NASCAR Finale to Decide Cup Title at Homestead
Kyle Larson holds a 67-point lead entering the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where he needs nine points to clinch his third career championship.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Motorsports
The NASCAR Cup Series championship race is scheduled for November 8, 2026, at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the 1.5-mile oval returning to the schedule for the first time since 2019. Kyle Larson leads the standings by 67 points over Christopher Bell, and Carson Hocevar is suspended for the finale by Spire following a brake-checking incident last week.
Why it matters
The finale will settle the Cup Series title, with Larson able to clinch by scoring nine points at Homestead. Hocevar's absence removes a driver from the field for the season's final event.
Christopher Bell has finished in the top five three of the last five years at Homestead, and Tyler Reddick won there two years ago with four top-five finishes in six starts. Larson's 67-point cushion gives him a clear path, though the reporting does not say whether Bell or Reddick can overturn it.
The players
Kyle Larson
Kyle Larson is a veteran NASCAR driver who leads the Cup Series standings and can clinch his third career championship at Homestead.
Christopher Bell
Christopher Bell is a NASCAR Cup Series driver who sits second in the standings and has finished in the top five three of the last five years at Homestead.
Carson Hocevar
Carson Hocevar is a NASCAR Cup Series driver suspended by Spire for the season finale after a brake-checking incident.
Tyler Reddick
Tyler Reddick is a NASCAR Cup Series driver who won at Homestead two years ago and has four top-five finishes in six races there.
The details
The season finale returns to the 1.5-mile oval for the first time since 2019. Larson can clinch his third career Cup Series title by scoring nine points, while Hocevar sits out the race after Spire suspended him over last week's brake-checking incident.
Timeline
Last week: Carson Hocevar's brake-checking incident leads to his suspension.
November 8, 2026: NASCAR Cup Series championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
2019: The last Cup Series race held at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Two years ago: Tyler Reddick won at Homestead.
Season Trajectory
The 2026 finale marks the return of the championship to Homestead-Miami Speedway after its 2019 absence, placing the title decider back on the same 1.5-mile oval. Larson's lead and the track's recent results from Bell and Reddick shape how the season closes.
Fantasy players and fans tracking the title race will see Larson's 67-point lead carry into the finale, with Hocevar absent. Larson needs nine points at Homestead to secure the championship without relying on other drivers' results.
The takeaway
The Cup Series title will likely be settled by Larson's ability to score nine points at Homestead, given his 67-point cushion. Readers following the race should watch whether Bell's Homestead record can challenge that lead.
What happens next
The championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway is scheduled for November 8, 2026, when Larson can clinch his third career title with nine points.
Further reading
For more on the sport's season races and standings, see Motorsports.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Tennessean.
