The atmosphere at the 2025 NASCAR Awards was tense and emotionally charged, a mere two days after Denny Hamlin suffered arguably the most gut-wrenching championship loss in the sport’s history. The Joe Gibbs Racing veteran had dominated the season finale at Phoenix, leading a staggering 208 laps and holding a comfortable 3-second lead, only for a late-race caution involving William Byron to send the race into overtime. The subsequent 4-tire pit stop decision by Hamlin’s crew chief, Chris Gayle, backfired, costing him critical track position that the rival two-tire-taking Kyle Larson capitalized on, snatching the title without having led a single lap in the race.

This devastating defeat, the 6th missed opportunity in the winner-take-all format for Hamlin’s left the 44-year-old in a state o

See Full Page