Kyle Larson admits he doubted the “desperate” pit call that clinched his NASCAR title

Hendrick Motorsports star Kyle Larson’s second NASCAR Cup Series championship came down to a late caution and pit call that even he didn’t fully believe in at first. Reflecting on the pivotal back-to-back pit stop strategy that secured him the championship, the #5 HMS driver recently admitted he initially doubted the strategy made by his pit crew, calling it a ‘desperate’ two-tire call that ultimately turned into a title-winning move.

With just a few laps to go, Denny Hamlin was leading the race and charging towards his first Cup Series championship. But a caution came out at Lap 310, which forced a pit stop decision that shifted the balance. Hamlin’s team took four tires, while Larson’s team opted for two tires, gaining track position and ultimately the Bill France Cup.

Speaking to SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Kyle Larson explained that his #5 team’s first two-tire stop was actually more crucial than the final one, which he didn’t expect and was decided at the last minute.

On championship-defining pit stop strategy, here’s what Larson said:

“The one that he's talking about is that first two-tire stop, which I think is more important than even the stop we had there at the end. So, I didn't have two tires on my mind at all. And I could tell that it was the last kind of second decision because usually when I come, when I hit pit road, they're like, All right, we're doing four tires, we're doing two tires, whatever.” “I was like just turning into my stall, and I think they said, ‘Your right side is leaving on the jack.’ And I was like, “Oh gosh, this is a desperate call, and I don’t think it’s going to work, but you know, here we go,” the #5 driver continued.

When the next and last caution flew, the success of that first gamble made the second two-tire call an easy choice for the #5 HMS team.

“Then yeah, it worked out so well that when the caution came out for the next one, it was really a no-brainer to do two tires again,” Larson added.

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Kyle Larson described his unexpected 2025 NASCAR title as "just unbelievable."

Kyle Larson and his team snatched the title from Denny Hamlin, who led a race-high 208 laps. Whereas Larson didn’t lead a lap at Phoenix Raceway and still won the championship, calling it “just unbelievable.”

Expressing his emotions in the post-race interview, the 33-year-old driver from Elk Grove, California, said:

“We didn’t lead a lap and won the championship. We had an average car at best and had the right front (tire) go down, lost a lap and got the wave around, saved by the caution with the wave around. It’s just unbelievable. What a year by this motorsports team.”

Kyle Larson wrapped up his championship campaign with three wins, 15 top-five and 22 top-10 finishes, and led 1106 laps with an average finish of 13.1.

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Edited by Yash Soni