With NASCAR Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin capturing last Sunday’s Round of 8 opener at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the playoff fortunes for several pilots altered the Championship 4 outlook Nov. 2.
Hamlin’s fortunes improved the most by qualifying for his first finale in the Next Gen era. He seeks his first drivers’ title and FanDuel Sportsbook anointed the No. 11 Toyota team (+270) as the sports-betting favorites to do so.
“It’s days like today that are, like, huge confidence boost,” Hamlin said via press release. “Yeah, it’s a chest-out moment that you get.”
Entering next Sunday’s YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, a few of Hamlin’s rivals suffered different fates in Sin City.
William Byron, who appeared to have a winning machine, led 55 laps before colliding with Ty Dillon late in the race. He dropped to No. 5 in the playoff standings.
Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott also struggled after getting flagged for a mid-race speeding penalty and fell to No. 6, 23 points below the elimination line. Elliott won at Talladega in 2019 and ‘22.
Ryan Blaney crashed on Lap 70 and suffered a last-place finish last Sunday. He plummeted from No. 2 in the standings to No. 8, 31 points below the elimination line.
Denny Hamlin said after his Las Vegas win that he just put the pedal down in the last 10+ laps and made it happen. This is what his run from sixth on the final restart to first at the finish looked like from his onboard.
Special delivery for @TravisRockhold and the Denny Bros pic.twitter.com/oszcxgI2LS
— Steven Taranto (@STaranto92) October 13, 2025
Justin Haley, Spire Motorsports Taking Detours After Season
Spire Motorsports on Tuesday announced that it plans to separate driver Justin Haley from the No. 7 Chevrolet team following the season.
Haley, who captured the 2016 ARCA Menards Series East championship at 17, has been with Spire, off and on, since its inaugural season in 2019 and recorded the organization’s first Cup win during the summer race at Daytona.
“This is a decision that was not taken lightly,” Spire co-owner Jeff Dickerson said via press release. “Justin has been a member of the Spire family since he was a teenager. Justin is the embodiment of a true racer.”
In 33 starts driving the No. 7 Chevrolet, Haley recorded one top-five finish and two top 10s.
NEWS: @SpireMotorsport announces the team has agreed with @Justin_Haley_ to part ways following the 2025 Cup Series season. pic.twitter.com/4yR0tasOmx
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) October 14, 2025
2025 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Odds
Here are the drivers’ odds for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series drivers’ championship, according to FanDuel Sportsbook:
| Driver | 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Odds |
|---|---|
| Denny Hamlin | +270 |
| Kyle Larson | +390 |
| Christopher Bell | +430 |
| Chase Elliott | +650 |
| Chase Briscoe | +750 |
| Ryan Blaney | +850 |
| Joey Logano | +1000 |
| William Byron | +1200 |
*-Odds current at time of publication
