Following William Byron’s dominant win in the Round of 8 finale at Martinsville Speedway, the Championship 4 for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series is officially set. This Sunday at Phoenix Raceway, it will be Denny Hamlin, Chase Briscoe, William Byron, and Kyle Larson who will be gunning for the 2025 Cup Series title.
Larson is seeking his second career Cup Series championship, while the other three drivers are all searching for their first. So, who is the one to watch out for the most as the title fight heads to Phoenix? And who might need some work on their competition? Let’s take a closer look in this week’s NASCAR Power Rankings.
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### 4. Kyle Larson
For the third time in his NASCAR Cup Series career, Kyle Larson will compete for a Cup Series title. The last time the driver of the #5 car competed for a championship was in 2023, when he finished runner-up to Ryan Blaney.
This Sunday, the Hendrick Motorsports driver will aim to get one spot higher and finally capture the championship. Larson already has a championship under his belt from 2021, so he knows what it takes to win at this level.
This season, the 32-year-old was the fourth and final driver to make the Championship 4 by virtue of points. Larson has three victories in 2025, though his latest win came back in May at Kansas. While it’s been a while since Larson has been in victory lane, don’t count him out—he’s a proven champion ready to close out the season with the title.
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### 3. William Byron
William Byron made a statement with his dominant win Sunday at Martinsville Speedway. Starting on the pole, Byron won both stages and led the most laps en route to his victory, which clinched him a spot in the Championship 4 for the third consecutive year.
This time, however, the Hendrick Motorsports star looks poised to leave Phoenix with his first championship. Byron has one win at Phoenix before, which came in the spring of 2023.
The two-time and defending Daytona 500 winner secured the regular-season championship earlier this year after a strong first 26 races. This season, he boasts three victories (Daytona, Iowa, Martinsville) and an average finish of 14th.
With great momentum following his Martinsville performance, Byron will be a threat to secure his first Cup title.
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### 2. Chase Briscoe
After a thrilling last-lap pass to win at Talladega two weeks ago, Chase Briscoe is gearing up for his first Championship 4 appearance in the NASCAR Cup Series.
The driver of the #19 car is in his first season with Joe Gibbs Racing and will aim to become the first driver since Kyle Larson in 2021 to win a championship in their inaugural year with a new team.
Briscoe has three victories this season (Pocono, Darlington, Talladega) and has been one of the fastest drivers in the field since his Pocono win. He also leads the series with seven poles and 15 top-five finishes in 2025.
Briscoe is familiar with Phoenix Raceway, where he claimed his first career Cup win in 2022. Now in his first Championship 4, he looks to cap off an impressive first season with JGR by claiming the 2025 title.
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### 1. Denny Hamlin
The time has finally come to see whether this will be the year for Denny Hamlin. Now in his 21st full-time season in the NASCAR Cup Series, the driver of the #11 car is still searching for his first Cup Series championship—despite an incredible career.
The Joe Gibbs Racing veteran punched his ticket to his fifth Championship 4 appearance with a victory at Las Vegas to open the Round of 8. Hamlin leads the series with six wins this season.
Earlier in 2025, the 44-year-old finished runner-up to teammate Christopher Bell at Phoenix, and his latest Phoenix victory came in 2019. With 60 career wins and three Daytona 500 victories, Hamlin has accomplished nearly everything possible in NASCAR—except winning the Cup title.
Sunday presents a prime opportunity for Hamlin to finally claim that elusive championship and cap off a remarkable career.
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As the championship battle heads to Phoenix Raceway this Sunday, expect fierce competition among these four talented drivers. Each has proven their skill and determination throughout the season, but only one will walk away with the coveted 2025 NASCAR Cup Series title. Who will it be? We’ll find out soon.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/nascar/nascar-power-rankings-2025-denny-hamlin-kyle-larson-william-byron-chase-briscoe-set-phoenix-championship-showdown
