Kevin Harvick predicts winner of Phoenix NASCAR Cup Series championship race

Kevin Harvick and his Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour crew are ready for their final race predictions of 2025. The NASCAR Cup Series Championship will be decided at Phoenix Raceway, and they’re locking in their picks in the desert.

The former Cup champion was joined by Kaitlyn Vincie and Mamba Smith per usual, and they broke down the four-title contenders in Denny Hamlin, Chase Briscoe, Kyle Larson and William Byron. First, Harvick is rolling with Hamlin, the veteran star still chasing his elusive first championship.

The veteran wheelman’s resume speaks for itself, as he’s accumulated 60 career Cup victories and five Championship 4 appearances. Yet, the title has always managed to slip away.

His last win at Phoenix came in November 2019, but earlier this season he finished runner-up to teammate Christopher Bell at the track. Now, with one more shot at history, Hamlin enters as the favorite to finally add that long-missing crown to his Hall of Fame-worthy career.

Next, Vincie’s pick was Larson. The 2021 Cup Series champion knows exactly what it takes to win at Phoenix, and he’ll look to get the job done again this weekend for Hendrick Motorsports.

Larson’s 2025 campaign hasn’t been his most dominant, but his playoff form has been stellar. He’s the only Championship 4 driver who didn’t win his way in during the Round of 8, which is proof of his consistency and ability to perform under pressure.

Phoenix has long been one of his best tracks, as he clinched his 2021 title there and finished third earlier this year, just behind Hamlin. Few can match Larson’s speed and adaptability, making him a threat to reclaim the throne.

Meanwhile, Smith is going with Byron, who stormed into the Championship 4 by winning at Martinsville. This marks Byron’s third straight title shot, and he’s looking to turn that experience into gold.

The Hendrick Motorsports driver last won at Phoenix in March 2023 and placed sixth there this spring, proving he’s got the pace to contend. After knocking on the door the past two seasons, Byron might finally be ready to kick it down and capture his first championship.

It’s Hamlin for Harvick, Larson for Vincie, and Byron for Smith. Three elite drivers, one final showdown in the desert, but don’t discount Briscoe, who’s won there in the past in his own right, as well.