Kyle Larson has cemented his status as a NASCAR legend, clinching his third career Cup Series championship at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. By securing the title on Sunday during the 400-mile season finale, the 34-year-old became the first driver to achieve back-to-back championships since Jimmie Johnson, who famously won five consecutive titles beginning in 2006. He became the first back-to-back champion since Jimmie Johnson in 2010; Johnson won five in a row beginning in 2006. He was the overwhelming favorite to hoist the Bill France Cup in Homestead long before the green flag dropped. Regardless, Larson put himself in position for the title with a historic postseason, dubbed NASCAR’s Chase for the championship. Leading to a parade event that Larson called awkward, securing the title was so much of a slam dunk that Larson was the only Cup driver invited to NASCAR’s championship media day Thursday. The biggest question was how Larson and his No.
Larson’s latest victory makes him the 11th driver in the history of the sport to claim three or more Cup Series titles, placing him in an elite cohort that features icons such as Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, and Johnson. Other drivers with three career championships include Lee Petty, David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip, Tony Stewart, and Joey Logano, while Jeff Gordon holds four.
Although Larson finished the final race in 12th place, his championship status was solidified early. Entering the weekend with a 67-point lead over competitor Christopher Bell, Larson earned the necessary points during the opening stage to mathematically clinch the title. Upon hearing the news from his crew chief, Cliff Daniels, over the radio, Larson remarked, “That was anticlimactic.” Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports, radioed his congratulations, joking that Larson could finally “go ride the wall.” Larson attempted the maneuver, though it resulted in a cut tire that removed him from contention for the race win. He got one point for starting the race and seven more by finishing fourth in the opening stage. “Now you can go ride the wall,” Hendrick joked. Larson did and ended up cutting a right-rear tire and having to pit out of sequence. “I got the word that we clinched it, and I started driving like an idiot,” Larson said. “I’m more mad at myself.”.
Ryan Blaney ultimately took the checkered flag for Team Penske, overtaking Tyler Reddick of 23XI Racing during the final lap while NBA legend Michael Jordan observed from the pit area. Following the race, a jubilant Larson celebrated with his team and his three children, climbing onto the roof of his No. 5 Chevrolet with the championship flag. He immediately stopped near the start-finish line for a smoky burnout and then exchanged high-fives and hugs with his team and his kids.
Larson’s path to this title was paved by a remarkable playoff performance, where he secured wins in three of the previous nine races and finished in the top ten in eight of those outings. This consistency mirrored his 2021 championship season, his first with Hendrick Motorsports, during which he won four of the final five races. His second title last year was earned in dramatic fashion at Phoenix Raceway after a tactical pit stop decision allowed him to overtake Denny Hamlin in the closing laps. He ended a 51-race winless skid by winning three of the previous nine playoff events and finished in the top 10 in eight of them. Hamlin didn’t have enough time to catch Larson.
The accomplishment invites comparisons to legendary multi-disciplinary drivers known for mastering various racing formats
- Andretti won four IndyCar titles, the 1967 Daytona 500 and the 1969 Indianapolis 500.
- Foyt won four Indy 500s and the 1972 Daytona 500.
- Stewart won the 1997 IndyCar championship, three Cup Series titles and is currently racing dragsters at the top level, the NHRA.
Beyond his NASCAR success, Larson has competed twice in the Indianapolis 500 and boasts victories in the Rolex 24 at Daytona, three Chili Bowls, and four Knoxville Nationals. NBC Sports analyst and former driver Jeff Burton praised his versatility, noting, “He wins in everything he does, and they’re all completely different cars and tracks. And he’s racing against the best in every discipline.” “They were debating on if a hot dog is a sandwich and if cereal is a soup,” Larson said. “So I would say they were pretty relaxed. Jones won in sprint cars and stock cars around the same time he won the 1963 Indianapolis 500.
