Dale Earnhardt Jr. on Denny Hamlin losing NASCAR title to Kyle Larson: 'Excruciating to watch'

Dale Earnhardt Jr. found it “excruciating to watch” as Denny Hamlin came up short of winning the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series championship this past Sunday at Phoenix Raceway. Hamlin had the dominant car at Phoenix, leading a championship race record 208 laps, but it was Kyle Larson who won his second championship.

“That was excruciating to watch,” Earnhardt said on Tuesday’s Dale Jr. Download. “Knowing that Denny was somewhat emotional on the front straightaway or around the car before the race… Denny doesn’t really show a ton of emotion, but you could tell he knew that he had a very f*cking good shot at this before he even got in his car.

“The race begins, and he drives this car for 90 percent of the race going, ‘There ain’t a car here as good as this one. I got this.’ Of course, he’s not assuming anything, but he’s sitting there going, ‘I’ve never had a better shot at winning a championship.’ He’s never had that car at Phoenix. That car would’ve beaten the f*cking Penske cars.”

Hamlin was less than three miles away from winning his first championship when one caution changed everything. William Byron blew a tire and hit the wall, forcing NASCAR to wave the yellow flag. Overtime it was, where Larson restarted five spots ahead of Hamlin thanks to taking only two tires on the final pit stop to Hamlin’s four. Larson won the 2025 title after finishing third, three spots ahead of Hamlin.

Dale Earnhardt Jr: ‘Nothing I can say’ to make Denny Hamlin feel better

The championship race loss stings for Hamlin. There’s nothing Earnhardt could say to make him feel better, and he knows that. However, there’s one conversation that could, he said.

“Denny is heartbroken. It sucks, there ain’t nothing I can say. I don’t even wanna say anything because there ain’t nothing you can tell this guy. No one’s ever going to be able to say anything to him that will make him feel better,” Earnhardt said. “I think the only thing that might be out there for him is if he was able to have a conversation with his dad, and his dad, if he hasn’t already, gets a chance to truly tell him how proud of him he is for the career he’s had, for the success that he’s created.

“… If there’s anybody that could ever make Denny feel somewhat better or at least be able to move beyond and continue to do kickass things, it would be probably his dad telling him, ‘What you did was enough for me.’ Hopefully that happens, and I’m sure it will, but I think that’s probably the only person in the world that could actually take a little bit of this sting out for him.”