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The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season will next head to Phoenix Raceway for the title-deciding race, the Championship Race. Ahead of the mega event, NASCAR insider and renowned journalist Bob Pockrass gave his prediction, picking the winner, top-five finishers, and a long-shot winner for the 2025 Championship Race.Pockrass picked Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson to reach the victory lane at Phoenix Raceway and secure his second NASCAR Cup Series Championship. Larson won his first title in 2021. He has had an impressive record at Phoenix’s one-mile-long track, as he has a win, 10 top-five, and 14 top-10 finishes with an average finish of 10.68 in 22 starts. The #5 HMS Chevrolet driver will start from the third position in the 38-driver field on Sunday.Rounding out Pockrass’ top five predictions are Ryan Blaney, Denny Hamlin, William Byron, and Chase Briscoe. He also named Alex Bowman as the long-shot winner of the final race. Bowman will start from eighth position.Pockrass wrote on X:“My pick for the Cup championship race at Phoenix: Kyle Larson ... top-5: Larson Blaney Hamlin Byron Briscoe ... long-shot: Bowman”Bob Pockrass @bobpockrassLINKMy pick for the Cup championship race at Phoenix: Kyle Larson ... top-5: Larson Blaney Hamlin Byron Briscoe ... long-shot: Bowman ET NBC 2-Prerace 3:34-Cup race, stages 60-125-127, 8 sets, fuel 94-104 lapsKyle Larson has had an impressive season so far, recording three wins, 14 top-five, and 21 top-10 finishes with an average finish of 13.4 in 36 races in the 2025 season, and he will look to clinch his second title.Meanwhile, other championship contenders, Denny Hamlin and William Byron, are also the top favorites to win the Championship Race in the odds table.Kevin Harvick picks Joe Gibbs Racing driver to win the 2025 NASCAR Championship Race at PhoenixThe 2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion-turned-commentator, Kevin Harvick, picked Joe Gibbs Racing veteran Denny Hamlin as a favorite to win the 2025 Championship Race at Phoenix. Hamlin has momentum as he is coming off after securing a win in the Round of 8 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which locked him into the season finale. However, he has failed to deliver solid results in the next two races, but considering Hamlin’s experience in pressure situations, he knows how to perform.On the latest episode of Kevin Harvick’s “Happy Hour Podcast,” when his co-host Kaitlyn Vincie asked him to give his prediction for this weekend’s Phoenix championship race, Harvick picked the #11 driver and said [58:52]:“I'm going to take Denny Hamlin.”Catch NASCAR Cup Series drivers and teams in action at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET. Fans can witness the 312-lap Cup Series race on NBC Sports.
