NASCAR calls Kyle Larson vs Denny Hamlin rivalry the one to watch in 2025

Modified Apr 21, 2025 21:37 GMT

NASCAR: Duel 1 at DAYTONA - Source: Imagn

With nine races completed in the 2025 Cup Series season, NASCAR has deemed that Kyle Larson versus Denny Hamlin is the best rivalry on the circuit this year. As the season progresses, the sport expects the two Cup stars to collide throughout as they both contend for the 2025 Cup title.

The battle between Larson and Hamlin being called the best rivalry of the year was brought to light in a NASCAR.com article by Pat DeCola. The title of the article, "NASCAR off-week superlatives: Awarding the 2025 standouts so far", gave some early-season awards out in specific categories. One of them was best rivalry of the year, to which it was deemed to be the fight between Larson and Hamlin. The article read:

"These two frenemies seem determined to continue to one-up each other, with Larson winning the latest battle in a Bristol beat-down but Hamlin holding the overall edge. There are clearly more chapters to be written here, and it would not shock anybody out there if the final entry in the 2025 volume comes on the final lap at Phoenix."

Larson, the driver of the #5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, won the latest Cup race of the 2025 season at Bristol Motor Speedway, leading 411 of 500 laps en route to victory. The 2021 Cup Series champion prevented Hamlin from winning three straight Cup races as the latter had won at Martinsville and at Darlington in the weeks prior. Hamlin, the driver of the #11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, finished second to Larson at Bristol.

However, this was the first time Larson got the better of his "frenemy" as NASCAR.com described him. Larson and Hamlin have posted 1-2 finishes seven times in the Cup Series, with Hamlin getting the better of Larson in six of them.

Both Larson and Hamlin have two wins this season, with the former's coming at Homestead-Miami and Bristol. Larson has posted five top fives, four stage wins, and sits fourth in the points after nine races. Hamlin, meanwhile, has registered five top fives, a pair of stage wins, and is second in the points standings at the one-quarter mark of the season.

Kyle Larson said he "hates" to see Denny Hamlin win in Bristol post-race interview

It makes sense why Kyle Larson versus Denny Hamlin is the rivalry of the year so far. Take the driver of the #5 car's post-race comments at Bristol, for instance, as he pulled no punches on how he felt about preventing Hamlin's three-peat in the Cup Series.

Larson told FOX Sports' Jamie Little that track position was the key to victory, adding that if Hamlin was in front of him, it could've been a different story. The California native then made it known how he felt about getting the best of his rival.

“Glad to stop his three-peat. We hate to see him win, as I’m sure you guys do too," Kyle Larson said. (2:12 onwards)

Kyle Larson's Bristol victory was his second triumph of 2025 and 31st overall. He now has three career wins at Bristol Motor Speedway and has won the previous two Cup events at the 0.5-mile track.

About the author

John Breeden is a NASCAR content writer at Sportskeeda with over three years of sports journalism experience. His career began back in 2021, when he started writing for The Breeze - a student-run publication at James Madison University that covered a wide variety of collegiate sports. He graduated from JMU in May 2022 with a degree in media arts and design concentrating in journalism. He currently writes for his local publication, the Daily News-Record, in Harrisonburg, VA, where he covers a variety of sports at the high school and collegiate level.

John has been a lifelong NASCAR fan and has followed the sport closely since 2005. He stays informed on motorsports developments through social media, NASCAR.com, and NASCAR podcasts, which help him craft unique and engaging stories. Interviewing Hendrick Motorsports Vice Chairman Jeff Gordon at Martinsville Speedway was a career highlight for John, where he wrote about William Byron taking the famed No. 24 car back to the Championship 4.

Beyond motorsports, John enjoys writing about other sports such as football, baseball, and basketball. He believes that NASCAR could reach the global popularity of Formula 1 by expanding its audience with more international races and enhancing its mainstream appeal, just like F1 has done.

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Edited by Tushar Bahl