The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season culminates in a high-stakes championship finale at Phoenix Raceway, a four-way battle that pits racing titans Rick Hendrick and Joe Gibbs against each other, with Chevrolet and Toyota vying for manufacturer supremacy, and four distinct drivers—Denny Hamlin, Chase Briscoe, William Byron, and Kyle Larson—each chasing their own piece of history.
Avondale, Arizona is set to host the most anticipated event in the 2025 NASCAR season: the winner-take-all Cup Series championship finale at Phoenix Raceway. This isn’t just a race for individual glory; it’s a battle for team supremacy, manufacturer bragging rights, and the culmination of an intense playoff run. As race day approaches, the only certainties are that either Rick Hendrick or Joe Gibbs will claim the owner’s trophy, and the champion will be driving either a Chevrolet or a Toyota, as reported by the Associated Press.
Beyond those foundational certainties, the field is wide open. The four contenders represent the best of the season, each bringing a unique narrative to this high-pressure event. From the seasoned veteran yearning for an elusive title to the rising star living a childhood dream, the championship is truly anyone’s game.
The Championship Contenders: A Deep Dive
The Championship 4 features a compelling mix of experience, raw talent, and personal stories that resonate deeply within the fan community.
Denny Hamlin: The Quest for Elusive Glory
Perhaps the most poignant story belongs to Denny Hamlin. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver, a three-time Daytona 500 winner with 60 career victories, is widely regarded as the most accomplished driver never to have won a Cup Series title. This unwanted moniker, once held by Hall of Famer Mark Martin, now firmly rests with Hamlin, who candidly admits he’s had “nearly the same amount of misses” as Martin, recounting a history of bad luck, poor decisions, and unfortunate timing.
Hamlin has been agonizingly close, finishing second to Jimmie Johnson in a 2010 head-to-head race and falling short four separate times in the “Championship 4” format since 2014. This marks his fifth appearance in the finale, his first since 2021, and the fan base is overwhelmingly rooting for the sentimental favorite to finally break his championship curse.
Chase Briscoe: A Dream Realized
For Chase Briscoe, also from Joe Gibbs Racing, just being in the final four is a monumental achievement. In his first season driving for Gibbs, this marks his first career appearance in the Cup Series championship race. Briscoe famously stated, “I guess when I was a little kid I dreamed about winning a NASCAR championship, but it was just a pipe dream… My goal was to just race one race in NASCAR — at any level — just being able to do that was already a dream come true.”
Briscoe’s journey includes an Xfinity Series championship appearance in 2020, where he won a series-high nine races. His recent victory at Talladega Superspeedway secured his automatic berth in the Cup finale, demonstrating his capability to perform under pressure.
William Byron: The Consistent Champion
William Byron of Hendrick Motorsports enters the finale as NASCAR’s regular-season champion, leading a series-high 1,278 laps and tying for the series lead in stage wins (10). The two-time reigning Daytona 500 winner is making his third consecutive appearance in the championship finale, showcasing remarkable consistency and a knack for late-season heroics, including his clutch win at Martinsville Speedway to secure his spot.
Kyle Larson: Seeking Second Reign
Teammate Kyle Larson is the only driver in the Championship 4 with a previous Cup title, having won in 2021 during his debut season with Hendrick Motorsports. While he was runner-up in 2023, he advanced to this year’s finale on points, despite being in a losing streak that dates back to May. Team owner Rick Hendrick remains confident, stating, “I think he’s got the bit in his teeth right now,” highlighting Larson’s focus and the team’s improved short-track program.
Team and Manufacturer Rivalry on Display
The 2025 finale marks the second time in four years that the championship field is evenly split between Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing, the two winningest playoff teams in NASCAR history. Hendrick emerged victorious in the 2021 showdown, with Larson defeating teammate Chase Elliott and Gibbs drivers Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. This history intensifies the rivalry, as Joe Gibbs himself acknowledged: “We got one race. We know what we’re up against, somebody that’s really, really good… Hopefully this will be good for the fans and everybody and the excitement. Probably won’t be good for me. I’ll be so nervous.”
Beyond the team owners, the race also carries significant stakes for manufacturers. With Team Penske drivers Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney failing to advance after Martinsville, Ford has been locked out of the finale, ending their three-year championship streak. This opens the door for Chevrolet to claim its first title since Larson’s 2021 win, or for Toyota to secure its first since Kyle Busch drove for Gibbs in 2019.
What’s at Stake: Beyond the Trophy
For fans, this finale is more than just a race; it’s a spectacle of strategic prowess, driver skill, and raw emotion. Each driver represents a unique narrative arc:
- Denny Hamlin’s long-awaited redemption.
- Chase Briscoe’s fairytale breakthrough.
- William Byron’s continued assertion of dominance.
- Kyle Larson’s quest to add another chapter to his championship legacy.
The tension is palpable, not only among the drivers but also for the team owners and manufacturers who have invested so much into this season. This Sunday at Phoenix Raceway promises to be an unforgettable conclusion to the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series.
