The 2026 NASCAR season ends this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway in South Florida. It marks the first time since 2019 that the track hosts the championship weekend for all three major series. Kyle Larson enters Sunday as the favorite to win his third Cup Series title. He needs just nine points to secure the crown over Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin. The action kicks off Friday with the Truck Series race, setting the stage for a three-day showdown.
Weather looks good for the fans in the stands, though Sunday brings a chance of rain. The forecast calls for mostly sunny skies on Thursday and Friday with highs near 94 degrees. Saturday stays dry with a high of 93 degrees, but Sunday could see showers with a 43 percent chance. Per Yahoo Sports, Larson won at this track last spring and has a strong history on this 1.5-mile oval. Since Jimmie Johnson secured five consecutive championships between 2006 and 2010, he seeks to become the first back-to-back Cup champion.
Track Schedule and TV Times
Fans need to mark their calendars for specific start times across the three days. The weekend begins Thursday with Truck Series garage hours and practice sessions. Friday, Nov. 6, features the Truck Series championship race at 7:30 p.m. Eastern on FS1. Layne Riggs and Kaden Honeycutt will fight for the title in this final race, with either driver set to be a first-time champion.
Saturday, Nov. 7, shifts focus to the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. The championship race starts at 5 p.m. Eastern on the CW Network. Jesse Love and Corey Day trail Justin Allgaier, who holds a narrow lead in the points standings. The main event arrives Sunday, Nov. 8, when the Cup Series Championship Race goes green at 3 p.m. Eastern. NBC will air the race, while HBO Max offers in-car camera feeds for a closer look at the action.
Why Larson’s Run Matters
Larson’s path to the title is clear, but the pressure on his rivals is immense. He holds a 67-point lead over Christopher Bell and a 70-point lead over Denny Hamlin. According to FanBuzz, only these two drivers remain mathematically capable of defeating him for the title. Larson does not need to win the race to take the championship. To secure the outcome, he must either place 28th or better while avoiding stage points, or accumulate a total of eight stage points.
The suspension of Carson Hocevar by Spire for the finale adds a layer of drama to the Cup field. His absence changes the dynamic for the teams that usually race him. This weekend proves that consistency wins championships in NASCAR. Larson has already secured two titles, but a third would cement his legacy as one of the sport’s all-time greats. The Hendrick Motorsports star is in prime position to make history on Sunday.
Homestead-Miami Speedway returns to its role as the final stop for the season after years at Phoenix Raceway. The track layout favors drivers who can manage their tires over a long run. Larson’s experience on this specific track gives him a distinct advantage over the field. He won his second career Homestead race in March 2025, which helped launch his title run. Now he looks to cap off that season with a repeat performance.
Fans should tune in early to catch the qualifying sessions and practice runs. The Cup Series qualifying takes place at 2:30 p.m. Eastern on Saturday on truTV. Every lap counts when the points are this tight. The race distance of 267 laps and 400.5 miles will test the limits of both the cars and the drivers.