Kyle Larson's title defense has been successful. On Sunday night, Larson and the No. 5 team for Hendrick Motorsports won the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series championship. Despite a 12th place finish, the driver of the No. 5 car clinched the championship after a strong Stage 1, eliminating Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin.
It is Larson's third Cup Series championships in six years with Hendrick Motorsports. At the end of the night at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Larson had a 49-point advantage over Bell, while Hamlin finished in third place. After Talladega Superspeedway, this was always the most likely outcome.
Now, Larson is a three-time champion. While the Hendrick Motorsports driver will celebrate his third title, his eyes will be set on joining Jimmie
Johnson, Dale Earnhardt, Richard Petty, and Jeff Gordon with four-plus championships. Based on Larson's talent and success, that might not be too far in the horizon.
This article originally appeared on Motorsports Wire: Kyle Larson wins the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series championship
