2025 Cup Series champion Kyle Larson has revealed the most special gift that comes with winning the NASCAR title.
Larson and Hendrick Motorsports snatched the championship away from Denny Hamlin late at Phoenix earlier this month, with a two-tire strategy call ahead of overtime proving key in landing Larson his second championship win.
But what is the best thing about becoming a NASCAR Cup Series champion once again, and in such dramatic fashion? The trophy? The celebrations? The accolades? Well, it turns out for Larson, it's a secret journal.
Larson talks secret Cup Series journal
According to NASCAR.com, the tradition of there being a Cup Series champion's journal began in 2010, when Jimmie Johnson began the custom after his fifth title win that year.
Since then, the journal has been passed on and on to several champions, with a message inside from the previous winner. Larson has already received it this post-season from last year's champ, Joey Logano, for example.
“I definitely remember bits and pieces of what I wrote in there,” Larson said.
“Then I don’t remember a ton of what everybody else wrote to the next champion, so I’m just excited to read through the book and then also see what Joey wrote to Ryan, then what Ryan wrote back to Joey and then now what Joey’s writing back to me.
"So yeah, it’s just … that’s the most special gift with winning the championship, and it’s just the secrecy behind it, I think, that makes it that much better.”
Larson loves the journal and the idea of it so much that he's actually quite keen to hold on to it for a second consecutive year, which would, of course, mean another Cup Series championship win for the No. 5 driver.
“Hopefully I can get a back-to-back championship and then figure it out,” Larson said regarding the message he will send to next year's winner.
“I don’t even know if you’d skip a page or what, but yeah, we’ll see.
"It just depends. It’s personal to the guy who wins the championship.”
