Harvick Hands Out Awards for 2025: Who’s His Pick for Best Driver of the Year?

Kevin Harvick, NASCAR legend and one-time Daytona 500 and NASCAR Cup Series champion, is the closer. Closes out the year with his 2025 season awards. For Best Burnout, Craziest Finish, Biggest Story Of The Year, and most importantly, the Legends Cup Driver Of The Year. Because we know the playoffs won’t award them, so someone has to.

Harvick’s Best Burnout of the Year

The nominees were Chase Elliott for his clash with his SVG-style Polish victory lap, SVG’s Watkins Glen burnout, and SVG’s high-fiving his team along the way. Then there’s William Byron at Martinsville and his perfect donuts.

Also, let’s not forget Kyle Larson’s championship celebration, waving the flag while halfway out of the car, still on the gas. And the winner was Larson, celebrating with his whole team while showing the world he’s tall enough to mash the gas while being out of his car at the same time!

Harvick’s Craziest Finish of 2025

This time, the nominees were Ryan Blaney’s 4-wide at the line victory at Daytona with a .03 win, Christopher Bell beating his teammate Hamlin at Phoenix in a photo finish, Cindric’s lone win of 2025 at Dega in a photo finish over Preece by .05 seconds, and lastly Chase Elliott’s last-lap charge at Kansas to beat the Toyotas.

And the winner was Elliott over Hamlin at Kansas! One of the best finishes of the year for sure, with Elliott showing how aggressive he truly is, taking advantage of the Toyotas all using each other up to take the victory! Although speaking of Elliott, I thought Harvick should’ve included Elliott’s final laps charge to win in his home state in Atlanta. That was the finish of the year to me!

Harvick’s Take On the Biggest Story of the Year

So the nominees for this category were the 23XI-FRM Charter lawsuit against NASCAR, Hamlin’s title challenge falling short, increased HP for the 2026 cars at short tracks, and, lastly, SVG’s road-course dominance, winning 5 RC races in his rookie year!

And of course, the ongoing charter lawsuit won, as no story has had the same cloud hanging over every weekend’s head as the lawsuit, because no story is more important to NASCAR’s future.

Harvick’s Thoughts on the Best 2025 Cup Driver

The drivers nominated were the champion, who overcame the loss of his close friend Jon Edwards, Kyle Larson, the driver who won the most races all year, Denny Hamlin, William Byron, the regular season champion, and Shane Van Gisbergen, who dominated road courses in a way that hasn’t ever been seen in the Cup Series before.

And Harvick’s best driver of the year was Denny Hamlin; he had the most wins all year and dominated the championship race. All while having to overcome his dad’s declining health, the lawsuit with NASCAR, and eventually passing an impressive season, for sure.

Although I disagree with a lot of Harvick’s picks here, Byron did have a great year, his best year for sure, and SVG’s historic right-turn dominance, especially as a rookie, is incredible. But both Briscoe and Bell were better all year.

Both had the best average finishes all year, with Bell having the best, making him the most consistent driver, and Briscoe was one of the best qualifiers all year. On the balance of qualifying for race day, it was the best year out of any of the drivers.

Final Thoughts

SVG was dominant on the road courses and improved at ovals over the season. But still only got one top-ten at an oval in a year, while his teammate Ross won a 600-mile oval race in the same car.So agree to disagree there, but thanks a bunch for reading!