“I’m just speechless”: Kyle Larson doesn’t hide his feelings after securing NASCAR championship in ‘average’ Chevy

Kyle Larson won the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series championship, finishing third on an overtime restart at Phoenix. With that, the Hendrick Motorsports standout became the third driver with more than one Cup Series title under the elimination-style playoffs system.

Larson wasn’t able to believe what he had just done. Unlike fellow racer Denny Hamlin, who led a race-high 208 of 312 laps and finished sixth, Larson didn’t lead a single lap. Notably, he is the first driver in the elimination-style playoffs era to win the Cup Series championship without leading laps in the Championship 4.

“Honestly, I can’t believe it,” Lyle Larson told NBC Sports’ Marty Snider during his post-race interview. “Like, we didn’t lead a lap today. Somehow won the championship. I’m just speechless. I can’t believe it.”

Larson’s day at Phoenix wasn’t perfect as he was running third behind Hamlin and William Byron for much of it. His car suffered a flat right-rear tire before falling two laps down on Lap 216. Even after taking a wave-around to the lead lap, Larson found himself in 29th for the restart on Lap 227.

“We had an average car at best,” Kyle Larson continued. “We had the right-front go down, lost a lap. Got saved by the caution. Did the wave-around. Was really bad that run.”

Thanks to Larson’s crew chief, Cliff Daniels, the two-tire call worked. It even pushed Kyle Larson to second behind JGR newcomer Chase Briscoe. In the end, it was Ryan Blaney who won the race. However, Blaney wasn’t part of the Championship 4.

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“That’s just the story of our season”- Kyle Larson lauds his crew chief for critical late-race call

The final caution came out when William Byron hit the wall with a flat tire running second behind Denny Hamlin. A restart followed, placing Hamlin in second and Kyle Larson in fifth for the ensuing two-lap shootout.

Hamlin had four fresh tires, unlike Larson, who was among six drivers who took two tires. But Larson’s Camaro had more grip than Hamlin’s Camry,

“We got lucky with the final caution. I was really hoping we were going to take two (tires) again. I felt like I learned a lot on that restart, bombing (Turns 1 and 2) really hard. Thought I could do the same thing if we got another one.”

Larson knew it would have been impossible without Cliff Daniels, who has been calling races for the Chevy star since October 2020. Lauding Daniels, the two-time Cup Series champion, said (via NBC Sports),

“What a year by this Hendrick Motorsports, (crew chief) Cliff Daniels, everybody, his leadership, his complete leadership. Just showed that whole race. Keeping us all motivated. Always having a plan. All of that. That’s just the story of our season.”

With that, the off-season begins. The drivers will now have some time to recharge. Next up is the 68th running of the crown jewel Daytona 500, which will also mark the beginning of the 2026 Cup Series season on February 15, 2026.

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Edited by Tushhita Barua