Larson Clinches Third NASCAR Title With 67 Point Lead
The Hendrick Motorsports driver secured his championship early Sunday, becoming the first back-to-back winner since Jimmie Johnson.
By Gavin Wilson ·
Kyle Larson entered the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday already a mathematical certainty for the Cup Series championship. He carried a 67-point lead over Christopher Bell into the 400-mile race. Larson needed only nine points to guarantee the title.
The 34-year-old driver collected one point simply by starting the event. He then earned seven more points by finishing fourth in the opening stage. That combination secured the Bill France Cup before the majority of the race concluded.
Christopher Bell lost his chance to catch Larson during the first stage. Because Bell did not win that segment, the points gap became insurmountable for the remainder of the day. Larson finished fourth overall to lock in his third career title.
This achievement makes Larson the 11th driver in NASCAR history to hold three Cup Series championships. He joins an exclusive group that includes seven-time winners Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, and Jimmie Johnson. Jeff Gordon holds four titles in this category.
Larson is also the first driver to win back-to-back championships since Jimmie Johnson in 2010. Johnson won five consecutive titles starting in 2006. Larson’s current streak marks the second repeat winner since that era.
The road to this victory involved a strong performance in the postseason. Larson broke a 51-race winless streak by winning three of the previous nine playoff events. He finished in the top 10 in eight of those races to secure his spot.
His second title last year at Phoenix came on a late caution. His crew installed two new tires instead of four, allowing Larson to leap Denny Hamlin on pit road with two laps remaining. Hamlin could not close the gap in the final moments.
Sunday’s race required less drama for Larson. He was the only Cup driver invited to NASCAR’s championship media day on Thursday. Larson described the event as awkward given his commanding lead. He addressed pre-race questions about pressure during qualifying on Saturday.
Larson compared the media debate to arguments over whether a hot dog is a sandwich. He stated that his team was relaxed. He noted that he was surprised by the volume of speculation surrounding his inevitable victory.
Analysts compare Larson’s versatility to other motorsport legends. He has raced in the Indy 500 and won dirt racing events globally. Jeff Burton, a retired driver and NBC Sports analyst, praised Larson’s ability to win in completely different cars and tracks.
Burton noted that Larson races against the best in every discipline. This multi-series success places him in elite company alongside Parnelli Jones, Mario Andretti, A.J. Foyt, and Tony Stewart. Larson’s three Cup titles solidify his status among the sport’s all-time greats.
