Kyle Larson’s NASCAR championship strategy played a decisive role in his second Cup Series victory at Phoenix, as a bold two-tire call from the Hendrick Motorsports team secured a crucial position over main rival Denny Hamlin. Larson’s achievement marked the 15th title for the Rick Hendrick-led organization, coming in dramatic fashion despite not leading a single lap in the finale.
Strategic Two-Tire Call Shapes the Championship Outcome
Cliff Daniels, the No. 5 crew chief for Hendrick Motorsports, credited a collective effort from his engineering team for designing the pivotal pit-stop plan. With William Byron’s late-race tire failure creating an unexpected caution, Daniels and his engineers seized the moment, opting for only two right-side tires on Larson’s Chevrolet during the final pit stop instead of the more conventional four-tire strategy.
Daniels highlighted the input from his engineers during this high-pressure scenario.
“So the first thing I want to say, Cal Stewart’s been a race engineer on the #5 team for a long time. He’s been my lead engineer for the last couple years. Brian Ross, he’s been an engineer with us for a little while. Shelton Ware, Nathan would be, those guys were talking to me as we were just working through things and understanding strategy and where we were.”
– Cliff Daniels, Crew Chief
This unconventional tire decision helped Larson retain much-needed track position and finish ahead of his main competitor, Hamlin, who chose four fresh tires and was unable to recover the lost time. Daniels acknowledged the risk involved:
“I was very much on the fence the first time that we were going to take rights [two right side tires]. And I’m going to 100 % give those guys the credit. That was not my call. Those guys said, ‘Hey man, we need, we have to do something different,’”
added Cliff Daniels, Crew Chief.
Denny Hamlin’s Strong Performance Falls Short
Denny Hamlin, piloting the No. 11 Toyota, was the dominant driver throughout the weekend, excelling both in qualifying and during the race. Despite his speed, it was a single strategy call in the pits that broke his quest for a first Cup Series championship. Choosing four tires instead of two during the pivotal caution, Hamlin ultimately finished behind Larson.
The race at Phoenix was also critical for other contenders. William Byron, another strong performer who led laps early, suffered a tire failure just as the event neared its conclusion. This misfortune removed Byron from contention, but the resulting caution altered the shape of the finish and opened the door for Larson and his crew to capitalize.
Reflections from Rick Hendrick on Larson’s Achievement
Rick Hendrick, head of Hendrick Motorsports, expressed pride and surprise at Larson’s triumph. He observed that out of the four championship contenders, only Hamlin and Byron managed to lead laps in the finale and show consistent speed at Phoenix Raceway. Byron’s late misfortune, ironically, created the circumstances needed for Larson’s strategy to pay off.
“They never give up and work hard together. It was an unbelievable day, and this is probably the most nerve-wrecking race in being a Championship with ups and downs and blown tires.”
– Rick Hendrick, Owner
Hendrick also admitted he had not anticipated the outcome, saying,
“I don’t think I’ve ever been excited in all 15 as I was cause I wasn’t expecting, I thought it was over and then all of a sudden, here we were and man I think I was going nuts,”
added Rick Hendrick, Owner.
Ryan Blaney’s Victory Highlights Phoenix Finale
While Larson clinched the title through his strategic execution and resilience, Ryan Blaney of Team Penske delivered an exceptional drive to win the race in Arizona. Blaney’s victory capped a strong finish to his season but did not prevent Larson from taking home the championship trophy for Hendrick Motorsports.
Lasting Impact of Larson’s Championship Strategy
Kyle Larson’s NASCAR championship strategy, defined by a high-stakes team call and flawless execution, underlines the importance of adaptability and quick strategic thinking at critical moments in racing. The success brought by the engineering team and Cliff Daniels not only delivered Larson’s second Cup title but also further cemented Rick Hendrick’s organization as a powerhouse in NASCAR history. This win highlights how the right decisions, even in the closing laps, can reshape the season’s ultimate outcome, setting the stage for even more dramatic championship battles in future NASCAR Cup Series events at tracks like Phoenix Raceway.
🏁"What a cool finish."@DanielsCliff credits his team of engineers for pushing him to make multiple two-tire calls that wound up helping @KyleLarsonRacin and the No. 5 team win the 2025 championship.
🛞 "I'm gonna 100% give those guys the credit. That was not my call." pic.twitter.com/2f0RJ5RWPp
— SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) November 3, 2025
