Notable achievements from 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season

With 2026 right around the corner, the focus will quickly shift to the season-opening Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 15. Until then, let's look back at some of the most notable achievements from a thrilling 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season.

William Byron repeats as Daytona 500 champion

For just the fifth time in series history, a driver repeated as the winner of the "Great American Race" as Byron maneuvered his way through a last-lap crash that was triggered by Cole Custer and Denny Hamlin. After the dust had settled, Byron emerged as a two-time Daytona 500 champion, joining Hamlin (2019-20), Sterling Marlin (1994-95), Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough (1983-84) and Hall of Famer Richard Petty (1973-74) as the only repeat winners.

Christopher Bell's trifecta

Bell followed Byron's season-opening win with three of his own at EchoPark Speedway (formerly Atlanta), Circuit of The Americas and Phoenix, all of which were consecutively. That was the first instance of a driver winning three consecutive races in the Next Gen era (since 2022).

Josh Berry's first win

Berry picked up his first Cup Series win in the spring race at Las Vegas in just his 53rd career start. It involved some late strategy, but a pass around Daniel Suarez with 16 laps to go punched his playoff ticket in just his fifth start with the Famed Wood Brothers Racing organization.

Ross Chastain's last-to-first drive at Charlotte

Despite starting the Coca-Cola 600 from the 40th starting position after a practice crash, Chastain surged ahead of Byron with six laps to go for his first crown jewel win and became the first driver since Hall of Famer Bobby Allison in 1969 to win a race after starting last.

Shane van Gisbergen's road course dominance

The Cup Series rookie and road course ace dominated the series' first international points-paying race since 1958 at Mexico City's Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez with a 16.5-second margin of victory over Bell. By season's end, van Gisbergen won five consecutive road course races and proved everyone must go through him when right-hand turns are thrown into the mix.

Bubba Wallace kisses the bricks for the first time

Despite a late rain shower and a challenge from 2024 Brickyard 400 winner Kyle Larson, Wallace prevailed for his third Cup Series win, ended a 100-race winless streak and secured his playoff berth.

Ty Gibbs claims inaugural In-Season Challenge

The trial run of NASCAR's new bracket-style tournament was not without its flaws, but Gibbs ultimately came away with the $1M prize after notching three top-10s in the five-week stretch and finishing ahead of Ty Dillon in the Brickyard 400.

Chase Briscoe puts on a clinic in Southern 500

Briscoe repeated as the Southern 500 winner by leading 309 of the 367 laps. One year removed from winning the final race for the now-defunct Stewart-Haas Racing, Briscoe showed what he is capable of at Joe Gibbs Racing and locked up his spot in the Round of 12.

Denny Hamlin notches 60 career wins

With a win in the Round of 8 opener at Las Vegas, Hamlin became the 11th driver in Cup Series history to reach 60 wins. The championship may have eluded him once again, but that is an exclusive list of drivers to be on.

Kyle Larson claims second title

Larson did not lead a single lap in the championship race at Phoenix, but a late caution for Byron and a two-tire call gave him enough track position over Hamlin to become the 18th driver with multiple Cup Series titles.