Kyle Larson clinched his third NASCAR Cup Series championship Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, completing a stunning turnaround after going winless through the entire 26-race regular season. The title is his second straight in the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, making him the first back-to-back champion since Jimmie Johnson’s five-year run ended in 2010.
Larson mathematically sealed the crown at the end of Stage 1, finishing fourth and collecting seven stage points after Chase Briscoe’s car smoked and brought out a caution. That eliminated Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin from contention. Despite nose damage from pit-road contact, Larson finished 12th, while Ryan Blaney won with a last-lap pass of Tyler Reddick.
The path was far from straightforward. Larson entered the Chase seventh-seeded, 55 points behind top seed Hamlin, and carried a 51-race winless streak into September. Then he snapped it at Gateway in the second Chase race and went on a historic run, posting a 2.2 average finish through five races, the best start in the format’s history. At Kansas, he swept both stages, led 235 laps, and scored the maximum 76 points.
He now joins Lee Petty, David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip, Tony Stewart, and Joey Logano as a three-time champion. Larson said each title feels different, crediting crew chief Cliff Daniels’ leadership. Team owner Rick Hendrick praised Larson’s growth from a quiet young driver at Chip Ganassi Racing into an engaged, expressive champion. General Motors president Mark Reuss also congratulated the team, citing preparation, trust, and execution.
