We all know that Kyle Larson walked away from Phoenix Raceway with the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series championship. But the conversation that followed told a very different story. While Larson celebrated with the trophy, it was Denny Hamlin who captured the garage’s admiration, the fans’ sympathy, and, most importantly, the insiders’ unwavering respect.

And when Kevin Harvick, along with his co-hosts, sat down on the Happy Hour podcast to choose his Cup Driver of the Year from a stacked field that included Larson, William Byron, and Shane van Gisbergen, he (along with the others) didn’t hesitate. Hamlin, he said, had the best body of work. It was a stance that rippled through the NASCAR world. Why? Because in a season where chaos reigned, a lawsuit hung over his head, and personal challenges piled up, Hamlin still delivered something rare: undeniable greatness.

Why Denny Hamlin is the Cup driver of the year

Kevin Harvick and co. didn’t waste a breath when naming their 2025 Cup Driver of the Year: Denny Hamlin. Championship or no championship, Harvick believed Hamlin’s season stood above everyone else’s. “I think that from an overall standpoint, you know, I think Denny, with all the things he had going on, I just think that he dealt with more than the rest of them,” Harvick said. “He didn’t win the championship, but the rest of it was better than everybody else’s, I believe.” Kaitlyn Vincie backed him up without hesitation, simply stating, “He was the driver of the year.”

And this isn’t them simply fanboying over Hamlin. His 2025 numbers paint the same picture. Hamlin’s six wins (a series high) spread across mile-and-a-halfs, short tracks, and others – Martinsville, Darlington, Michigan, Dover, Gateway, and Las Vegas – showed a level of adaptability and precision the rest of the field couldn’t match. But it wasn’t just his on-track versatility that impressed the insiders. It was everything he had to fight through it.

As you might be aware, Hamlin’s 2025 season was packed with turbulence. A crew chief shake-up swapped longtime partner Chris Gabehart for Chris Gayle. FedEx, the sponsor tied to Hamlin’s identity for nearly two decades, stepped away, being replaced by Progressive. Most importantly, at 44, he faced constant scrutiny about whether he still had championship-level speed. Add the stress of an ongoing lawsuit against NASCAR and his father battling illness at home, and the weight on his shoulders was immense.

Yet week after week, Hamlin delivered. And then, at Phoenix, he was less than three miles away from winning no 61 and his elusive first title. He dominated the championship race like no one ever has, leading a record 208 laps. However, as luck would have it, a late caution caused by William Byron’s blown tire flipped everything on its head.

Larson’s two-tire gamble moved him ahead for overtime. Hamlin, buried in traffic due to the costly strategic call of taking four tires, never had a chance. Unfortunately, Denny Hamlin didn’t get the trophy as he finished the race behind Larson. But to Harvick, Vincie, and many others, he was still the best driver of 2025.

Harvick awards Larson and Elliott, too

Hamlin may have earned Harvick’s vote for Cup Driver of the Year, but the 2014 champion didn’t overlook the fireworks delivered by NASCAR’s other stars. In fact, Harvick made it a point to celebrate two of the season’s most electrifying moments that captured the heart-pounding unpredictability of 2025.

One of those moments belonged to the newly crowned champion, Kyle Larson, whose adrenaline-fueled victory celebration at Phoenix earned Harvick’s award for Best Burnout. “There were a lot of elements to this particular burnout,” Harvick said. “Being the surprise winner at the end… Cliff Daniels making a great call… Kyle Larson keeping that car ahead of Denny Hamlin… This burnout right here. Car against the fence, waving the flag, on the gas, team against the wall…was one of the top moments.”

Harvick’s admiration also extended to Chase Elliott, whose jaw-dropping charge at Kansas Speedway earned the award for Craziest Finish. A few moments this season matched the intensity of Elliott going from fifth to first in the final two laps. Harvick broke down the sequence with the excitement of a fan reliving the moment: “That last lap for the 9 really started the lap before… with the 23 and 20 getting into each other off Turn 4… and that momentum led to all of those moments.”

Finally, Harvick also took a moment to applaud the NASCAR Cup Series regular season finale at Daytona. He called it the standout superspeedway event of the entire year. “In my opinion, this was the best superspeedway race of the year,” Harvick said. “From start to finish, it was the most complete superspeedway race they had. And we talked about this. Blaney charging from deep in the field. NASCAR’s got to figure out a way to get these superspeedway races so that they race from start to finish like they did at this Daytona race.”

In the end, Harvick’s reflections painted a picture of a season defined by bold moves, clutch moments, and drivers refusing to back down. If anything, his year-end awards doubled as a reminder that when the stakes rise, today’s stars are more than ready to deliver unforgettable racing.