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Kyle Larson clinched his third NASCAR Cup Series championship on Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, sealing the title in dramatic fashion during the season finale. The Hendrick Motorsports driver is the first back-to-back champion since Jimmie Johnson in 2010.
Ryan Blaney won the race itself, but the championship was decided in the first stage. Chase Briscoe, who had started from pole position, saw his engine fail on lap 78, and the caution froze the running order with Larson in fourth.
Larson needed just nine points to clinch the title no matter what his rivals did, and the stage result gave him exactly what he needed. NASCAR confirmed the championship, and Larson celebrated his third title and his second in a row.
Briscoe had won the pole at 166.687 miles per hour on Saturday, edging team-mate Denny Hamlin by 0.017 seconds. But his race ended early, and his hopes of a first title were dashed as Larson secured the crown.
Larson finished the season 49 points clear of Christopher Bell in the final standings. It was a fitting end to a superb campaign for the Hendrick Motorsports driver, who has now joined the ranks of the sport's great champions. Larson's title was his third in the Cup Series and his second in a row, making him the first back-to-back champion since Jimmie Johnson in 2010. The Hendrick Motorsports driver had entered the finale with a 67-point lead over Christopher Bell, and he needed just nine points to clinch the title. Briscoe's engine failure on lap 78 ended his hopes, and the caution froze the order with Larson in fourth, giving him exactly what he needed. Blaney's victory in the race itself was scant consolation for the Penske driver, who finished ahead of Brad Keselowski. Larson ended the season 49 points clear of Bell, and his third championship cements his place among the greats of the sport.
Source: Roundtable
