Why the on-track rivalry between Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin is not going away

As the NASCAR Cup Series sits idle on Easter weekend, Hendrick Motorsports' Kyle Larson and Joe Gibbs Racing's Denny Hamlin are likely wishing there was a race to get ready for.

After all, the two have split the last four races and won multiple ways in the process. Hamlin led 274 of 400 laps at Martinsville but only led 10 laps at Darlington as his pit crew put together a phenomenal stop to get him off pit road first.

Larson needed a late drive from fourth to first to get the win at Homestead-Miami. At Bristol, he led 411 of the 500 laps and completely dominated the field.

While both drivers head into the off-weekend with as much momentum as anyone in the field, it comes on the heels of another 1-2 finish in Thunder Valley.

Bristol was the seventh time that Larson and Hamlin have finished first and second in the same race, but the only instance Larson has got the upper hand.  

Previously, Hamlin outdueled Larson at Richmond (2016), New Hampshire (2017), Darlington (2021), Kansas (2023), Bristol (2023) and Dover (2024).

A quarter of the way through the 2025 season, Larson has led the most laps in the series (503) while Hamlin's average finish (9.7) is nearly three positions better than Larson's (12.3). 

Hamlin has three finishes worse than 20th but has scored no fewer than 12 points in a race (Las Vegas). Larson has a pair of finishes outside the top 30, including a season-worst 37th at Darlington in which he suffered his only DNF of the season. 

Both drivers have won a combined 25 races in the Next Gen Car since its inception in 2022, with Larson having a slight advantage, 15-10.

Of the five categories used by NASCAR Insights to measure a driver and team's performance, Larson and Hamlin each rank inside the top five in at least three of those areas.

Larson is third in Passing Rating, fourth in Defense Rating, fifth in Speed Rating and second in Restarts Rating while Hamlin is fourth in Speed Rating, fifth in Restarts Rating and second in Pit Crew Rating.

The advantage Hamlin has is his pit crew, which makes him that much more dangerous even when the speed or handling of the car may not be the greatest.

Each of them typically finds the front of the field each week as well. Larson has led laps in four of the nine races and Hamlin has paced the field in five.

You can also expect them to win on any given weekend. Larson has 31 wins on every type of track except superspeedways. Hamlin has 56 wins — 11th most all-time — and has visited victory lane on every one of the main track layouts.

When the Cup Series returns to action at Talladega on April 27 and begins its marathon stretch to the championship race at Phoenix on Nov. 2, don't be surprised to see more 1-2 finishes and close encounters between the two veterans. 

After all, they drive for two powerhouse organizations that expect to win and are highly skilled behind the wheel. As long as they are on the track together, expect their on-track rivalry to persist.