Overview
- Kyle Larson secured his third Cup championship at the Homestead finale after stage points under the reinstated Chase format made the title official at the end of Stage 1 before the race concluded.
- Larson’s run was unconventional: he went winless through the 26-race regular season, entered the Chase as the seventh seed, and won three postseason races at Gateway, Kansas and Talladega to build the points lead.
- Video and photos showed Hendrick Motorsports leadership, including Rick Hendrick and vice chairman Jeff Gordon, celebrating the moment while Larson and his crew returned to race duties.
- Jeff Gordon publicly praised Larson’s team and suggested Larson could surpass past Hendrick records, and veteran commentator Kyle Petty criticized Hendrick drivers who have not delivered Cup titles.
- Hendrick Motorsports has locked in Larson, crew chief Cliff Daniels and primary sponsor HendrickCars.com through 2031, a continuity that extends the team’s total to 16 Cup championships and frames future title expectations.