Enjoy Illinois 300 Winner Denny Hamlin Finishes Runner-Up in the NASCAR Cup Series Championship

Last Updated on November 3, 2025 by WWTR

Credit: AVONDALE, ARIZONA – NOVEMBER 02: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 Progressive Toyota, reacts after the NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway on November 02, 2025 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)

MADISON, Ill. (Nov. 3, 2025) – After leading 208 of 310 laps in Phoenix, the 2025 Enjoy Illinois 300 NASCAR Cup Series race winner Denny Hamlin fell just short in the final push for the championship after a late caution and differing strategies sent Kyle Larson to Victory Lane on Nov. 2 as the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Champion.

On Lap 310, Championship 4 driver William Byron hit the Turn 3 wall, bringing out a caution. The caution drastically altered the final results.

Before the flag, Hamlin had a three-second lead over then runner-up Byron, but his late collision resulted in a change of pace and came down to final strategies. While Larson and Hamlin dived into the pits, their differing strategies for tires resulted in one benefiting over the other.

Larson’s team’s decision to take two tires proved to be beneficial as Hamlin went for a four-tire change. When exiting the pits, it was Larson’s pit stop that propelled him out ahead of the previous front-runner Hamlin.

Larson exited the pits five positions ahead of Hamlin, and the No. 5 car held onto third place, which put him ahead of Hamlin (6), Chase Briscoe (18) and Byron (33). While the four championship drivers were scattered among the 38-car field, it was Ryan Blaney who drove his way to Victory Lane as the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race winner at Phoenix Raceway.

Blaney just missed the Championship 4 as he finished second behind Byron in Martinsville, which secured Byron the final Championship 4 spot. Blaney made it to the Round of 8 after winning in New Hampshire and finishing high enough in the Round of 16, where he finished fourth at World Wide Technology Raceway.

Also, runner-up in the championship for the NASCAR Xfinity Series was Nu Way 200 Sauced by Blues Hog winner Connor Zilisch, who had a breakout rookie year ending the season with 10 wins. While his rookie-year statistics were ones for the books, it was ultimately Jesse Love who took the crown in Phoenix and theNASCAR Xfinity Series Championship title.

WWT Raceway is back on the calendar for the fifth annual Enjoy Illinois 300 NASCAR Cup Series race on Sept. 13, 2026, and the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (previously Xfinity Series), returns for the second consecutive year in Madison, Ill on Sept. 12, 2026.

Tickets for 2026 go on sale Dec. 1, 2025, for NASCAR, INDYCAR and NHRA at WWT Raceway. For more information, please visit wwtraceway.com or call the ticket office at (618) 215-8888 ext. 1. 

MEDIA CONTACT: Payton Buschhorn | WWTR Public Relations & Media Manager | 314.517.5125 | pbuschhorn@wwtraceway.com