👋 Hey, Motorhead!

What a season it’s been for NASCAR fans! It feels like we went from the Daytona 500 to the championship race in Phoenix in just the blink of an eye. But yes, sadly, the 2025 season has wrapped up.
While the racing action takes a pause during the off-season, you can count on Lucky Dog to keep you informed and entertained. We’re kicking things off with a recap of this year’s biggest moments, plus our very own power rankings.

A year ago, when Lucky Dog published its first edition, we didn’t know how far this effort would go or if it would be able to reach out to passionate race fans. Well, after a journey of over a year and more than 400 editions, Lucky Dog on Track is now a strong 200,000+ family. Yeah, that is a big number, and we appreciate the support and feedback throughout the journey.

The idea behind this attempt was to provide NASCAR fans with raw, honest, and driver-focused stories. It has been a constant learning process for us as well, being able to reach out to our subscribers with stories that are worth their time and attention. Through this newsletter, we’ve shared good memories and heartbreaks that are part of NASCAR racing, and this season was no different.

This journey wouldn’t have been possible without you, our readers, and we’re deeply grateful for your support. Your feedback and encouragement have helped us navigate challenges and also level up constantly. Thanks to you, Lucky Dog on Track is reaching new heights and creating new opportunities.

What’s more is that with your love, Lucky Dog made its NASCAR debut as a partner last year at Pocono. Our partnership with late wrestling icon Hulk Hogan’s brand, Real American Beer, led to Lucky Dog being featured on the #14 Xfinity Series car. And this year, we partnered with Michael Waltrip Brewing Company for a NASCAR race-week collaboration at Bristol Motor Speedway.

It’s just amazing to see how quickly a small initiative has turned into a go-to destination for race fans to connect and spark conversations. We very much look forward to keeping up the energy and enthusiasm during the off-season as well.

The business end of the 2025 NASCAR season was an emphatic one. From the nail-biting Truck race finale and the heartbreak in the Xfinity showdown to the epic blockbuster from the Cup Series at Phoenix Raceway. However, before the drivers and teams could head home for their well-deserved break, they had to walk down the red carpet at the NASCAR Awards Ceremony.

Kyle Larson led the contingent of winners as he and the No. 5 team celebrated a milestone second-career championship. The HMS champ was honored in the presence of Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon and veteran team owner Rick Hendrick. But the highlight moment of his seven-minute speech was his appreciation for his competitors, especially Denny Hamlin. Here’s a glimpse of Larson’s speech, where he credits his success to his competitors.

Emotions were running high for the winners who stood on stage, basking in success after a year-long grind. However, nothing came close to Jesse Love’s raw and unfiltered speech; he was in tears as he appreciated his crew chief for all the hard work they’d put in to become champions. Watch the wholesome moment from Love’s speech.

Truck Series champ Corey Heim, meanwhile, shed light on his biggest supporter, his father. This ceremony celebrated more than just the champions.  Shane van Gisbergen, who bagged five wins this year, was credited with the Sunoco Rookie of the Year title. Connor Zilisch from the Xfinity Series and Gio Ruggiero from the Truck Series also won Rookie of the Year honors.

The other big award was NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver, and Chase Elliott was crowned MPD from the Cup Series for the eighth consecutive time. Talk about a streak; Justin Allgaier from JR Motorsports was the Xfinity Series Most Popular Driver for the sixth time, and Rajah Caruth won the honor for the second straight year in the Truck Series.

Chevrolet won the Manufacturer’s Championship in the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series, whereas Toyota claimed the title in the Craftsman Truck Series.

Continue Reading: Larson Pays Tribute to His Late Friend at NASCAR Awards

It’s a tough choice to pick the best moments from the 2025 NASCAR season. From Hamlin’s emotional 60th win or Connor Zilisch’s 10th win of the season at the Charlotte Roval. However, Lucky Dog tried its best to share the highlights from a thrilling year of NASCAR racing.

The past few weeks have been a lot about the champions, but we just cannot ignore Austin Dillon’s win at Richmond Raceway, which helped him punch his ticket into the playoffs. Remember the 2024 Richmond race, where he knocked out Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin to grab the win? Back then, NASCAR canceled his advance to the playoffs, but this year, the win was more like validation than redemption for the driver of the iconic No. 3 RCR car.

Another feel-good story of this year’s NASCAR season was that of Chase Elliott and his win at Kansas Speedway. The HMS driver raced from eighth to first in an overtime finish, and he did it in style. With Denny Hamlin and Bubba Wallace battling for the lead on the final lap, Elliott threaded the needle and edged out the No. 11 car. Here’s your chance to revisit the edge-of-your-seat last-lap thriller from the Kansas race.

Well, there’s another pick for a late-race comeback on this list,  and while Elliott’s race-winning move was slick, it doesn’t quite match what Corey Heim did at Phoenix. After being pegged back to 10th on a four-tire stop, Heim pulled off the move of the season by hugging the inside lane of the dogleg at Phoenix. He launched himself from 10th to the lead and completed the job to win the title with a second overtime finish.

Last but not least, we have Chase Briscoe, who found himself looking for a job and ended up racing for a championship in just a single year. After Martin Truex Jr. retired, the reins of the No. 19 JGR car were handed to Briscoe. Everyone knew he had the talent, but nobody was ready for his hunger to win races and compete for a title. It was the playoff race at Talladega that truly helped Briscoe showcase his potential.

It all came down to an overtime finish once again, and Briscoe wasn’t in the hunt on the drafting track. Bubba Wallace and Kyle Larson were the ones racing for the win, but the fuel strategy for Larson backfired as he ran out of gas,  and Briscoe was there to pick up the pieces. What followed next was perhaps the most cordial racing sequence between the Toyota drivers, allowing Briscoe to make a statement. Relive the thrilling last-lap drama from the fall Talladega race here.

Continue Reading: Fans Respect Hamlin’s Classy Gesture Toward Larson

For this segment, we’ll look at five Cup drivers who are the ones to watch when racing begins next year. The list is based on the overall impact of the drivers and their progression throughout the 2025 Cup season.

1. Kyle Larson
Say what you want about the NASCAR format and how Larson won the title, but the fact is that he has been the most consistent driver throughout the season. Even if we were to calculate the points from the last 10 races, he is the rightful winner in the old Chase championship system. The big worry for his rivals is that HMS and Chevy managed to win the championship without a new body. One can only imagine the upgrades they’ll have with a new body design for 2026.

2. Denny Hamlin
Hamlin is just unlucky; that’s the easiest way to explain his misfortunes after the Phoenix race. The No. 11 team did everything they planned this year, with six wins and a Championship 4 ticket secured early in the playoffs. But a late-race caution and a sketchy pit stop call derailed Hamlin’s title hopes. Yet, the season was a big step up for the driver as he finally got back into title contention and reached a career milestone of 60 Cup wins.

3. Ryan Blaney
Engine troubles and a streak of bad DNFs kept Blaney from competing in the championship race. He was second in total wins with four and even won the race in Phoenix,  though it was overshadowed by Larson’s championship celebration. If Team Penske can manage their engine woes, Blaney is undoubtedly going to be among the top contenders next year.

4. Chase Briscoe
Making the Championship 4 in his very first year with Joe Gibbs Racing is an incredible feat. Not to forget, James Small and his team brought absolute rocket ships to qualifying. No wonder Briscoe had seven poles this year, along with 15 top-five finishes. A lot of people counted Briscoe out, but not anymore. Expect the No. 19 team to come out stronger next year, and who knows, they might be in the hunt for the title.

5. Christopher Bell
Christopher Bell once again came up short in trying to race for the championship. With four wins and early momentum at the start of the year, the No. 20 team showed they’re plenty capable of winning races. While they were consistent in the playoffs, they lacked wins, and that’s something the team has to work on. Or maybe not. With chatter about a new format planned by NASCAR, consistency might be rewarded next year, and Bell and his team are prepared for that.

Continue Reading: Rick Hendrick’s Hilarious Digs Steal the Show