Kyle Larson is on the verge of doing something special, and it would take a massive collapse at Homestead-Miami Speedway to keep him from getting there.
After winning the tiebreaker over Christopher Bell, Larson has put himself in an incredible position heading into next weekend’s championship finale. The Hendrick Motorsports driver needs just 9 points to officially secure his third NASCAR Cup Series championship.
Even if Bell has a perfect day and scores the maximum 76 points available, Larson can still clinch the title by reaching that nine-point mark. That means he doesn’t need to win the race, lead laps, or put together some incredible performance. He simply needs to get through the weekend and score enough points to keep Bell behind him.
Without earning a single stage point, Larson would need to finish 28th or better to lock up the championship. That’s how big of an advantage he has heading into the final race.
Larson already captured the Cup Series championship in 2021 and 2025. Now, he has a chance to add another title in 2026 and put himself in an even more exclusive group of NASCAR champions.
Of course, anything can happen in a season finale. A mechanical failure, accident, or unexpected problem could quickly change the picture. But Larson has given himself a massive cushion, and the pressure is now firmly on B