The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season is officially in the books, and Kyle Larson is back on top.
Larson secured his third Cup Series championship Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, ending NASCAR’s first season under the revived Chase format with a 49-point advantage over Christopher Bell.
The Hendrick Motorsports driver didn’t even need to wait for the checkered flag to celebrate. Larson clinched the championship during Stage 1 of Sunday’s finale, when his fourth-place finish in the opening stage gave him enough points to put the title mathematically out of reach.
While Larson’s championship was decided early, the final standings tell the story of how the rest of NASCAR’s top drivers finished the 36-race season.
Bell climbed into second place, Denny Hamlin slipped to third and Ryan Blaney finished fourth after moving up two positions in the final standings.
Here’s the final look at NASCAR’s 2026 Cup Series Chase standings.
Final 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Chase Standings
The following standings reflect the completion of Sunday’s championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
| Position | Driver | Points | Behind |
| 1 | Kyle Larson | 2,501 | Champion |
| 2 | Christopher Bell | 2,452 | -49 |
| 3 | Denny Hamlin | 2,445 | -56 |
| 4 | Ryan Blaney | 2,407 | -94 |
| 5 | Tyler Reddick | 2,397 | -104 |
| 6 | Chase Briscoe | 2,386 | -115 |
| 7 | Joey Logano | 2,386 | -115 |
| 8 | William Byron | 2,344 | -157 |
| 9 | Ty Gibbs | 2,335 | -166 |
| 10 | Austin Cindric | 2,306 | -195 |
| 11 | Bubba Wallace | 2,293 | -208 |
| 12 | Chase Elliott | 2,287 | -214 |
| 13 | Daniel Suarez | 2,243 | -258 |
| 14 | Carson Hocevar | 2,234 | -267 |
| 15 | Ryan Preece | 2,226 | -275 |
| 16 | Chris Buescher | 2,212 | -289 |
Source: NASCAR’s official Cup Series standings following the 2026 season finale.
Kyle Larson Wins Third NASCAR Cup Series Championship
Larson’s championship adds to his titles from 2021 and 2025, making him just the 11th driver in NASCAR history to win at least three Cup Series championships.
He finished the season with three victories, 15 top-five finishes and 21 top-10 finishes across 36 starts.
Bell was Larson’s closest challenger in the final standings, finishing 49 points behind the champion. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver moved up one position to claim second, while teammate Hamlin dropped one spot to third, 56 points behind Larson.
Blaney made one of the biggest moves near the top of the standings, climbing two positions to finish fourth. Reddick also gained two places, rounding out the top five.
The final standings were less favorable for Briscoe, whose championship hopes ended with an engine failure during Stage 1 at Homestead. He fell two positions to sixth, finishing tied on points with Logano, who was classified seventh.
How NASCAR’s Top Drivers Finished the 2026 Season
Several drivers experienced significant movement in the standings during the final weekend.
William Byron climbed three positions to eighth, while Bubba Wallace gained two spots to finish 11th. Daniel Suarez also moved up one position, ending the season 13th.
Carson Hocevar, meanwhile, dropped four positions to 14th after missing the Homestead finale following his suspension by Spire Motorsports. He finished the season with 35 starts, one victory and 2,234 points.
The final standings also show just how competitive the battle behind Larson became. Bell and Hamlin were separated by only seven points, while Blaney finished just 10 points ahead of Reddick.
But there was no such uncertainty at the top.
Larson entered the championship finale with control of the points race and left Homestead with a third Cup Series title, a 49-point winning margin and another place in NASCAR’s record books.
With the 2026 season complete, attention now turns to 2027 and whether anyone can prevent Larson from winning a third consecutive championship.
Final 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Chase Standings: Where Every Driver Finished