Kyle Larson just shut down the pity party for Denny Hamlin after the Phoenix Raceway finish. The defending champion told Kevin Harvick on his podcast that he feels zero sympathy for Hamlin’s 2025 loss. Larson admitted he felt bad right after the race, but that feeling is long gone. Before the title race began, he clarified that both drivers were aware of the rules.
Hamlin led 208 laps and looked ready to win his first championship. Then a late caution changed everything. Larson’s crew chief chose two tires while Hamlin took four. That shorter stop gave Larson the track position he needed to finish third and grab the trophy. Hamlin came home in sixth place. Larson says the result was just part of the game. Neither do I feel bad, nor should that be taken wrongly. Larson stated on Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour that they understood the format and he did too since they are competing.
The Cold Hard Truth About Racing
It is easy to cry foul when the plan falls apart, but Larson is right to call it what it is. The sport is about executing when it counts. Larson compared the timing to football, baseball, and hockey where teams must be at their best at the right moment. He knows Hamlin had a rough break at Phoenix, but the format was set in stone. According to Larson on Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour, he also understood the format, which they knew. That is the kind of blunt honesty fans need to hear. No one forced Hamlin to take four tires when two might have worked better. The risk was there, and the result was not what he wanted.
Now the 2026 season is using a new 10-race Chase format. Larson holds a 73-point lead over Hamlin with two races left. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver entered the Chase as the regular-season champion with a 25-point bonus. He started strong but could not match Larson’s wins at Gateway and Kansas. Hamlin is now stuck chasing a title that seems out of reach. The driver summarized his situation in five words regarding Actions Detrimental. “We’re all racing for second.” That line hurts, but it shows the reality of the points gap.
Officiating Drama Clouds The Picture
While the points battle rages, the controversy at Talladega is making things messy. Larson won the YellaWood 500 on October 25 after a wild finish. Some drivers crossed the double-yellow line, but NASCAR let the results stand. Hamlin is furious about the call. “My goodness. This is horrible officiating or horrible comms. I think it might be both,” Hamlin wrote on X after The Athletic’s Jeff Gluck shared a summary of NASCAR’s explanation. He questioned why intent now matters in a rule that used to ignore it.
Hamlin is right to be angry about the confusion, but Larson’s win stands regardless. The gap is huge, and Hamlin needs Larson to crash to have a chance. The 2026 season has shown that one bad call or one bad pit stop can end a dream. Larson has capitalized on every mistake while Hamlin has watched his lead slip away. The next race is at Martinsville Speedway before the finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.