Overview
- Kyle Larson secured the championship at Phoenix with a two-right-side tire call and a decisive overtime restart executed by crew chief Cliff Daniels’ strategy.
- Denny Hamlin led 208 laps and pitted for four tires under the final caution, then restarted in heavy traffic and finished behind Larson despite having the dominant long-run car.
- Weekend tire issues set the stage, with multiple practice failures and William Byron’s right-rear blowout triggering the late caution that reset the finish.
- NBC’s Steve Letarte and JGR competition director Chris Gabehart characterized the pit decisions as a reasonable coin flip, and Hamlin publicly defended Goodyear, saying teams pushed pressures to the limit.
- Hamlin, visibly shaken, said he plans to return in 2026 but needs time, as veteran Kevin Harvick urged perspective, and Forbes reported NASCAR is discussing potential changes to the one-race finale format in the offseason.