"The greatest driver in 77 years of NASCAR racing to never engrave his name on the coveted Cup had produced arguably the greatest season of his two-decade career and had dominated the season's final event. His goal was to be the highest finisher of the Championship 4. He did that, steering through an obstacle course of an evening that threw everything it had at the 44-year-old with a portfolio of past heartbreak in season-finale title chances."
""It's such an odd feeling of, you're so excited because you won the championship, but you know, I do have a heart. Denny is a great competitor and a good friend. To see somebody that's just gotten so close every time to win in the championship, and have it in their fingertips, doing everything right throughout the day and weekend and get it snatched from him late ... When I finally get to see him later tonight, I just don'"
Denny Hamlin won the pole and led 208 of the race's scheduled 312 laps, dominating the 2025 season finale despite bad pit stops, near-misses and a soft clutch. He achieved his goal of being the highest finisher among the Championship 4 through most of the event, only to have the result change in overtime. The overtime finish handed the Cup to Kyle Larson, who celebrated a second championship but expressed survivor's guilt. Hamlin was left emotionally shattered, saying in the moment he never wanted to race again after the loss.
Read at ESPN.com
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