We all know that Kyle Larson walked away from Phoenix Raceway with the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series championship. But the conversation that followed told a very different story. While Larson celebrated with the trophy, it was Denny Hamlin who captured the garage’s admiration, the fans’ sympathy, and, most importantly, the insiders’ unwavering respect.

And when Kevin Harvick, along with his co-hosts, sat down on the Happy Hour podcast to choose his Cup Driver of the Year from a stacked field that included Larson, William Byron, and Shane van Gisbergen, he (along with the others) didn’t hesitate. Hamlin, he said, had the best body of work. It was a stance that rippled through the NASCAR world. Why? Because in a season where chaos reigned, a lawsuit hung over his head, and personal challenges pile

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