Kyle Larson secured his third NASCAR Cup Series championship on Nov. 8 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, becoming the first driver to win consecutive Cup titles since Jimmie Johnson in 2010. Larson clinched the 2026 crown during the opening stage of the season finale, even though Ryan Blaney went on to win the race.

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How Larson clinched the NASCAR title

Larson earned enough points in the first stage at Homestead to secure the championship before the 400-mile finale ended. NASCAR said he had gone winless through the 26-race regular season, then built the title run over the 10-race Chase. He finished the finale 12th while Blaney passed Tyler Reddick on the final lap to take the race win.

The distinction matters in NASCAR’s season-ending format: the race winner and series champion can be different drivers. Larson’s stage points provided the margin he needed, so the championship was decided by the wider season-long points contest rather than the last-lap result alone.

A repeat last achieved by Jimmie Johnson

Larson’s second straight title ends a 16-year gap between back-to-back champions. Johnson won five consecutive Cup championships from 2006 through 2010, also with Hendrick Motorsports. Larson’s third overall title places him among 11 drivers in series history to reach that total, according to The Associated Press.

The run is a notable turnaround from Larson’s regular season, but it is the championship’s timing that sets the 2026 finish apart: the title was settled early in the final race, while the battle for the checkered flag continued to the closing lap.

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Sources

The Associated Press; NASCAR; NBC Sports.