Kyle Larson called it anticlimactic. The 34-year-old Californian secured his third NASCAR Cup Series championship early in Sunday’s 400-mile season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, becoming the first back-to-back champion since Jimmie Johnson in 2010, The Guardian reported.
The championship was never in doubt. Larson entered the weekend with a 67-point lead over Christopher Bell and secured the title after finishing fourth in the opening stage, a performance that mathematically eliminated his rival. The Hendrick Motorsports driver stopped near the start-finish line for a smoky burnout before hoisting the championship flag with his children atop his No. 5 Chevrolet.
NEWS: No issues in post-race inspection at @HomesteadMiami.@KyleLarsonRacin's championship and @Blaney's race win are official. pic.twitter.com/qMEEaNhrVr
Rick Hendrick Wins 16th Cup Championship
- Team owner Rick Hendrick’s franchise won its 16th Cup championship with Kyle Larson’s third title.
The Road to a Third Title: From Adversity to Ascendancy
Larson’s path to the championship was anything but straightforward. For much of the 2026 regular season, the No. 5 team struggled, failing to secure a single win and starting the 10-race Chase from the ninth seed.
“The adversity was really important for us just to lean into it as a team,” crew chief Cliff Daniels said. “If you handle it the right way, and we have a lot of great people, great leaders around us, you can learn so much about yourself.”
This resilience proved decisive. Larson and the No. 5 team mounted one of the greatest championship runs in recent history, winning three of the final nine races—including high-stakes victories at Gateway, Kansas, and Talladega—to build an insurmountable points lead.
Historic Context: Where Larson Fits Among NASCAR’s Elite
Larson’s third cements his place among NASCAR’s all-time greats. He is just the 11th driver in history to win three Cup titles, joining an exclusive club that includes legends like Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, and Jimmie Johnson, who won five consecutive crowns starting in 2006.
Iron Mountain Daily News noted that Jeff Gordon’s four titles and the three claimed by Lee Petty, David Pearson and others show how large Larson’s achievement is.
What truly sets Larson apart, however, is his versatility. His racing portfolio includes two Indianapolis 500 starts, a win in the Rolex 24 at Daytona, three Chili Bowl Nationals championships, and four Knoxville Nationals titles. “He wins in everything he does, and they’re all completely different cars and tracks,” said retired driver and NBC Sports analyst Jeff Burton. “And he’s racing against the best in every discipline.”
Larson Uses Revamped Chase Format to Secure Title
Larson’s dominance was amplified by NASCAR’s revamped Chase for the Championship format, which rewarded winning and consistency. The 34-year-old rose from a seventh-seed slot to build a commanding lead using a potent blend of speed and strategic acumen.
His performance under pressure was on full display. In 2021, he won four of the final five races, including the championship finale at Phoenix. Last year, he clinched the title at Phoenix with a bold two-tire strategy that leapfrogged sentimental favorite Denny Hamlin on the final lap. This year, though, the championship was secured with far less drama.
“They were debating on if a hot dog is a sandwich and if cereal is a soup,” Larson said of his team’s relaxed demeanor before the race. “So I would say they were pretty relaxed. I was surprised by all that.”
The Future: How Many More Titles Can Larson Win?
With three titles in six years, the conversation has shifted to how many more championships Larson can accumulate. Richard Petty’s seven crowns were once deemed untouchable until the rise of Dale Earnhardt. Now, as NASCAR.com noted, the parallels to another Hendrick dynasty are undeniable.
“Kind of knew that when he was going to Hendrick Motorsports. He’s special,” said a fellow competitor, whose comments were captured by NASCAR.com. “But yeah, no, it was one of the first things that I said to him when I saw him today. All right, there you go, number three, one more to go.”
The 2027 season kicks off with a double-header at Daytona International Speedway, featuring the Clash on February 13th and the Daytona 500 five days later.
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