2025 NASCAR season thrilled

Courtesy of Christian Roberts | Lariat

As the checkered flag flies on the 2025 NASCAR season it was one of the most memorable seasons of the modern era.

It may not have been up to last season’s excitement, but was still was a great season for the motorsport with plenty of great races and finishes and gave fans a thrill this year. The races this season were memorable as the Clash at Bowman Gray exhibition put on a great race with tons of close quarters action, beating and banging which the sport is known for.

Chase Elliott driving for Hendrick Motorsports would go on to win the Clash.

The Daytona 500 this year despite a rain delay was still an exciting race as drivers fought for the front to win NASCARs biggest race. The race would be remembered for Ryan Preece and his odd wreck as he blew over from the front and flipped violently.

On the final lap, Denny Hamlin and Cole Custer were in position to fight for the win. It was Custer who spun out collecting Hamlin and William Byron. Hendrick Motorsports, gaining from behind, would go on to win the Great American Race for the second year in a row.

The annual Memorial Day weekend Coca-Cola 600 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway was one of the best races of the season. Throughout the 600 miles, drivers would battle for position and make moves on each other which created an exciting race.

William Byron would lead most of the race, but a hard charging Ross Chastain who started from the back of the pack due to a practice crash would challenge Byron for the win. With about seven laps to go, Chastain passed Byron, winning a thrilling Coca-Cola 600 and marking a Cinderella story for him and Team Trackhouse.

The Quaker State 400 at EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta was also a thrilling race from start to finish. The mini superspeedway created exciting pack racing as drivers fought hard for the win in Atlanta. Despite a massive wreck that took out many drivers, the race had an exciting finish.

On the final lap, Brad Keselowski led the race, but hometown hero Chase Elliott passed him on the final corner which made for a popular winner and capped off a barn burner race.

With the NASCAR playoffs on the way, drivers for the next few races fought for a position to be one of the 16 to compete for a championship in the 10 postseason races. The summer Daytona race would be the final race in the regular season and before the playoffs.

The Coke Zero 400 night race at Daytona would put on one of if not but the best Next Gen superspeedway races at Daytona as drivers would draft each other to get to the front and fight for the win and a playoff spot.

On the last laps, Ryan Blaney driving for Team Penske in 12th, made a huge leap to the front, which created an exciting four-wide photo finish to the line.

The regular season put on some races to remember, but as the playoffs arrived, excitement rose, but controversy played a role in the postseason

The playoffs started with Joe Gibbs Racing in Toyotas sweeping the first three races which showed their dominance early. The Bristol night race which was the third race in the first round was a hot one as tire fall off played a role in the race which created strategies and new grooves on the track for drivers to run on.

The second round saw some controversy as in New Hampshire, JGR teammates Denny Hamlin and Ty Gibbs would be involved in a scuffle as Hamlin spunGibbs out. This move was questioned by many as Hamlin, a playoff driver who was hungry for his elusive first title, but Gibbs, his teammate and not in the playoffs, raced him hard.

Blaney would go on to win at New Hampshire.

It continued the next week in Kansas in which in the last laps, Toyota had the top four with Hamlin, Bubba Wallace from 23XI, a team Hamlin owns, Christopher Bell, and Chase Briscoe all battled for the win.

Then on the final turn, Hamlin with steering issues would run Wallace up the track and Chase Elliott, a Hendrick Chevrolet would bump Hamlin out of the way and steal the victory.

At the Charlotte Roval for the last race in the second round, Shane Van Gisbergen who had five wins on road courses this season would take the victory at the Roval. Behind him was a battle for the final spot in the third round as Chastain needed to pass Hamlin for the transfer spot or else Joey Logano would be locked in.

On the last lap, as Van Gisbergen took the checkered flag, Chastain would pull a hail melon and dump Hamlin for the position, but it cost him the transfer spot as a few cars, including Logano passed him. Chastain tried to finish in reverse but it was too late. Logano would then advance to the third round.

The third round had moments which shook up the playoffs. Byron, leading at Las Vegas, was on route to winning the race and entering the final four in Phoenix. Unfortunately, Byron would crash out after a misinformed call to the pit by Ty Dillon and his team. Dillon drove down into Byron’s lane and destroyed both their cars.

Hamlin won the race in a fierce battle beating his teammate Chase Briscoe and Kyle Larson and locking himself into the final four with an emotional victory for him, his team and his dad who wasn’t feeling well.

Chase Briscoe went onto win the next race at Talladega in a thrilling race to the line and at Martinsville, the final race of the third round, Byron passed Blaney with 30 laps to go by bumping him out of the way and punch his ticket into the championship four after two unlucky races from being crashed out in Vegas and spinning out on the last lap at Talladega.

Kyle Larson would secure the final transfer spot on points going into Phoenix. It eliminates Christopher Bell, Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano. Bell came close but couldn’t beat Larson. Elliott, Blaney and Logano were far in points to catch the others.

The Penske duo of Blaney and Logano did not advance to the Championship 4 even after Penske won three in a row from 2022.

The Championship 4 drivers consisted of Toyota drivers Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe for Joe Gibbs Racing, and Chevrolet drivers Kyle Larson alongside Wiliam Byron for Hendrick Motorsports. It now leads up to one of the most anticipated races at Phoenix Raceway, as it would set the stage for the final race of the season.

For 312 laps, the final four drivers battled in the hot Arizona sun to claim the championship and the Bill France Cup. The race was close and exciting with battles throughout the day, but was plagued by tire problems due to the heat from the track. Many drivers were involved with tire issues including title contenders Briscoe and Larson.

The last few laps were intense as the final four started all together and went four-wide on the restart. Hamlin, chasing his first title, led most of the race and was about five laps away from winning the title. However, Byron would blow a tire and crash which triggered a caution.

The championship was then decided by the last pit stop and restart of the season. With Briscoe and Byron out of the picture, Hamlin pitted for four tires while Larson took two for more positions. Larson would start out front for the restart and as the green flag flew, Larson charged to 3rd in one lap, burying Hamlin behind.

Ryan Blaney would win the race but in the end, Kyle Larson would finish third ahead of Hamlin in fifth and win his second NASCAR Cup Series Championship. It was a great race but was a bittersweet end to the 2025 season as Hamlin for the seventh time failed to win his first title.

The end to the race was seen as controversial to many fans as they said the late caution and playoff system robbed Hamlin and his chance of winning the title and said Larson was undeserving of a second title because he didn’t win since May in Kansas.

However, fans quickly pointed out that Larson without the playoffs would still be the champion due to scoring points and having more consistent finishes than Hamlin who would have finished sixth with no playoffs.

This is one of the biggest problems with NASCAR today and this season as the playoffs continue to spark debate with fans claiming its “unfair,” “confusing,” and should only be in stick and ball sports. It has generated controversy like this year among the industry and fans and this season showed the playoffs and its constant flaws and controversy.

NASCAR has announced that they will change the format, but has not announced any details at this time.

Nonetheless, the 2025 NASCAR season was still a great ride, put on memorable races, great storylines and still gave race fans something to cheer for.

Fans are excited for the 2026 season as there will be a lot to look forward to before the green flag falls. A new horsepower package with 750 on short tracks. A brand new schedule with new tracks such as the Navel Base Coronado in San Diego.

Returning tracks like fan 

favorites Chicagoland Speedway and North Wilksboro Speedway. A new championship format to be announced and rookie drivers such as Connor Zilisch.

The 2026 NASCAR season will start on Feb. 1 at the Bowman Gray Stadium for the preseason Clash, and Feb. 15 for the season opener 2026 Daytona 500.

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