Kyle Larson Wins the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Championship

3 min read

Last updated November 9, 2026

Kyle Larson is the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series champion. He locked up the title early in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday, November 8, 2026.

It is the third Cup title of his career. Ryan Blaney won the race itself with a late pass for the lead.

Key Points

Larson clinched the championship after the first stage of the race.
He entered the finale with a 67-point lead over Christopher Bell.
Ryan Blaney won the race, ahead of Tyler Reddick and William Byron.
Larson also won the Cup title in 2021 and 2025.
This was the first season of the new Chase format.

How Larson Clinched the Title

Larson came to Homestead with a big cushion. According to Heavy Sports, he led Bell by 67 points and Denny Hamlin by 70.

He started fourth and held that spot through the first stage. Neither Bell nor Hamlin won the stage, so Larson had the title locked before the second stage ended, as Yardbarker reported.

The first stage ended early after polesitter Chase Briscoe blew an engine. Tyler Reddick won the stage.

Crew chief Cliff Daniels then gave Larson the news over the radio. Larson sounded almost surprised.

“That was a little anticlimactic, but that’s cool,” he said. “Good job, guys.”

3Cup Series titles for Kyle Larson, after 2021, 2025 and now 2026.

Blaney Wins the Race

With the title decided, the race turned into a battle for the win. Ryan Blaney passed Tyler Reddick on the outside with two laps to go and held on.

It was his fourth win of 2026 and his first at Homestead. Larson cruised home in 12th place.

Finish	Driver	Car
1	Ryan Blaney	No. 12
2	Tyler Reddick	No. 45
3	William Byron	No. 24
4	Christopher Bell	No. 20
5	Bubba Wallace	No. 23
6	Denny Hamlin	No. 11
7	Austin Cindric	No. 2
8	Daniel Suarez	No. 7
9	Noah Gragson	No. 4
10	Michael McDowell	No. 71

The full finishing order comes from Yahoo Sports.

What did you think of the new Chase format?

Loved it
Prefer the old playoffs
Too early to tell
Not sure

How the New Chase Format Worked

NASCAR brought back the Chase name for 2026, with new rules. RACER explained the system in detail.

Sixteen drivers made the Chase field.
The Chase covered the final 10 races of the season.
There were no elimination rounds.
Points added up race by race, with no reset.
Higher seeds started with small head starts.

Under this system, steady results mattered most. Larson built his lead over the final weeks and only needed a solid first stage at Homestead.

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Why It Matters

Larson now has three Cup titles, all with Hendrick Motorsports. That puts him among the top drivers of his generation.

The anticlimactic finish will also fuel debate about the format. Some fans may want rules that keep the title open until the final lap.

Basketball crowns its own in-season champion soon. Learn how the NBA Cup 2026 works.

What Comes Next

The Cup Series now heads into its offseason. The 2027 season will begin in February with the traditional run to the Daytona 500.

Sports fans have plenty to follow in the meantime. See this week’s AP Top 25 college football rankings.

Try this today. Rewatch the final two laps of the Homestead race. Watch how Blaney uses the outside line to make the winning pass.

Test Yourself

Who won the race at Homestead-Miami Speedway?

Kyle Larson
Ryan Blaney
Tyler Reddick

Blaney won the race, while Larson won the championship.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who won the 2026 NASCAR Cup title?

Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports.

How many titles does Larson have?

Three, from 2021, 2025 and 2026.

Where was the 2026 finale?

Homestead-Miami Speedway in Florida.

Conclusion

Kyle Larson clinched his third Cup title early at Homestead, and Ryan Blaney took the race win. The first year of the new Chase ended with a dominant champion.

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