Kyle Larson Secures Third NASCAR Cup Title in Comfortable Season Finale
The 34-year-old driver locked up the championship with a 67-point lead, becoming the first back-to-back winner since 2010.
By Zoe Harrison ·
Kyle Larson is now a three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion. He clinched the title early in the 400-mile season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday, November 8, 2026. Larson became the first driver to win consecutive championships since Jimmie Johnson in 2010. Johnson won five straight titles starting in 2006.
The 34-year-old driver joined an exclusive group of eleven NASCAR drivers who have won three or more Cup Series titles. That list includes seven-time champions Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, and Jimmie Johnson. Jeff Gordon holds four titles. Lee Petty, David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip, Tony Stewart, and Joey Logano each have three.
Larson entered the weekend with a 67-point lead over Christopher Bell. He needed only nine points to secure the championship. He earned one point for his starting position and seven more points by finishing fourth in the opening race stage. Because Bell did not win that stage, he had no remaining mathematical path to catch Larson for the rest of the day.
Larson’s crew chief, Cliff Daniels, announced the title over the radio during the race. Larson responded by saying, “That was anticlimactic.”
The driver built this title through a strong performance in the NASCAR playoff, known as the Chase for the championship. He ended a 51-race winless streak by winning three of the previous nine playoff events. He also finished in the top ten in eight of those races.
This victory marks his third title in six years. He won his first Cup Series championship in 2021, his first season with Hendrick Motorsports. He won four of the last five races that season, including the finale at Phoenix Raceway. He won his second title last year at Phoenix. His crew put on two new tires during a late caution, allowing him to pass Denny Hamlin on pit road with two laps remaining.
Larson was the only Cup driver invited to NASCAR’s championship media day on Thursday. He described the resulting parade event as awkward. He addressed questions about handling pressure during qualifying on Saturday. He said, “They were debating on if a hot dog is a sandwich and if cereal is a soup. So I would say they were pretty relaxed. I was surprised by all that.”
Analysts often compare Larson to drivers who succeeded across multiple racing disciplines. Parnelli Jones, Mario Andretti, A.J. Foyt, and Tony Stewart are frequently cited as the best in motorsports history. Larson has raced twice at the Indianapolis 500. He has also won the Rolex 24 at Daytona, three Chili Bowls, and four Knoxville Nationals.
Jeff Burton, a retired driver and current NBC Sports race analyst, commented on Larson’s versatility. Burton said, “He wins in everything he does, and they’re all completely different cars and tracks. And he’s racing against the best in every discipline.”
Larson’s team, the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports crew, navigated the final weekend without major incidents. The driver secured the Bill France Cup with a margin that left little room for doubt. The season finale concluded with Larson in fourth place, having already locked in the championship points earlier in the day.
