Kyle Larson secured his third career NASCAR Cup Series championship after dominating the Chase 2026 and winning the title at the finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Driving the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro for Hendrick Motorsports, the Californian clinched the title mathematically by the end of Stage 1 under the sport’s restored traditional championship format.
Homestead Championship Clinch
Larson controlled the finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway to lock up the 2026 title before the race even reached its second stage. The sanctioning body reverted to the traditional format for 2026 to avoid controversial champion crowning methods used in past playoff eras. The 34-year-old driver capitalized on a remarkably consistent ten-race stretch to close out the year.
He secured victories at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, Kansas Speedway, and a breakthrough triumph at Talladega Superspeedway. That Talladega win marked his first victory on a superspeedway, achieved by passing 10 cars in the final half of the last lap.
Title Chase Rivalries
Denny Hamlin emerged as one of the season’s major points-format victims, despite driving the No. 11 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing to four victories, including three consecutive wins. Hamlin would have captured the Cup Series title under a pure season-long points format with a 102-point margin over the competition.
However, Hamlin struggled to maintain momentum during the final ten events, with a third-place finish at Kansas serving as his best result in the final three months.
Christopher Bell finished second in the final standings, compounding a strong season for Joe Gibbs Racing.
Tyler Reddick of 23XI Racing also faltered down the stretch after squandering an opportunity to claim the regular-season title, recording finishes of 25th at Gateway and 37th at Talladega.
Consecutive Title History
Larson became the first driver to secure back-to-back NASCAR Cup Series championships since Jimmie Johnson (2006-27). The victory puts Larson alongside elite company in Hendrick Motorsports history, utilizing the standard points system reminiscent of Johnson’s championship era with the No. 48 team.
The season also featured tributes to the late Kyle Busch, who passed away in May following a brief illness. NASCAR honored the two-time champion as the fans’ favorite driver for 2026, recognizing a career that began with his first four Cup victories behind the wheel of the same No. 5 Hendrick car now driven by Larson.
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