For the first time since the Next Gen car was introduced in 2022, the Cup Series Championship 4 finale at the Phoenix Raceway will not feature a Team Penske driver racing for the title. Both Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano were knocked out of the competition at Martinsville on Sunday, and the rest of the field is only too grateful for it.
It is no secret that Team Penske‘s Ford Mustangs are simply unbeatable at Phoenix. Logano lifted the championship trophy by winning there in 2022 and 2024. Blaney did so in 2023. These experiences have taught the others, including Kyle Larson to appreciate it when the rivals are not a part of the contest.
Larson told the press on Sunday, “I was obviously happy to see William [Byron] win, just because we know how strong they are there. We don’t know if they are going to be that strong next week or not, but based on the past, I’d say they’re going to be fast.”
The Hendrick Motorsports driver also explained that there is no clear favorite now in the Championship 4.
.@KyleLarsonRacin is relieved that neither @Blaney or @joeylogano made the #Championship4 based on their recent Phoenix success.
Larson says Blaney would be the clear favorite if he’d won…now there isn’t a clear favorite.
Added that all of the Champ 4 are deserving.… pic.twitter.com/YD2moT27h9
— Noah Lewis (@Noah_Lewis1) October 26, 2025
“I really couldn’t tell you who would be the favorite now,” he said. “If Blaney had won, we all would say he is the favorite. So, yeah, we will see.”
The finale will be a battle between teams and OEMs. Larson and Byron will represent Hendrick Motorsports and Chevrolet, while Denny Hamlin and Christopher Bell will represent Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota.
How Blaney lost the chance to make it to the Championship 4
Blaney was one of the strongest drivers on the field at Martinsville on Sunday. Following a restart on Lap 272, he gained the lead of the race and maintained it for 177 laps before losing it to Byron. For a driver who started the race in 31st place, Blaney put on an impressive performance that saw him climb the ladder systematically and ultimately finish in second place.
Notably, he won the last two fall races at Martinsville to secure Championship 4 spots. Missing out on it this time must not have felt great. He said, “Just proud of the effort. A shame we’re not going to Phoenix as part of the Championship 4. We’ll be doing the best we can to finish the year out strong. But I’m just proud of the 12 guys.”
The difference in margin between Byron and Blaney when they crossed the checkered flag was a mere 0.717 seconds. With victory slipping out from between his fingers, the No. 12 driver can only put on a brave face and move on.
