speed, talent, all that stuff, just does not matter."

The unpredictable nature of the championship format, which prioritizes a single-race outcome over season-long performance, has been a recurring point of discussion. The introduction of a new championship format for the upcoming season is expected to address some of these concerns, potentially incorporating elements that acknowledge broader season success.

"I mean, Kyle Larson has the trophy, but we dominated," Hamlin asserted, maintaining a stoic pride in his team’s performance. "We did our job. We did the best we could. They’re a championship team and a championship driver. They’re going to win a hell of a lot more than just these two. When everyone had to bring their best, I think it was evident who was the best today."

Kyle Larson, the newly crowned champion, acknowledged the bittersweet nature of his victory, offering a profound sense of empathy for Hamlin’s devastating loss. Larson, who was arguably the third-fastest car on track for much of the race behind Hamlin and Byron, found himself the unexpected beneficiary of the late-race caution. "I definitely have a lot of empathy for him," Larson stated. "I said it I think in the interview I did on the stage. It’s great to celebrate and all that, but it does feel a little awkward because he has put so much time and energy, has been so close to winning so many championships. This is as close as he’s ever been."

He continued, "Sure he’s a competitor, but he is a friend. I was going to be happy for him to win. That’s kind of what I was thinking about. Like, man, I can’t wait to go tell him, ‘Good job.’ Then the caution came out and the script flipped right there, so…"

Larson suggested that even Hamlin’s most ardent critics likely felt a pang of sympathy. "Sure I’m happy but there’s definitely a piece of me that is sad for him, as well," Larson admitted. "I’m sure all of us in here, even the Denny haters, I’m sure there’s a spot where they’re sad, too. That’s competition. That’s the format. It’s just weird, you know? But yeah, I still hope someday he can get to feel what it’s like."

Hamlin’s future in NASCAR remains a topic of interest, with two years remaining on his current contract with Joe Gibbs Racing. However, the emotional toll of Sunday’s defeat has cast a shadow over his immediate outlook. "Golly, in this moment I never want to race a car ever again," Hamlin confessed. "I mean, my fun meter is pegged."