Larson's 67-point lead makes NASCAR title race a formality
The driver needs just nine points at Homestead to claim his third championship in six years, a cushion that has left competitors Bell and Hamlin out of the spotlight.
By Peter Graham ·
Kyle Larson sat alone on the stage at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Thursday, the only Cup Series contender present for the championship media day. Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin, both technically still in the title race, were excused from the event. Larson was the first driver to face the press in this manner since NASCAR adopted its current playoff format more than two decades ago.
The driver acknowledged the unusual setup with a sense of humor. "We’ve earned the right for it to be awkward," Larson said. "I like awkwardness."
Larson holds a 67-point lead over Bell entering the season finale. He needs only nine points to secure his second consecutive Cup title and his third championship in six years. The points system guarantees him one point for starting the race, with additional points available based on his finish in the opening stage. The maximum number of points a driver can earn in a single race is 76.
The large margin of safety has reduced the tension surrounding the final event. Larson has won two of his last 12 starts at the track and has finished in the top five on six other occasions. Even if he underperforms, either Bell or Hamlin would need to score a high volume of points to close the gap. Larson admitted he still feels pressure to avoid a mistake that could erase his seasonal work.
"I think that’s the pressure. Like, man, don’t (screw) it up at this point," Larson said. He expects the anxiety to fade once he enters his No. 5 Chevrolet and focuses on the race mechanics. His plan is to manage the car from the front, hoping the first stage goes well so he can race with less worry in the later stages.
If Larson secures the title, he becomes the 11th driver in NASCAR history to win three Cup championships. He would join a list that includes seven-time champions Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, and Jimmie Johnson. Jeff Gordon holds four titles. Other drivers with three championships include Lee Petty, David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip, Tony Stewart, and Joey Logano.
NBC Sports analyst Jeff Burton noted that fewer people have won three Cup titles than have walked on the moon. Burton, along with broadcast partners Leigh Duffy and Dale Jarrett, plans to compare Larson to drivers like Parnelli Jones, Mario Andretti, A.J. Foyt, and Tony Stewart. These drivers are considered racing royalty for their success across different series.
Jones won the 1963 Indianapolis 500 while competing in sprint and stock cars. Andretti won four IndyCar titles, the 1967 Daytona 500, and the 1969 Indianapolis 500. Foyt won four Indianapolis 500s and the 1972 Daytona 500. Stewart won the 1997 IndyCar championship and three Cup titles and currently races dragsters in the NHRA. Larson has competed in the Indianapolis 500 twice and has won numerous dirt-racing events worldwide. Duffy described Larson as a renaissance man.
Burton argued that comparing drivers across generations is difficult because conditions change. "Kyle Larson, I think he’s the best race-car driver in the world. He wins in everything he does, and they’re all completely different cars and tracks, and racing against the best in every discipline," Burton said.
Larson’s previous two titles were achieved through different methods. In 2021, he dominated the season by winning four of the last five races while at Hendrick Motorsports. Last year, he used a late caution and pit strategy at Phoenix to beat Denny Hamlin. This season, Larson entered the Chase after a 50-race winless streak and a 10th-place standing. He then won three of the first nine playoff races and finished in the top 10 eight times. O’Reilly Auto Parts Series driver Justin Allgaier called it a generational run that may never be matched again.
