“I’ve always really looked up to Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon…Just getting a second would mean I’m closer to them.” Kyle Larson said these words shortly before the Phoenix finale. Tony Stewart’s three championships and Jeff Gordon’s four titles are on his radar. And Larson did move one step closer to tying with these legends, after picking up the 2025 Cup Series title. However, Gordon believes that a better job was possible in Phoenix.

Two Hendrick Motorsports drivers were competing for the 2025 title. They were Kyle Larson and William Byron, rolling up their sleeves against Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe. We all know that fans and drivers leaned towards Hamlin after the race – and even Jeff Gordon did.

Jeff Gordon admits to HMS’ shortcomings

In the post-race media conference at Phoenix Raceway, Jeff Gordon candidly laid out his verdict. “On Friday, they had speed, both the 5 and the 24. That’s the one thing I’m disappointed in,” he said. The HMS vice-chairman continued, “And I don’t want to be disappointed right now because my gosh, we just won the championship. But we didn’t bring what I thought we were going to bring based on what I saw on Friday. Um, you know, I thought we had a little bit more for that 11.”

Indeed, Denny Hamlin‘s car was dominant on Sunday, as he wheeled the No. 11 in the lead for 208 laps. He faced tire issues shortly after winning stage 2 and lost track position, but he soon climbed back up. Granted, William Byron was hounding the No. 11’s rear bumper for most of the race. However, the No. 24 Chevrolet melted away on lap 310, when a tire failure caused him to pound the wall. Jeff Gordon continued, “We thought it was going to be the 24…I mean, they’ve had an incredible year, right, second Daytona 500, regular season championship.”

William Byron brought out the last caution, and not only ended his hopes but also Denny Hamlin’s. On the restart, the JGR veteran opted for four tires and started 10th. That allowed Kyle Larson to get ahead with two tires – he finished third while Hamlin finished 6th. Nevertheless, Jeff Gordon hailed Hamlin and his team: “So I give Danny and JGR all the credit in the world, man. They ran a heck of a race, heck of a season.” He continued, “But don’t ever count out Cliff Daniels, Kyle Larson, and just this sport, right? This sport can just throw some things at you that you cannot predict.”

Indeed, the ending of the Phoenix Raceway finale shocked everyone, literally. That included even the 2025 Cup Series champion, Kyle Larson. The No. 5 HMS driver’s incredulous feelings were apparent on Victory Lane. “I couldn’t believe it. We didn’t lead a lap today, and somehow won the championship.” Both Larson and Byron extended their heartfelt apologies to Hamlin, with Larson even blasting the current playoff format. Hamlin failed to cap off a 6-win season and extended his 19-year championship-less curse.

While NASCAAR fans brood over the Phoenix dilemma, let’s take a walk down memory lane.

A colorful tribute to the past

“I’ll never catch Jeff,” Kyle Larson said with a laugh before the Phoenix race. “I don’t think about Jeff.” Indeed, Jeff Gordon’s legacy features a whopping 93 Cup Series race trophies alongside four titles. And a major chunk of memories of this legacy was forged in the colorful No. 24 Chevrolet. In 1998, Gordon led the Rainbow Warriors, aptly named after his sweet ride, to a record-setting 13 Cup race trophies. So if you are a diehard Gordon fan, then the rainbow-hued 2000 Monte Carlo SS modified by Jeff Gordon Chevrolet of North Carolina would fascinate you.

This is a mid-size, front-wheel-drive luxury coupe, a tribute to Jeff Gordon’s heyday. It is equipped with a four-speed automatic transmission and a 200-hp 3.8-liter V-6, so it’s more luxury-oriented. Yet it is faster than you think, and the graphics are pure turn-of-the-millennium. With just 3900 miles on the odometer, this Monte Carlo SS is a well-preserved tribute to that era. It even has a CD player for playing some 2000s-era Nelly. The auction for this Gordon-inspired ride ends on November 4.

With Jeff Gordon’s golden era lingering in our memories, the 2025 Cup Series title feels more strange. Let’s wait and see if 2026 brings a more celebration-worthy outcome or not.