Joey Logano won his third Cup Series championship at Phoenix Raceway, fending off teammate Ryan Blaney in a thriller of a race. The reactions to his triumph were mixed, to say the least. Many credited Logano’s clutch driving skills, some lamented the playoff format for his luck, while others like Kevin Harvick diverted onto a less spoken-about reason as to why the #22 sealed the victory.

In an episode of his podcast Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour, the former No. 4 Ford driver didn’t hold back as he shared his thoughts on the final race of the season at Phoenix Raceway. As we know, Ryan Blaney fell just short in his bid to defend his NASCAR Cup Series Championship. Harvick has previously offered his frank opinions on drivers like Joey Logano, noting how the No. 22’s fortune and strategic advantages played a key role in his climb to the 2024 championship. However, in this episode, he elaborates on a different narrative centered on Kyle Larson.

Harvick breaks down how Larson’s moves thwarted Ryan Blaney’s championship bid

During the 73rd episode of the podcast, Harvick detailed the moment he believed Blaney lost the race, which was a late restart with around 50 laps to go. Harvick remarked, “The biggest trouble that Blaney had was getting through the #5 car and the #24 car. He just held him up for a tremendous amount of time, and he lost so much ground to Logano that he was just never able to make it up.”

For Blaney, the race turned into a frustrating uphill battle, despite his impressive car setup and strategy. According to Harvick, while Blaney outperformed the field, his opponents—particularly Kyle Larson and William Byron—seemed to go out of their way to impede him. “They made it very difficult for him,” Harvick said, suggesting that Blaney’s competition might have prioritized blocking him over-achieving their own personal bests.

Adding fuel to the fire, Harvick recalled conversations in which he’d predicted Larson and Byron would challenge Blaney harder than other contenders. Speaking with Kaitlyn Vincie in Episode 73, Harvick noted, “It was fairly obvious…they were racing like there was no tomorrow.” Harvick interpreted these efforts as stemming from previous playoff gripes, implying that both Hendrick Motorsports drivers had something to prove or defend. With Logano at the front and Blaney unable to catch up, these tactics effectively handed Logano the win.

Harvick’s frustration centered on Larson’s aggressive racing approach. Kyle Larson had missed out on the Final 4 only a round earlier. He was still pushing his No. 5 Chevrolet with full intensity, that decision sparked questions about his motivations. While many drivers ease up on contenders in the closing laps out of respect, Larson raced Blaney as if the stakes were just as high for him. There may be an explanation behind Larson’s drive. Just a week prior, accusations of “laying over” in Martinsville had sparked a controversy within the NASCAR community, especially regarding Larson’s teammate William Byron, along with Ross Chastain and Austin Dillon. In Martinsville, several drivers were criticized for not pushing hard enough, allowing others to advance, and penalized after NASCAR ruled their conduct as race manipulation.

Kyle Larson later confirmed his position, explaining that he was “just trying to fight for every position” and racing hard for his team. Referring to the backlash from Martinsville, he stressed that he didn’t want to contribute to any narratives suggesting he wasn’t giving it his all. “I’m racing for my team,” he stated.

What did Kyle Larson have to say about Ryan Blaney’s allegations?

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After Ryan Blaney voiced his frustration with Larson on NASCAR Radio, calling out the way Larson raced him. Larson responded by defending his actions and refuted all allegations. In his response, Larson downplayed Blaney’s criticism, asserting that he was “giving 100%” and that both he and his team fought hard for every position. Larson noted that his team had worked to improve performance throughout the weekend, aiming to finish strong despite being out of the championship race.

The clash with Larson was a turning point for Blaney’s race, as he battled to overtake Larson and Byron in a critical push to catch Joey Logano. “What the F–, man? F— these assholes,” Blaney blasted over the radio. By the time he cleared Larson and reached Logano, he was too late to make a move for the win. Larson’s response, on the other hand, was simple but firm. He believed he had done nothing wrong and stood by his decision to race with full intensity.

With NASCAR’s recent emphasis on drivers racing at “100%” in all situations, Larson’s decision to go all-out at Phoenix seems consistent with these expectations, even if it meant making Blaney’s championship defense harder. Whether fans agree with Larson’s approach or see his actions as interference in a teammate’s title hopes, the race at Phoenix has opened up conversations about the balance between competition and respect for championship contenders—an area where Harvick, Blaney, and Larson each have unique perspectives.