Kyle Larson clinched his third NASCAR Cup Series title on Sunday, November 8, 2026, during the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Larson, driving for Hendrick Motorsports, finished the 400-mile race in 12th place, which provided enough points to secure the championship. Ryan Blaney won the race, passing Tyler Reddick with a little more than a lap remaining.
Larson entered the championship event with a 67-point lead over Christopher Bell. He secured the necessary nine points early in the race, earning one point for starting and seven more for his fourth-place finish in the first stage. Because Bell did not win the opening stage, Larson clinched the title before the race concluded. During the second stage, Larson's car scraped a wall and suffered a cut tire, which prevented him from challenging for the race lead.
The 34-year-old driver became the 11th person in NASCAR history to win three Cup Series titles. He is the first driver to win consecutive championships since Jimmie Johnson, who won five straight from 2006 to 2010. Larson’s 2026 title follows his previous championships in 2021 and 2025. In the 10 playoff races leading up to the finale, Larson recorded three victories and finished in the top 10 in eight events.
The scale of the achievement is reflected in Larson's recent performance and the competitive structure of the series. Larson won three of the 10 playoff races in 2026. His consecutive titles in 2025 and 2026 mark the first back-to-back championship run in the series in 16 years. This success occurred within a season where Larson was the sole driver invited to the championship media day, indicating his lead over the field.
The immediate impact will be felt by the Hendrick Motorsports team and Larson's sponsors, who receive the "spoils of victory" mentioned by competitor Denny Hamlin. For the racing industry, the victory sets a precedent for Larson’s potential to surpass four-time champion Jeff Gordon, who currently serves as vice chairman at Hendrick. The next steps for the series include the off-season preparations for the 2027 Cup Series schedule.