Larson, Love, and the Fine Line Between Triumph and Heartbreak
- Crystal Clay
- 7 days ago
- 4 min read
As Phoenix's six-year championship run ends, NASCAR's finale delivered two worthy champions whose victories blurred the line between triumph and heartbreak.
By Crystal Clay
PHOENIX (Nov. 2, 2025) — NASCAR’s championship weekend at Phoenix Raceway closed a six-year run as the sport’s title stage, ending an era that saw all three national series crown their champions in the desert.
The finale delivered everything the format promises: late-race chaos, perfect execution and heartbreak in equal measure. Each title came down to a NASCAR overtime two-lap shootout that tested the line between precision and luck.
(Editor’s note: The Truck Series finale is covered separately.)
Larson Claims Second Cup Series Title
Kyle Larson captured his second NASCAR Cup Series championship Sunday night, outlasting the field in a race that showcased every element of modern NASCAR: strategy, composure and timing.
Larson’s No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet suffered a right-front tire failure around Lap 216, costing him a lap and his championship momentum. Larson confirmed after the race that the issue forced him to the pits and left him relying on a timely caution and wave-around to rejoin the lead lap. Chase Briscoe received the free pass moments earlier before Larson clawed back into contention.
When the final caution set up a two-lap overtime shootout, Denny Hamlin, who led 208 laps, called for four fresh tires. It was a strategy similar to the one that won the Truck Series title Friday night. Larson’s crew chief, Cliff Daniels, chose two tires instead, a call that flipped the race and ultimately the championship.
Larson never led a single lap, a testament to how chaos, timing, and composure can outweigh domination under NASCAR’s playoff format. Still, he executed when it mattered most, earning his second title in four seasons.
“Sure I’m happy,” Larson said. “But there’s definitely a piece of me that’s sad for him.”
Hamlin, still seeking his first championship after 20 seasons, was subdued. “Man, if you can’t win that one, I don’t know which one you can win,” he said on pit road.
Larson called the night “insane,” a word that captured both the unpredictability of the finish and the awkwardness of celebrating while a friend’s heartbreak unfolded beside him.
Love Captures Xfinity Title in Emotional Finish
A night earlier, 20-year-old Jesse Love delivered one of the most complete performances of his young career to claim his first NASCAR Xfinity Series championship.
After an early struggle that dropped him outside the top 10, Love and crew chief Danny Stockman made key adjustments and relied on their pit crew’s fastest stop of the season to put the No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet in control late. Love drove away on the final overtime restart to win both the race and the title, saying afterward that they “didn’t just luck into this” but “did it on speed.”
Connor Zilisch, Love’s closest friend and fiercest rival, had been in the fight all night. He grabbed the lead multiple times, including before the final caution, and looked poised to cap his 10-win season with a championship. But when the field lined up for the two-lap overtime, Love’s car came alive while Zilisch’s balance faded. “We were never the best car,” he said. “I got the lead both times, but every run we just tanked. I don’t know if I was pushing too hard or what it was. After 20 laps, I just couldn’t hang on.”
Despite the heartbreak, Zilisch carried himself like a veteran. “You work so hard for 38 weeks,” he said. “Coming up short sucks.” When asked if it helped that his best friend won, he smiled through the disappointment and said, “No, it doesn’t make it feel any better. But good for Jesse, I’m really happy for him. He works hard and deserves it.”
After finishing his interviews, Zilisch stepped quietly out of the media center, tears slipping down his face, the kind that come from both heartbreak and pride. It was a moment that said everything about his composure. He didn’t lose his class. He just let his heart show.
A Format That Defines Eras
NASCAR’s playoff system once again produced the drama it promises: championships decided in a handful of laps and emotions that linger long after. The structure rewards execution under pressure as much as season-long consistency, a reality every driver understands.
As of the State of the Sport address, NASCAR leadership (Steve Phelps and Steve O'Donnell) did not announce any format changes for 2026. They said the sanctioning body continues to evaluate the playoff format, but nothing is finalized. So for now, the current elimination-style format with a one-race championship remains in place.
Veteran Justin Allgaier summed it up simply: “The format is the format. Our job is to race to it.”
For Larson and Love, that meant mastering chaos. For Hamlin and Zilisch, it meant learning how close perfection can come to heartbreak.
Phoenix Hands Off the Crown
After six consecutive seasons as NASCAR’s championship host, Phoenix Raceway’s run came to a close with one final, dramatic weekend. Future title weekends will continue to feature all three national series, but the desert’s era as the annual home of the sport’s biggest moment has ended.
This weekend also marked the end of an era for NASCAR's second-tier division as Xfinity wrapped its 11-year run as title sponsor. Introduced in 2015, the partnership helped elevate the series' identity through digital engagement and driver development, leaving a lasting mark on how fans connected with the sport's rising stars.
As the sun set behind the mountains Sunday night, three champions stood tall and nine contenders walked away hollow-eyed, a fitting end to a venue that has come to define the thrill and cruelty of NASCAR’s modern era.
The desert crowned worthy champions. It just didn’t spare anyone’s heart.
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