NASCAR

Sportsbook Tabs Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson As Favorites To Capture 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Championship; Ryan Blaney Angry; Playoff Changes Coming?

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cup logano burns out after third title (1)

An intense Ryan Blaney put it bluntly over his team radio: “What the &*#^, man? &*#^ these @$$holes.”  

The defending NASCAR Cup Series champion barked at Hendrick Motorsports teammates Kyle Larson and William Byron, battling with Blaney for position late in last Sunday’s Championship 4 race at Phoenix Raceway. 

Blaney needed to pass the duo to challenge eventual title winner Joey Logano. Neither surrendered for nearly 20 laps at the 0.75-mile, D-shaped desert track. 

Blaney passed Larson for P3 on Lap 278, but was over 3.3 seconds behind the leaders. Twelve rotations later, Blaney overcame Byron for P2 and came within 0.0190 seconds of Logano with six laps to go. 

After tangling with Larson and Byron, Blaney said he ran out of time. 

“I had to work really hard to get by the 5 (Larson) and the 24 (Byron),” Blaney told NBC Sports. I felt like if I came out behind Joey and didn’t have two cars in between us that I had to pass I would’ve had a better shot.” 

Larson, who placed P4, defended his actions. 

“Yeah, I don’t see anything that I did wrong,” the 2021 Cup champion told Frontstretch.com.

Along with Christopher Bell, Larson (+550) enters the offseason with the top odds to capture the 2025 circuit championship, according to DraftKings Sportsbook.

 

Driver/Co-Owner Denny Hamlin Promotes Playoff, Track Changes 

Denny Hamlin is calling for changes. 

The first alteration the driver of Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 11 Toyota and 23XI Racing co-owner wants to see is a revamping of the current playoff system. He also would like to promote a revolving site for the final race.  

During Hamlin’s podcast, “Actions Detrimental,” ex-crew chief-turned-broadcaster Steve Letarte said the industry needs to break the monotony of recent racing. 

“I would take the three-race championship,” Letarte said. 

Hamlin and Letarte promoted a track rotation of Martinsville Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway. 

Hamlin added another destination. 

“You’ve got Vegas in there, too,” he said. “It’s a good time of the year for Vegas.”

NASCAR Cup Series 2025 Championship Driver Odds  

Here is an early look at the drivers’ odds for the NASCAR Cup Series’ 2025 championship, according to DraftKings Sportsbook:  

Driver NASCAR Cup Series 2025 Championship Race Odds
Christopher Bell +550
Kyle Larson +550
William Byron +600
Ryan Blaney +650
Denny Hamlin +750
Joey Logano +850
Tyler Reddick +850
Chase Elliott +1100
Chase Briscoe +1800
Kyle Busch  +2200
 Ty Gibbs  +2200
Brad Keselowski +2800
Ross Chastain +3000
Alex Bowman  +3500
Chris Buescher  +4000
Bubba Wallace +6500
Shane van Gisbergen +6500
 Austin Cindric +10000
Daniel Suarez +12000
Carson Hocevar +13000
  Noah Gragson +15000
Austin Dillon +15000
    Josh Berry +17000
    Michael McDowell +17000
Zane Smith +17000
AJ Allmendinger +20000
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. +20000
Erik Jones +20000
  Ryan Preece +25000
Cole Custer +25000
Todd Gilliland +25000
Justin Haley +25000
John Hunter Nemechek +40000
Ty Dillon +50000
  

*Odds current at time of publication