Kyle Larson and Jesse Love stood tall under the bright lights of Phoenix, one celebrating a second NASCAR Cup Series championship, the other marking his rise as an Xfinity title winner. But for every confetti shower, there was heartbreak on the other side of pit road. Denny Hamlin once again came up short in his quest for a championship that continues to slip through his fingers.

And in Xfinity (O’Reilly Auto Parts Series from 2026), Connor Zilisch’s dream season ended in devastation after Jesse Love’s late charge robbed him of what seemed destined to be his crowning moment. Both drivers had dominated their respective series, yet walked away empty-handed. And for Kevin Harvick, watching it unfold stirred something deeply familiar. Let’s just say it was a mix of empathy, frustration, and the hard truth about NASCAR’s playoff system.

Denny Hamlin and Connor Zilisch’s championship heartbreaks

In a raw and revealing moment, Kevin Harvick drew a powerful comparison between the bitter championship losses suffered by Denny Hamlin in the NASCAR Cup Series and Connor Zilisch in the Xfinity Series. Harvick admitted on the Happy Hour podcast, “Same type of pain that I had for Denny Hamlin, I had times 10 for Connor Zilisch. I mean, he had one of the best Xfinity seasons that you can possibly ever have. Two injuries. Fell out of a car, broke a collarbone…he just kept winning.” 

Zilisch’s 2025 campaign was nothing short of extraordinary. 10 wins, a record 18 straight top-five finishes, and, at one point, a record-tying four consecutive victories. These numbers marked him as one of the season’s most dominant drivers. Despite suffering significant setbacks, including severe injuries like the broken collarbone he suffered at Watkins Glen, Zilisch pushed through adversity. He maintained his points lead and locked in the regular-season championship and Rookie of the Year awards.

Yet, his brilliance across the season would unravel at the final hurdle. Under NASCAR’s playoff system, a single race showdown for the championship meant all season’s efforts hung on the outcome at one event. Zilisch, like Hamlin in the Cup Series, saw his title hopes dashed by misfortune during the crucial championship race at Phoenix. “This is by far the toughest scenario of the system,” Harvick summed up the shortcomings of the playoff system.

Looking ahead, Harvick reflected on the monumental pressure awaiting Zilisch, who is set to graduate to the Cup Series in 2026 with Trackhouse Racing. “That’s the closest that he’s been to experiencing the pressure and the emotion that will come with what comes on Sunday because it’ll be times 10 in every category,” he said. Harvick knows it firsthand. The stakes, nerves, and scrutiny reach unprecedented heights in the Cup Series compared to Xfinity.

As Zilisch prepares to join NASCAR’s top tier, his resilience and star power promise to make his journey one of the sport’s most closely watched stories. If his Xfinity heartbreak is any indication, the coming Cup battles will test not only his skills but also the emotional fortitude required for greatness at the highest level.

Hamlin hasn’t thought about the future

Denny Hamlin still has two years left on his contract extension with Joe Gibbs Racing, signed earlier this summer. Yet, the sting of losing another NASCAR Cup Series championship has left him questioning what comes next. He isn’t hinting at retirement. At least not yet. However, after how Sunday unfolded, it’s clear that the heartbreak runs deep.

Hamlin dominated much of the championship race at Phoenix, leading with just three laps to go before a late caution upended everything. When William Byron blew a tire, the field reset, and strategy chaos ensued. Joe Gibbs Racing’s gamble backfired, leaving Hamlin mired in 10th on the restart. By the time he charged forward, Larson had already secured his second Cup title.

“I mean, I plan to [return],” Hamlin said at the NASCAR Awards media session. “I have a contract to, but there’s, at this point, there’s just absolutely no way that I would even … I don’t even think about the race car right now. Just yeah, I’m gonna need some time on this one.” The 44-year-old admitted he’s never poured as much time, energy, and emotion into a single race as he did this month.

The loss adds another chapter to a painful list – 2010, 2014, 2019, 2021, 2022, and now 2025 – seasons where Hamlin was either in contention or heartbreakingly denied. Reflecting on the finish, he said, “So you’ve seen me lose this in so many different ways, right, from the mechanical failures to just crazy things, but I don’t know. With five laps to go, I knew it was over. I don’t have the trophy, but I knew what it was like to be a champion.”

Hamlin briefly logged onto social media afterward and saw an outpouring of sympathy. “I love our fan base. They’ve been great,” he said. “But yeah, I’m a bit torn as well because also my friend won the championship, and it’s not being talked about that much.”

For now, Hamlin’s future remains uncertain. His fire to compete is battling against the emotional toll of another near miss. As he takes time to process, fans can only wonder: will this crushing defeat ignite one final, furious run at the championship he’s long chased, or mark the beginning of the end for one of NASCAR’s greatest without a crown?