The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series produced a dramatic championship finish, several record-setting race statistics, and one of the closest season finales in recent memory. Kyle Larson earned his second Cup title even though Ryan Blaney won the final race at Phoenix. Here are the verified results, standings, season leaders, and rules that shaped the championship.
Quick Answer
Kyle Larson won the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series championship, his second title, after finishing third in the Phoenix finale. Ryan Blaney won the race by 0.097 seconds over Brad Keselowski. Denny Hamlin finished second in the final standings, Chevrolet won the manufacturer championship, and William Byron was the regular-season champion.
Key Takeaways
- Kyle Larson became the 2025 Cup Series champion by finishing ahead of the other three title contenders at Phoenix.
- Ryan Blaney won the season finale by 0.097 seconds over Brad Keselowski.
- Denny Hamlin led the series with six race wins but finished second in the championship.
- William Byron won the regular-season title, while Shane van Gisbergen earned Rookie of the Year honors.
- Chevrolet won its fifth consecutive Cup Series manufacturer championship and its 44th overall.
2025 NASCAR Cup Series Season Overview
The 2025 season included 36 points-paying Cup Series races and ended at Phoenix Raceway on November 2. Kyle Larson secured his second championship and the 15th Cup title for team owner Rick Hendrick. His first championship came in 2021.
Larson did not need to win the final race. Under the 2025 elimination playoff format, the championship went to whichever Championship 4 driver finished highest at Phoenix. Larson crossed the line third, ahead of fellow title contenders Denny Hamlin, Chase Briscoe, and William Byron.
2025 Season Snapshot
| Cup Series Champion | Kyle Larson |
| Championship Race Winner | Ryan Blaney |
| Regular-Season Champion | William Byron |
| Most Race Wins | Denny Hamlin, 6 |
| Rookie of the Year | Shane van Gisbergen |
| Manufacturer Champion | Chevrolet |
How Kyle Larson Won the 2025 Championship
Denny Hamlin appeared to have control of the championship race late at Phoenix. He started from the pole and led 208 laps, including a stretch near the end when he held a lead of about three seconds.
The race changed when William Byron hit the Turn 3 wall on Lap 310. The caution sent the event into NASCAR Overtime and forced teams to choose between track position and fresh tires.
Larson’s crew chief, Cliff Daniels, called for two right-side tires. Hamlin took four tires and restarted behind Larson. Larson moved through the outside lane during the final restart and held his position over the last two laps.
Ryan Blaney passed Brad Keselowski for the race win, while Larson finished third. Hamlin placed sixth, Briscoe finished 18th, and Byron was classified 33rd after completing 317 laps.
The result gave Larson the championship because he was the highest-finishing member of the Championship 4. The title was confirmed after post-race inspection with no issues, according to the official NASCAR race recap.
Note: Larson won the championship without leading a lap or winning the Phoenix race. Under the 2025 format, the title went to the Championship 4 driver who finished highest in the finale.
Final 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Standings
The verified final standings placed Larson three points ahead of Hamlin. Briscoe finished third, and Byron placed fourth.
| Position | Driver | Final Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kyle Larson | 5,034 |
| 2 | Denny Hamlin | 5,031 |
| 3 | Chase Briscoe | 5,019 |
| 4 | William Byron | 5,004 |
| 5 | Christopher Bell | 2,403 |
| 6 | Ryan Blaney | 2,373 |
| 7 | Joey Logano | 2,330 |
| 8 | Chase Elliott | 2,310 |
| 9 | Tyler Reddick | 2,309 |
| 10 | Ross Chastain | 2,272 |
These totals come from the published 2025 final standings.
Important: Do not compare the Championship 4 totals directly with fifth place and below. The four finalists were reset to 5,000 points before Phoenix, while eliminated playoff drivers retained totals from earlier postseason resets.
Championship 4 and Round of 8 Drivers
The four drivers eligible to win the championship at Phoenix were:
- Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports
- Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing
- Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing
- William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports
The complete Round of 8 earlier in the playoffs included Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, Kyle Larson, William Byron, Christopher Bell, Chase Elliott, Chase Briscoe, and Joey Logano. Hamlin and Briscoe advanced with Round of 8 victories, Byron won at Martinsville to advance, and Larson secured the final position on points.
2025 Race Win Leaders
Larson won the championship, but Denny Hamlin earned the most race victories. Seven drivers won at least three times during the season.
| Driver | Wins |
|---|---|
| Denny Hamlin | 6 |
| Shane van Gisbergen | 5 |
| Christopher Bell | 4 |
| Ryan Blaney | 4 |
| Chase Briscoe | 3 |
| William Byron | 3 |
| Kyle Larson | 3 |
Fourteen different drivers won at least one points-paying race. That was the lowest number of different winners in a Cup season since 2020, but the season still produced several unusually close and competitive finishes.
How the 2025 NASCAR Points System Worked
The 2025 championship cannot be understood from finishing positions alone. Drivers could collect points from race finishes, stages, the fastest-lap bonus, and playoff bonuses.
- Race finish: A race victory paid 40 championship points. Second place paid 35, third paid 34, and the total declined by one point per position after that.
- Stage points: The top 10 at the end of Stage 1 and Stage 2 received points from 10 for first through one for 10th.
- Playoff points: A race win earned five playoff points, while a stage win earned one playoff point.
- Xfinity Fastest Lap: New for 2025, the eligible driver with the fastest lap in each points-paying race received one additional driver point, and the team received one owner point.
- Regular-season bonuses: William Byron received 15 additional playoff points for winning the regular-season championship.
- Championship 4: The four finalists were reset to 5,000 points. The highest finisher at Phoenix became champion.
NASCAR’s official fastest-lap announcement confirms that the bonus was introduced across all three national series in 2025.
Pro Tip: When comparing NASCAR seasons, check the championship format first. Reset points and winner-take-all finales can make the final standings look very different from season-long raw-point totals.
Phoenix Championship Race Results and Key Statistics
The Phoenix finale was scheduled for 312 laps but was extended to 319 because of NASCAR Overtime. Ryan Blaney earned his fourth victory of the season by passing Brad Keselowski and winning by 0.097 seconds.
| Finish | Driver | Laps Completed | Laps Led |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ryan Blaney | 319 | 20 |
| 2 | Brad Keselowski | 319 | 6 |
| 3 | Kyle Larson | 319 | 0 |
| 4 | Joey Logano | 319 | 0 |
| 5 | Kyle Busch | 319 | 0 |
| 6 | Denny Hamlin | 319 | 208 |
| 7 | Josh Berry | 319 | 0 |
| 8 | Michael McDowell | 319 | 0 |
| 9 | Ryan Preece | 319 | 0 |
| 10 | Chase Elliott | 319 | 30 |
Other important race statistics included:
- Victory margin: 0.097 seconds
- Scheduled distance: 312 laps
- Actual distance: 319 laps after overtime
- Cautions: Nine cautions for 65 laps
- Most laps led: Denny Hamlin, 208
- Quickest best-lap time listed in the results: Denny Hamlin, 27.57 seconds
The complete finishing order is available through NASCAR’s official 2025 Phoenix race results.
Blaney beat Keselowski by only 0.097 seconds, while Larson secured the championship from third place without leading a lap.
Owner and Manufacturer Results
Larson’s championship gave Rick Hendrick his record-extending 15th NASCAR Cup Series owner championship. Hendrick Motorsports placed two drivers in the Championship 4, with Larson winning the title and Byron finishing fourth.
Chevrolet won the 2025 manufacturer championship for the fifth consecutive season. Chevrolet teams collected 15 race victories, more than Ford or Toyota, while Larson delivered the driver championship in a Chevrolet.
The title was Chevrolet’s 44th Cup Series manufacturer championship. Chevrolet’s official 2026 competition announcement also confirmed that the brand had won the previous five manufacturer titles and remained the most successful manufacturer by total Cup championships.
Major 2025 Season Statistics
The championship finish was only one part of a season that produced several notable records and trends.
- Fourteen different race winners reached Victory Lane.
- Nine races were decided by a last-lap pass, setting a Cup Series season record.
- There were 835 lead changes, the third-highest total in Cup Series history and the most since 2011.
- Nine races had at least 30 lead changes, the most in one season since 1982.
- Fifteen races were won from the front row, the most since 1980.
- No race was postponed to another day because of rain, the first time that had happened since 2005.
- Thirty-four drivers recorded a top-five finish, matching the highest season total since 2001.
- Ryan Blaney’s Daytona regular-season finale victory produced the closest known top-four finish in Cup history, with all four separated by 0.049 seconds.
These statistics are documented in NASCAR’s official 2025 season-by-the-numbers review.
Regular-Season and Rookie Honors
William Byron clinched the 2025 regular-season championship at Richmond Raceway. The result gave him 15 bonus playoff points before the postseason began. Byron later won the Round of 8 elimination race at Martinsville to qualify for his third consecutive Championship 4.
Shane van Gisbergen earned the 2025 Sunoco Rookie of the Year award. He won five races, all on road courses, qualified for the playoffs, and finished 12th in the final standings. NASCAR described his five victories as a modern-era rookie record.
How 2025 Compared With Recent NASCAR Seasons
The 2025 season combined concentrated success among the leading drivers with unusually close racing across the field. Only 14 drivers won races, fewer than in many recent seasons, yet nine races were settled by last-lap passes.
Hamlin’s six wins made him the season’s most frequent winner, but Larson’s playoff execution and third-place Phoenix finish produced the championship. That difference illustrates how the 2025 elimination format rewarded advancement through each postseason round and a strong final race, rather than simply awarding the title to the driver with the most wins or highest full-season raw-point total.
The manufacturer battle was less balanced in the final outcome. Chevrolet won 15 races, the driver championship, and the manufacturer championship. Ford won the Phoenix finale with Blaney, while Toyota placed two drivers—Hamlin and Briscoe—in the Championship 4.
What Changed for NASCAR in 2026?
NASCAR replaced the elimination playoff system used in 2025 with a revised Chase format for the 2026 season. The change means the 2025 process described above should not be used to calculate the current championship.
- The top 16 Cup drivers after the 26-race regular season qualify for a 10-race Chase.
- Drivers are no longer eliminated after three-race playoff rounds.
- Race victories now pay 55 points instead of the 40 awarded under the previous system.
- Bankable playoff points are no longer part of the championship structure.
- Chase drivers receive seeded reset totals and keep accumulating points through all 10 championship races.
NASCAR explains the revised rules in its official 2026 Chase guide. For current races and rankings, use the live 2026 Cup Series schedule and official Cup standings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Kyle Larson make the Championship 4 in 2025?
Yes. Larson earned the fourth and final Championship 4 position by finishing the Round of 8 seven points ahead of Christopher Bell. He then finished third at Phoenix and won the championship.
Who was in the final eight of the 2025 NASCAR playoffs?
The Round of 8 included Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, Kyle Larson, William Byron, Christopher Bell, Chase Elliott, Chase Briscoe, and Joey Logano.
Did Kyle Larson win the 2025 Phoenix championship race?
No. Ryan Blaney won the race, Brad Keselowski finished second, and Larson placed third. Larson became champion because he finished ahead of the other three Championship 4 drivers.
Who won the most NASCAR Cup races in 2025?
Denny Hamlin led the Cup Series with six victories. Shane van Gisbergen was second with five, while Christopher Bell and Ryan Blaney each won four races.
How much did Kyle Larson earn for winning the 2025 championship?
NASCAR did not publish one verified championship-payment figure for Larson in its official 2025 title coverage. A driver’s income can include team salary, race earnings, contract bonuses, sponsorship payments, and endorsements, so precise online estimates should not be treated as confirmed totals.
Why was AJ Allmendinger suspended from NASCAR?
This was a separate historical event, not part of the 2025 season. NASCAR suspended Allmendinger in 2012 following a positive drug test. He later completed NASCAR’s Road to Recovery program and was reinstated.
Conclusion
Kyle Larson’s 2025 championship came down to execution during a two-lap overtime finish rather than outright dominance at Phoenix. Ryan Blaney won the race, Denny Hamlin led the most laps, and Larson used a two-tire strategy to finish third and secure his second Cup title.
The wider season also delivered six wins for Hamlin, a regular-season championship for Byron, five rookie victories for van Gisbergen, and another manufacturer title for Chevrolet. With NASCAR adopting a different Chase structure for 2026, the 2025 season now stands as the final championship decided under the elimination-style playoff format.
Sources
- NASCAR: Larson wins second championship as Blaney wins finale — championship result, strategy, finish order, and race margin.
- NASCAR: Official 2025 Phoenix race results — laps completed, laps led, best laps, points, and full finishing order.
- Hendrick Motorsports: Final 2025 Cup Series standings — verified top-16 driver points.
- NASCAR: 2025 season by the numbers — race winners, lead changes, last-lap passes, and other season records.
- NASCAR: Xfinity Fastest Lap introduced for 2025 — fastest-lap driver and owner bonus-point rule.
- NASCAR: How the revised 2026 Chase works — current points, qualification, and championship format.
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