40 weeks, 36 races where nothing was certain until the very end, and 34 drivers who gave it their all. In the end, the only champion was Joey Logano.
Regular Season
The 36-race journey began on February 20 with the Daytona 500. Nascar’s most prestigious race was won by William Byron. In the second race of the season in Atlanta, we witnessed one of the most unforgettable final laps in NASCAR history. Suarez, Blaney, and Busch crossed the finish line simultaneously. After reviews, it was determined that Suarez was ahead by mere millimeters. In the next race in Las Vegas, Kyle Larson dominated from start to finish and secured the win. In the fourth race, Bell earned his first victory, and in the next four races, Hamlin and Byron each claimed two wins. In the ninth race, Chase Elliott secured his first victory after going winless in the previous season. In the following races, Reddick achieved his first win, while Hamlin earned his third and final win of the season. At the halfway point of the regular season, Ford cars, particularly Team Penske, were a major disappointment. Ford’s first win of the season came from Keselowski in Darlington. The following week, the All-Star Race, which did not grant a playoff ticket, took place. Ty Gibbs won the All-Star Open race, while Logano triumphed in the main event. In Nascar’s longest race, the Coca-Cola 600, Bell delivered a strong performance to claim victory. Last season’s champion, Blaney, earned his first win of the season in Iowa, while Logano secured his playoff ticket with a win in Nashville. In the final four races of the regular season, surprise victories from Dillon, Burton, and Briscoe determined the drivers who advanced to the playoffs. The regular season champion was Tyler
Playoffs
In the Round of 16, Logano and Larson won two of the three races, securing their spots in the Round of 12. The remaining 10 spots were determined by accumulated playoff points. Burton, Gibbs, Keselowski, and Truex were eliminated. In the Round of 12, Kyle Larson was the only driver to advance to the next round by winning a race. The final race of the round saw a major event that changed the course of the championship. Alex Bowman, who had initially advanced, failed the post-race weight inspection and was disqualified, losing his spot. This allowed Logano, who was just behind Bowman in points, to advance to the Round of 8. In the final three races to determine the “Championship 4,” Logano claimed the first ticket. The second race at Homestead-Miami was one of the season’s most thrilling events. Tyler Reddick, who regained hope after a late crash, pulled off an incredible move in the final lap to overtake Blaney and secure the second ticket. This marked the first time Michael Jordan and Hamlin’s 23XI team qualified for the championship race. The Martinsville race decided the final two tickets. Blaney, as he did last year, secured one spot. However, the real drama unfolded between Byron and Bell. Toward the end of the race, Byron was ahead of Bell in points. For Bell to advance, either Byron needed to lose positions or Bell had to pass Wallace. The first scenario seemed more likely, but Byron successfully defended against the three drivers behind him in the final laps. Despite the second scenario seeming improbable, Bell caught up to Wallace on the last lap and overtook him by brushing against the wall. This move initially gave Bell the final ticket, but it was later deemed illegal by Nascar. Both teams accused each other of unfair tactics. Joe Gibbs Racing claimed the Chevrolet drivers behind Byron intentionally avoided passing him, while Hendrick Motorsports argued that Wallace, driving a Toyota, deliberately slowed down. Nascar ultimately found both sides guilty, but Bell’s move was ruled illegal, awarding the final ticket to Byron. Thus, the “Championship 4” drivers were Logano, Reddick, Blaney, and Byron. At Phoenix, where overtaking is challenging, retiring veteran Truex Jr. started on pole, with Logano in second. The race featured less action than previous ones, and by the final laps, it was clear that a Penske driver would win the championship. Reddick struggled to catch up throughout the race, and despite trying a different strategy, Byron fell behind in the closing laps. In the final 30 laps, Logano led, but Blaney, with fresher tires, was closing the gap with a faster pace. However, Blaney’s challenge wasn’t catching Logano—it was overtaking him. Logano, on worn tires, defended with all his might and crossed the finish line in first, winning his third championship. Blaney narrowly missed his second consecutive championship, but Team Penske celebrated back-to-back titles.
Important Events
In addition to on-track incidents, off-track events played a significant role in shaping future NASCAR seasons. One of the most notable developments was the announcement that Stewart-Haas Racing would be leaving the series. This decision shocked everyone, as the team had been a long-standing presence in NASCAR. As a result, its drivers and cars became free agents. Among the drivers, Briscoe was to replace Truex Jr. in the #19 Joe Gibbs Racing car. Gragson moved to Front Row, Berry joined Wood Brothers, and Preece signed with RFK Racing. The team’s cars were distributed among Front Row, 23XI, and Trackhouse. Another major incident involved Michael Jordan and NASCAR management. Jordan filed a lawsuit against NASCAR, accusing them of “anti-competitive practices.” In response, the 23XI team declined to sign a new charter agreement, prompting NASCAR to revoke the team’s status. The matter escalated to court. Despite these challenges, Jordan ensured his team continued competing and kept Reddick focused on the championship. In a closing note, 2017 NASCAR Champion Martin Truex Jr. announced his retirement from full-time NASCAR competition.
Driver Evaluations
Although Logano became the champion, his performance throughout the season was below average. One can even say that luck played a major role in his championship. In NASCAR, what matters most is not what you do throughout the season but how you perform at the end, and Logano capitalized on this to secure the title. Last season’s champion came close to winning a second consecutive title but ultimately fell short. While his overall performance was better than Logano’s, it was still mediocre. Hendrick Motorsports driver Larson was one of the best throughout the season, yet he failed to qualify for the Championship 4. Despite this, Larson finished the season as “the driver with the most race wins” (6) and the most laps led (1,700). Byron was the only Hendrick driver to make it to the Championship 4. He added a Daytona 500 victory to his career and secured three wins during the season. Elliott was eliminated in the Round of 8 and ended the season with just one win. At Joe Gibbs Racing, no drivers advanced to the championship race. Denny Hamlin aimed for the regular-season championship but underperformed in the playoffs. Bell, expected to make it to the final race, delivered a poor performance at Martinsville. However, he was the team’s top driver this season. The standout performance of the season came from Tyler Reddick with 23XI Racing. He won the regular-season championship and became the first driver to take the team to the Championship 4. Reddick finished 21 of the 36 races in the top 10. While he couldn’t deliver his best performance in the championship race, his overall season was one of the most memorable. Truex Jr., in his final full season, ended without a race win.
Team Evaluations
While Team Penske had its drivers competing for the championship at the season’s end, the team’s overall season was underwhelming. All three drivers secured wins, but these victories came late in the season. Despite this, Penske managed to claim back-to-back championships. Hendrick Motorsports ended the regular season strongly but struggled at the end, the exact opposite of Penske. NASCAR’s biggest team faced the possibility of not sending a driver to the Championship 4. Joe Gibbs Racing, another major team, failed to advance any drivers to the final race. Though weaker than last year, they competed closely with Hendrick throughout the season. Among the major teams, 23XI was the most talked about this season. Despite uncertainties surrounding the future of Jordan and Hamlin’s team, this was their best season yet. About the manufacturers, Chevrolet led with 15 wins, while Toyota had the fewest with nine wins.
Season Awards
- Best Driver: Kyle Larson
- Biggest Disappointment (Driver): Kyle Busch
- Most Surprising Driver: Tyler Reddick
- Best Rookie: Carson Hocevar
- Best Team: Hendrick Motorsports
- Biggest Disappointment (Team): Joe Gibbs Racing
- Most Surprising Team: 23XI Racing