Kyle Larson eager to reconnect with Cup Series champion’s journal: ‘That’s the most special gift’

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- For all the accolades that have come Kyle Larson's way in the days since he won his second NASCAR Cup Series championship, one of the most special, he says, is something that few people will see. The tradition of the Cup Series champion's journal will continue this offseason, with 2024 champ Joey Logano handing the keepsake to the newly crowned Larson. The Hendrick Motorsports driver said that he texted with Logano on Tuesday morning before the NASCAR Awards banquet to arrange a handoff. RELATED: 2026 NASCAR schedule | Final 2025 Cup Series standings Jimmie Johnson began the custom after the fifth of his record-tying seven Cup championships in 2010, writing a personal message in the book to Tony Stewart, the next year's champion. From there, the journal has changed hands seven more times, from Truex to Logano, to Kyle Busch, to Chase Elliott, to Larson, to Logano again, to Ryan Blaney and back to Logano on the occasion of his third Cup Series title. Logano had been the only driver to hold the champion's journal more than once. That will change when Larson receives it a second time, and he's eager to reconnect with what's inside. "I definitely remember bits and pieces of what I wrote in there," Larson said from the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge, site of Tuesday's Awards ceremonies. "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." MORE: Scenes from 2025 NASCAR Awards, red carpet When Larson leaves his mark on the journal again, his message will be delivered to next year's Cup Series champion. He says he's already focused on a potential repeat and the odd prospect of keeping the memento for another year. "Hopefully I can get a back-to-back championship and then figure it out," Larson said. "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."