For the second time in three years, the NASCAR Cup Series regular-season championship has become a story about recognition as much as performance. William Byron’s 12th-place finish at Richmond Raceway locked him in as the 2025 regular-season champion. This secured 15 playoff points and momentum heading into the postseason. It should have been a career-defining moment for the Hendrick Motorsports driver, who edged out teammate Chase Elliott with one race to spare. Yet, as Byron celebrated, an old debate about how NASCAR presents these milestones quietly resurfaced.

The issue runs deeper than points or standings. NASCAR introduced the regular-season title in 2017 to give added weight to consistency across 26 races. The award was designed to be both symbolic and strategic. It was a distinct

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