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Kyle Larson leads the standings heading into the 36th and final race of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Only two other drivers remain in mathematical contention for the title, with Christopher Bell sitting 67 points behind in second and Denny Hamlin trailing by 70 points in third. The 1.5-mile intermediate oval in Southern Florida hosts the season finale for the first time since 2019, alongside championship showdowns for the Craftsman Truck Series and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.
Homestead Track History and Dimensions
Opened in 1995, Homestead-Miami Speedway held its first NASCAR race in 1999 as the penultimate round of the Cup season, where Tony Stewart won the inaugural event. By 2002, the venue became the season finale and maintained that role through 2019, hosting memorable events including the final Winston Cup race in 2003 and the opening Chase finale in 2004. After serving various spots on the calendar in recent seasons, including a stint as a playoff race, the Southern Florida track returns as the title-decider.
The 1.5-mile intermediate oval features 18 to 20 degrees of banking in the corners and four degrees of banking on the straights. Motorsport.com notes that Denny Hamlin leads active drivers with three wins, three poles, 21 starts, seven top-fives, 14 top-tens, 18 lead lap finishes, and 20 finishes out of 21 starts. Kyle Larson leads active drivers with 645 laps led, while Tyler Reddick holds the best average finish at 8.8 and Josh Berry boasts the best average start at 7.0.
The Championship Scenarios
A maximum of 76 points are available during a Cup weekend for a driver who wins the race, sweeps the stages, and records the fastest lap. Larson needs just eight stage points, achievable by finishing seventh in both stages, to secure the title before the checkered flag. Finishing 30th or higher guarantees Larson beats Hamlin regardless of stage results, while finishing 28th or higher secures the crown against Bell. For Bell and Hamlin, winning the race and hoping for misfortune to strike Larson represents their sole path to the championship.
Statistical comparisons at the track show Hamlin with three race wins and a 10.2 average finish, followed by Larson with two wins and a 12.0 average finish. Bell has one win and a 12.2 average finish. Larson leads in top-five percentage at 50%, while Hamlin and Bell sit at 33%. Hamlin leads in top-ten percentage at 66%, compared to 50% for both Larson and Bell.
Potential Spoilers and Support Series
Tyler Reddick enters the weekend with strong statistics at Homestead, boasting five finishes of eighth or better in six starts and a victory in 2024. Alex Bowman aims to finish his season strongly after taking second place behind Larson during the previous Cup visit to the track. Ryan Blaney returns looking for a breakthrough after finishing second in 2023 and 2024, and leading nearly half of last year’s race before an engine failure.
In the Craftsman Truck Series, Kaden Honeycutt holds a 20-point lead over Layne Riggs, with both drivers seeking their first series title after combining for 11 wins across 24 races. The O’Reilly series features a five-way battle led by veteran Justin Allgaier, who chases his second championship. Reigning champion Jesse Love trails by 22 points, Corey Day sits 23 points behind, Carson Kvapil is 31 points back, and Sheldon Creed trails by 42 points.
Weekend Schedule
Track activity begins on Thursday, November 5, with Truck Series practice at 6:30 pm EST on the NASCAR Channel. Friday, November 6 features Truck Series qualifying at 2:30 pm EST on Fox Sports 2 and Fox One, O’Reilly Series practice at 4:00 pm EST on ESPN Unlimited, Cup Series practice at 5:30 pm EST on TruTV and HBO Max, and the Truck Series finale at 7:30 pm EST on Fox Sports 1 and Fox One.
Saturday, November 7 hosts O’Reilly Series qualifying at 1:00 pm EST on ESPN Unlimited, Cup Series qualifying at 2:30 pm EST on TruTV and HBO Max, and the O’Reilly Series finale at 5:00 pm EST on The CW and ESPN Unlimited. The weekend concludes on Sunday, November 8 with the Cup Series season finale at 3:00 pm EST on NBC.
