Kyle Larson may be a sports-betting co-favorite to capture the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series drivers’ championship, but he and his three Hendrick Motorsports teammates will have to shake off a tough playoff-opening weekend at Darlington Raceway.
Among the four garages, Chase Elliott earned an organizational-best P17. Larson finished P19, while William Byron, the regular-season champion, placed 21st and Alex Bowman, hampered by a 40-second pit stop, 31st.
“We just struggled all night,” William Byron told Fox Sports. “I thought the short run was a struggle. We’ve definitely got some work to do.”
The Hendrick machines now head to World Wide Technology Raceway, a 1.25-mile flat oval similar to the Championship 4 event at Phoenix Raceway. Larson remains plus-38 above the Round of 12 cutoff line, and Byron is plus-25. Elliott is plus-9, but Bowman needs a rebound effort. The No. 48 Chevrolet team is negative-19.
“We’ll go to Gateway and try to be better there,” Byron said.
Larson and Denny Hamlin drew +425 odds to capture the series title, according to BetOnline Sportsbook.
Elliott, the 2020 titleholder, believes the four Hendrick teams have time to rebound.
“You’re talking about 10 races. A lot of racing,” Elliott said. “That’s enough time to be really good for a stretch, to be really bad for a stretch and then get really good again.
“And so I think sometimes it gets lost just how many races and how long 10 weeks is, and how much can change through that period of time. For me personally, it’s what can I do this week to be better when we get to the racetrack on Saturday? And how can my Saturday help us on Sunday?”
Work to do in St. Louis. pic.twitter.com/tNnZVeOOI0
— Hendrick Motorsports (@TeamHendrick) September 1, 2025
2025 NASCAR Cup Series Drivers’ Championship Odds
Here is a Week 28 look at the drivers’ odds for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series drivers’ championship, according to BetOnline Sportsbook:
| Driver | 2025 NASCAR Cup Series’ Championship Odds |
|---|---|
| Kyle Larson | +425 |
| Denny Hamlin | +425 |
| Ryan Blaney | +475 |
| William Byron | +600 |
| Chase Briscoe | +700 |
| Christopher Bell | +800 |
| Chase Elliott | +850 |
| Tyler Reddick | +1400 |
| Joey Logano | +2000 |
| Ross Chastain | +2500 |
| Bubba Wallace | +2800 |
| Shane van Gisbergen | +3300 |
| Alex Bowman | +4000 |
| Josh Berry | +4000 |
| Austin Dillon | +4000 |
| Austin Cindric | +4000 |
*-Odds current at time of publication
