Kyle Larson knows how important practice time before a race is to dial in his rhythm. “Somewhere, midpoint of that run, I can get into a rhythm and then you don’t get in a car for another 24 hours,” he said last month at the Martinsville practice session, frustrated by the standard 25-minute practice window. As the 2021 champ is winless for almost the past six months, those practice times carry even more weight as the pressure of Phoenix looms large to get his second title.

But NASCAR stepped up for the finale, doubling practice to 50 minutes with three tire sets, a nod to the finale’s high stakes. Yung Money, being the only prior champ in the final 4, knows how important practice sessions are to know the car and the track in the Next Gen era. But is that added time still enough?

Practice perks fall short for Kyle Larson

In an interview with Frontstretch, Kyle Larson opened up about the championship weekend’s extended session, a rare gesture from NASCAR to help finalists like him fine-tune themselves for Phoenix’s 312-lap grind. “It’s nice that they give us that extra practice on championship weekend,” he told reporters, thanking the gesture that extends the usual 25 minutes to a full 50 with three fresh tire sets.

“It’s nice that they give us that extra practice on championship weekend. I wish it was more.”@KyleLarsonRacin shared his mentality heading into his third Championship 4 race, looking for his second title.

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— Frontstretch (@Frontstretch) October 30, 2025

Practice matters a lot here, as it’s the last chance to know your car’s strength or flaws before the final showdown and to tweak setups on the one-mile oval. And for Larson, it’s even more important, especially after a six-month slump that derailed the momentum he gained from three early victories earlier this season. But for a driver who’s finished fifth in his last Martinsville runs, that may build the muscle memory needed at the crunch time in the final run.

Still, Larson’s tone hinted at room for improvement. “I wish it was more, you know, we get three sets of tires for 50 minutes. That’s really short. It happens so fast. You don’t really get to put many laps on the tires to learn like what your car is doing,” he added, echoing his Martinsville gripes, where limited lap time left him dejected through the first stage.

This isn’t just nitpicking; Larson’s 2025 stats show a driver who’s recovered strongly, with 14 top-fives and a top 5 in the last run. Crew chief Cliff Daniels, who was with Larson in 2021’s final run at Phoenix, knows the importance of those extra laps, where Denny Hamlin is seen as a favorite.

Team owner Rick Hendrick backs that fire, defending the streak. “I’m excited about going to Phoenix with both cars. I think he’s got the bit in his teeth right now,” Hendrick said, pointing to Larson’s mid-season grit even facing those slumps that landed him fourth in final points.

Larson himself plays it cool on his edge: “Yeah, I’m thankful to have one. Obviously, I want two. I think because I do have one already, I don’t overthink the week and the moment and all that,” he noted ahead of the showdown, a calm and composed mindset that helped him lead 2,581 laps in his 2021 season, where he lifted the trophy for the first time.

Yet, that subtle dissatisfaction with the practice format shows a driver hunger that wants every chance to capitalize on for a win. As Larson eyes that second title, his crew chief sees the bigger picture pulling them forward.

Cliff Daniel’s unfinished business with the No. 5

In a FOX Sports talk, Daniels laid it bare: “He certainly is leaning into trying to maximize everything he can in the Cup Series, and in a way, he feels like he has a little bit of unfinished business. And I kind of do as well for our team, of knowing how competitive we’ve been and certainly scored some wins, we feel like there’s more wins to go get.”

These words by Daniels come after a 2025 campaign where the No. 5 Chevy notched three victories early, then battled through inconsistencies in the mid-season, like fuel planning gone wrong at Talladega, and clinched a Championship 4 spot on points, despite a dominating start to the year.

Daniels doubles down on the motivation, “And of course, neither of us is satisfied just having one championship. So I think that’s what keeps him motivated and certainly me and his team as well.” For Larson, at 33 with 32 Cup wins already, it’s about legacy now, like joining Kyle Busch and Joey Logano as multiple title winners who are still running.

While Daniels eyes more crew chief glory than more than one title. Their “unfinished” tag fits a team that’s led laps but desperately wants another title at Phoenix, where Fords and Toyotas have edged Chevys since 2022. It’s that quiet fire to want more and not settle with just one title, and that fire could turn the script for other contenders on Sunday.

So stay tuned to EssentiallySports.com for such latest updates on this exciting finale week!