Kyle Larson did not need to win the final race to take the crown. He just needed to stay out of trouble and finish ahead of the pack. On Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the 34-year-old driver secured his third NASCAR Cup Series championship. Larson crossed the line in 12th place, but the math was already done. He finished with a 49-point lead over Christopher Bell, according to WTOC. Since Jimmie Johnson achieved the feat in 2010, no driver had defended a title until this victory made him the first to do so.
The win came after a season where many doubted his chances. Chevrolet introduced a new body style that left Hendrick Motorsports struggling for most of the year. Larson went through a painful winless streak that started in May of the previous year. His best finish before the final stretch was a second-place run in April. Then the team found a rhythm. A fifth-place finish at Darlington signaled a shift, and a win at Gateway ended the drought.
The Shift to Balance
Larson changed his approach to life and racing this year. He bought a plane to cut down on travel time and reduced his dirt racing schedule. This gave him more time to focus on fitness and his family. He admitted that he used to skip simulator work because he felt too busy. “In the past… I didn’t do much sim, but I also didn’t have the time to do a whole lot of sim or have the time to—I felt like I didn’t have—I probably just didn’t make the time for fitness and stuff,” said Larson in comments reported by Autoweek. He found a “good balance” that put him in a better mental space for the Cup Series.
Team owner Rick Hendrick says the driver has “blossomed” in recent years. Crew chief Cliff Daniels noticed Larson showing up to team meetings even when things were going poorly. He started studying pit stop choreography like a student of the game. Daniels explained that Larson would watch the crew break down every little detail and think about how he could help them. He realized he could set the team up better for a faster stop by hitting his marks. That dedication changed the dynamic between the driver and the pit crew.
Family and Future Goals
The celebration was a family affair. Larson’s children, Owen and Audrey, were right there to cheer for their dad. He noted that having family present makes the moment even more special. “Always when your family is there, it makes the winning moment even more special. So the championship ones are always great because it’s a big moment,” Larson said to WTOC. He compared his journey to the drivers he looked up to as a kid, like Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon. He now joins that elite list of three-time champions.
Larson is already looking ahead to the next season. He wants to tie Jeff Gordon’s record of four titles. Gordon himself believes Larson is already in the “rare air” of the sport’s greats because of his ability to win in so many different types of cars. Andretti, a motorsports legend, sent a message wishing Larson the best of luck before the race. The No. 5 team will now take a break before training for the Daytona 500. The first green flag for the 2027 season drops on February 13.
