On paper, Kyle Larson had the best possible ending to the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. A second championship, a season-long comeback arc, and a late-race showdown at Phoenix, where he finished ahead of every other title contender. What more could he ask for, right? But peel back the celebration, and there’s a far more complicated story hiding underneath for the Yung Money.

Because Phoenix wasn’t the smooth, confident march to victory many expected. In fact, Larson found himself locked in a quiet fight. And no, it wasn’t with Denny Hamlin. Rather, it was with the desert track itself. From the outside, it looked like Larson did exactly what a champion should: survive the pressure and rise when it mattered. But behind the wheel, the feeling was very different.

And that’s where this story

See Full Page