For much of the last ten years, NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race Media Day typically featured the remaining title contenders together on stage. However, with the return of the Chase for the Championship and a points race essentially decided, Kyle Larson found himself alone answering questions on Thursday at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
As Denny Hamlin noted at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday night, the only thing left before crowning Larson champion is a ‘dog and pony show’ where he’ll have to pretend the slim one percent chance of losing still exists. Hamlin’s comment came the same day Christopher Bell said, “I think we know,” when pressed on whether the championship was technically undecided.
NASCAR seemed to agree with this outlook, allowing Bell and Hamlin to skip media day, both starting the weekend with a points gap of 67 and 70 respectively. Larson can clinch the title by earning as few as eight points in the first two stages or finishing 28th or better without stage points.
Put simply, unless an incredibly unlikely upset happens, Larson is poised to win his third Bill France Trophy in six years. That’s why he was the only championship hopeful invited to media day.
“This has definitely been my most unique media day,” Larson said. “Usually, it’s the Final Four all on stage, and you don’t really know what’s going to happen—you just know you have to beat them on the track. This time, the points lead is so big that I’m solo, which is a nice problem to have.
“It feels a little awkward, but we earned that awkwardness, and I’m okay with it.”
Mathematically, Larson is likely to clinch the title before halfway through the race, needing two top-five finishes in the stages to do so. Though he expects excitement, Larson also anticipates his crew chief, Cliff Daniels, keeping him focused until the very end.
They’d love to celebrate both a championship and an outright race win.
“I hope I get to feel that during the first two stages,” Larson said. “I don’t really know how it will sound or what Cliff will say, but knowing him, he’ll be locked in—probably saying something like, ‘Stay focused—we’re taking four tires here.’ I want that robot Cliff helping me stay locked in because I want to win the race and the championship.”
Larson’s current position is remarkable, especially since he didn’t have much confidence heading into the Chase. Despite not winning during the regular season, he’s now claimed three wins, scored the second-most stage points, and averages a 6.78 finish, aside from a poor showing at Phoenix Raceway.
“I had zero confidence before the Chase—just hope,” Larson admitted.
After finishing fifth in the Southern 500 with nine stage points, Larson felt for the first time that his team was truly back in a winning mindset.
“That race felt like the ‘5 team’ again,” he said, noting they were calling strategy to win. That momentum carried him to victory at Gateway and beyond. Though setbacks like Phoenix happened, overall the season has been near flawless.
Despite the statistical odds in his favor, Larson still feels pressure.
“It’s really about not wanting to mess up after all the work we’ve put in,” he said. “We’re in a great position where I don’t need to score tons of points, so the pressure is to not screw things up now.”
But when race day starts, that pressure fades as he focuses on what’s immediately in front of him—starts, restarts, pit stops, and tire care. Worries about pressure aren’t part of his mindset when he’s behind the wheel.
If Larson avoids any freak incidents Sunday, he’ll join Tony Stewart and Joey Logano as a three-time NASCAR Cup champion before turning 35. When asked if he sees himself as the best driver currently, Larson gave credit to everyone around him.
“All drivers believe if we have the fastest car, we’re the best out there,” he said. “So yes, I believe it, but I don’t really know for sure.”
Unless Sunday brings a huge surprise, few will argue with that assessment—just as there was no one else on stage Thursday to challenge his position. This is what greatness looks like.
Fan Take: Kyle Larson’s near-certain championship highlights both his individual talent and the strength of his team, marking a defining moment in NASCAR’s modern era. For fans, this dominant run could elevate the sport’s excitement by showcasing a clear frontrunner while setting a high bar for competition in the seasons to come.
Source: www.motorsport.com
