Kyle Larson Clinches Third NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Homestead

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Kyle Larson is a three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion. The Hendrick Motorsports driver locked up the 2026 title at the end of Stage 1 of Sunday’s Championship Race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, then finished 12th as Ryan Blaney won the race.

The title adds to Larson’s championships in 2021 and 2025, and it puts him in one of the smallest groups in the sport.

How Larson Clinched in Stage 1

Larson entered Sunday with 2,469 points, 67 ahead of Christopher Bell and 70 ahead of Denny Hamlin, the only two drivers who could still catch him. He needed nine points to clinch. Bell and Hamlin needed Larson to run into trouble, plus nearly perfect days of their own, with stage points and a race win.

The math settled itself early. Stage 1 ended early when Chase Briscoe blew an engine. With Briscoe out of the race, Larson could no longer finish last, so a fourth-place finish in the opening stage was all he needed. He finished fourth.

Tyler Reddick won the stage, ahead of Ryan Blaney and Bell. Larson and the No. 5 team waited for NASCAR to make it official. Once it did, the celebration on the radio was short, and the focus went back to trying to win the race.

A Rough Weekend Before the Title

The weekend did not start well. Larson made contact with the outside wall several times in practice while running right up against the fence. He bounced back to qualify fourth.

The wall caught him again in Stage 2. Larson scrubbed it, cut a right-rear tire and had to pit early. He finished the stage 17th and came home 12th in the race.

His season by the numbers, from NASCAR’s official standings: three wins, 15 top fives, 21 top 10s and 1,238 laps led.

Final 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Chase Standings

Larson finished the season with 2,501 points, 49 ahead of Bell. Here are the final standings for the 16 Chase drivers:

1. Kyle Larson, 2,501
2. Christopher Bell, 2,452 (-49)
3. Denny Hamlin, 2,445 (-56)
4. Ryan Blaney, 2,407 (-94)
5. Tyler Reddick, 2,397 (-104)
6. Chase Briscoe, 2,386 (-115)
7. Joey Logano, 2,386 (-115)
8. William Byron, 2,344 (-157)
9. Ty Gibbs, 2,335 (-166)
10. Austin Cindric, 2,306 (-195)
11. Bubba Wallace, 2,293 (-208)
12. Chase Elliott, 2,287 (-214)
13. Daniel Suárez, 2,243 (-258)
14. Carson Hocevar, 2,234 (-267)
15. Ryan Preece, 2,226 (-275)
16. Chris Buescher, 2,212 (-289)

Hocevar sat out Sunday’s race after Spire Motorsports suspended him, and NASCAR also docked him 25 points for brake-checking Austin Cindric at Martinsville.

Larson Joins an Exclusive Club

Larson is the 11th driver to win three or more Cup Series titles, and the seventh with exactly three. The others with three are Lee Petty, David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip, Tony Stewart and Logano.

Only four drivers have more. Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt and Jimmie Johnson each won seven, and Jeff Gordon won four.

During a media session ahead of the race, Jeff Burton put that in perspective.

“More people have walked on the moon than won three Cup championships,” Burton said.

He’s right. Twelve people have walked on the moon. Even with Larson added, 11 drivers have won three or more Cup titles.