Kyle Larson was already one of NASCAR’s most accomplished active drivers. On Sunday, he added another distinction that puts his name alongside some of the greatest drivers the sport has ever seen.
The Hendrick Motorsports star clinched his third NASCAR Cup Series championship during Stage 1 of Sunday’s season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, joining an exclusive group that includes Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon.
Only 10 drivers had won three or more Cup Series championships before Larson accomplished the feat.
Now, he’s No. 11.
It’s a remarkable milestone for the 34-year-old California native, who has won three championships in six seasons and continues to build a career that already ranks among the most impressive of his generation.
Kyle Larson Joins NASCAR’s Exclusive Three-Time Championship Club
Larson’s latest title adds to his championships from 2021 and 2025, making him the first driver to win consecutive Cup Series championships since Jimmie Johnson completed his run of five straight titles in 2010.
More importantly, it moves Larson into a category reserved for very few drivers in NASCAR’s 78-year history.
Here is the complete list of drivers who have won at least three NASCAR Cup Series championships:
| Driver | Championships |
| Richard Petty | 7 |
| Dale Earnhardt | 7 |
| Jimmie Johnson | 7 |
| Jeff Gordon | 4 |
| Kyle Larson | 3 |
| Joey Logano | 3 |
| Tony Stewart | 3 |
| Darrell Waltrip | 3 |
| Carl Yarborough | 3 |
| David Pearson | 3 |
| Lee Petty | 3 |
The company speaks for itself.
Petty, Earnhardt and Johnson share the all-time record with seven championships apiece. Gordon sits alone in fourth with four.
Larson now shares fifth place on the all-time championship list with six other drivers, including fellow active competitor Joey Logano.
Consider what that means. In nearly eight decades of NASCAR Cup Series competition, only four drivers have collected more championships than Larson.
And unlike most of the legends on that list, Larson is still in the prime of his racing career.
Larson’s Third Championship Comes in Unusual Fashion
For all the historical significance of Sunday’s achievement, the actual championship-clinching moment was surprisingly quiet.
Larson entered Homestead with a substantial advantage in the Chase standings, putting himself in position to secure the title before the checkered flag.
When Chase Briscoe suffered an engine failure late in Stage 1, the resulting caution ended the opening stage with Larson running fourth.
That fourth-place finish gave Larson seven stage points, enough to put the championship mathematically out of reach for his remaining challengers.
There were still plenty of laps left to race, but the title had already been decided.
Even Larson seemed caught off guard.
After crew chief Cliff Daniels informed him that the championship had been secured, Larson responded with a simple question.
“It’s done?”
His assessment of the moment was equally memorable.
“That was anticlimactic,” Larson said.
It certainly wasn’t the dramatic finish fans might have expected from a NASCAR championship race. But Larson had spent the postseason building the points advantage that made such an early celebration possible.
The championship was the reward for an entire season, not simply the opening stage at Homestead.
What’s Next for Kyle Larson?
With three Cup Series championships now on his résumé, Larson has another historical milestone within reach.
A fourth title would put him alongside Gordon, one of Hendrick Motorsports’ most celebrated drivers, and leave only Petty, Earnhardt and Johnson ahead of him.
Of course, matching Gordon is hardly a small accomplishment. Winning even one Cup Series championship is difficult enough, and only 11 drivers have managed to win three.
But Larson has already demonstrated an ability to contend for championships across different seasons and circumstances.
His first title came in 2021, during a dominant campaign with Hendrick Motorsports. Four years later, he returned to the top in 2025 before defending his championship in 2026.
Three championships. Six seasons. One of the shortest lists in NASCAR history.
Larson may have described Sunday’s clinching moment as anticlimactic, but there was nothing ordinary about what he accomplished.
At 34, he’s already among NASCAR’s most decorated champions. The question now is how much further he can climb.
Kyle Larson Becomes Just 11th NASCAR Driver to Achieve Historic Feat