With just a few laps to go in Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series title race, Denny Hamlin appeared set to win it all, with William Byron ending the season as the championship runner-up. But before Hamlin could reach the white flag, the caution flew for yet another tire failure.
This time, it was Byron, who slammed the wall in Turns 3 and 4. His title hopes were over, and Hamlin was put in an impossible position. He pitted for four fresh tires, but between those taking two right-sides and staying out entirely, he restarted back in tenth for an overtime restart.
It was too tall of a mountain to climb, and Kyle Larson snatched the championship away from Hamlin without leading a single lap all day.
Hamlin was obviously heartbroken, and Byron himself was upset for being the driver to cause the race-altering yellow. He even apologized to Hamlin ahead of his post-race press conference.
"It just doesn't seem right," lamented Byron. "Yeah, I mean, I think just kind of seeing him, he had beat us, and we're running second, four laps to go, you go into the wall and cause a caution. It sucks, right? I don't want to be that guy, even if I'm in the Championship 4. Doesn't really matter. Don't want to change the outcome. So it sucks."
As for what happened on track, it was just the latest of countless tire issues that plagued the championship race as teams went well below Goodyear's recommended level for air pressures. All four title contenders encountered a cut tire at some point during the finale. Motorsport.com contributor Bozi Tatarevic offered a full explainer on these tire issues earlier this weekend after we saw several such cases in practice.
"Yeah, I felt something a little funny on that lap," explained Byron. "Was trying to figure out if it was a tire. I guess we were coming to three laps to go. I was trying to figure out left rear, right rear. About the time I hit the brakes into three, it laid down on the right side of the car and went straight. Yeah, I was hoping it would be a left rear so I could kind of get back, but..."
In the end, Byron finished 33rd, and will end 2025 fourth in the championship standings. He has now made the Championship 4 in three consecutive years, without yet securing the crown.
Photos from Phoenix - Race
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Phoenix - Sunday, in photos
Read and post comments