The misfortunes of one Hendrick Motorsports driver proved to be the catalyst of a magical outcome for another.
And with that, the organization owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Rick Hendrick celebrated a bittersweet championship on Sunday at Phoenix Raceway.
What Created Such A Mixed Outcome At Phoenix For Hendrick Motorsports?
It became clear very early on in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series finale that Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin, one of four title contenders, was armed with the race’s dominant car.
However, fellow Championship 4 driver William Byron proved capable of hanging with Hamlin — at least in spurts. Making his third consecutive Championship 4 appearance, Byron led four times and spent 52 laps out front.
Byron consistently carried more speed in his No. 24 Chevy than Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson, another Championship 4 driver, who actually fell a lap behind after a tire went flat on his No. 5 car mid-race.
Even after Larson managed to get back on the lead lap and staged a rally, Byron was in a much better position to challenge Hamlin in the final laps. But with Hamlin leading and Byron running a distant second with three laps to go, everything changed.
Byron suffered a catastrophic tire failure that ended his race, brought out the caution and set up a green-white-checkered finish. The only upside to Byron’s issue? It gave teammate Larson a fighting chance to beat Hamlin. And beat Hamlin Larson did, after crew chief Cliff Daniels elected to replace just two tires on Larson’s car when most of the leaders came to pit road under the caution for Byron’s tire problem.
Byron is in the wall!
This may change everything! #Championship4 pic.twitter.com/4AgbfEa8V7
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) November 2, 2025
Hamlin, who took on four tires, returned to the track running 10th — five positions behind Larson — with just two laps to make up the lost ground. Despite being in a car far inferior to Hamlin’s, Larson managed to hang on through the final two trips around the 1-mile Phoenix oval and took the checkered flag three spots ahead of Hamlin, who recovered just four positions.
Phoenix Was The Best And Worst Of Times For Hendrick Motorsports
Admittedly stunned by the late-race chain of events, Kyle Larson captured his second Cup Series championship. Both titles have come since 2021, the year he joined Hendrick Motorsports.
Without William Byron’s setback, Larson seemed destined to finish no better than third among the quartet of Championship 4 drivers at Phoenix. So, the dramatic turnabout not only cost Denny Hamlin the title, but it breathed new life into Larson’s fleeting title hopes at virtually the last possible moment.
“William Byron, those guys, they had a great year,” said Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman Jeff Gordon, who made Byron’s No. 24 legendary during his driving days with the company. “Hate it for them, because they’ve been in this position last three years.”
Even Larson, who benefited more than anyone from his teammate’s tire failure, called it “an unfortunate break for William.”
What does all this mean? Sunday’s result produced quite the plethora of emotions for the drivers and key principals at Hendrick Motorsports, which captured its 15th overall NASCAR Cup Series championship as an organization.
“I’m happy for Kyle, for Mr. (Rick) Hendrick,” Byron said. “They deserve it.”
Then, in the very next breath, Byron lamented his personal disappointment.
“Yeah, it stinks, right?” he said. “We had a good day going. Had a shot to win it there. Just didn’t quite have enough. You just regroup, go to next year, I guess.”
Team owner Rick Hendrick sees nothing but good days ahead for Byron, who despite the disappointment of Sunday enjoyed a terrific season highlighted by three victories and a regular season championship.
“I think William’s going to win a lot,” Hendrick said.
