NASCAR Weekend Preview: Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway
November 5, 2026
By Holly Cain / NASCAR Wire Service
Larson closes in on third Cup title as Bell, Hamlin chase an upset
HOMESTEAD, Fla. – Kyle Larson only needs to collect nine points in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Homestead-Miami Speedway (3 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) to hoist his third career championship trophy and second consecutive. But the 33-year-old Californian has been adamant about taking nothing for granted.
It’s an understandable strategy considering the strength of his two closest challengers, Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin, who for the eighth time in his decorated career has lined up for the final green flag with a shot at the season title.
All three drivers have won races in the last eight events held at the 1.5-mile South Florida oval – a favorite venue among the racers. And any chance of taking the trophy out of Larson’s hands involves a must-win for either Bell or Hamlin.
Larson is a two-time Homestead race winner and the defending race champ, claiming the trophy in the March race here last year. Hamlin is the winningest among the three contenders – with trophies in 2009, ’13 and ’20. Bell won in 2023.
Larson, driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, rode a 51-race winless streak heading into the Chase, but has answered with three victories and holds a series-best 6.8 place average finish during the nine Chase races to date.
Comparatively, Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 JGR Toyota is averaging 11.2 during the 10-race Chase and Bell, driver of the No. 20 JGR Toyota, an 11.5. Hamlin’s average finish (10.2) is third best all-time at this track. Larson’s 645 laps out front are most in the field.
However, this season, Hamlin has earned the most points on 1.5-milers by 51 points more than Larson and 84 more than his teammate Bell. He also boasts the most wins (16) on that style of venue compared to Larson (11) and Bell (2).
With Larson taking such a commanding points advantage into the race, Hamlin and Bell concede their path is at least straight if not easy. They must win the race.
“I feel confident that I’ll be able to go there and contend,” Hamlin said.
Both contenders feel plenty of optimistic despite the challenge.
“My team has done a really good job,” Bell said. “They’re resilient, they’re just really resilient. They’ve shown throughout the years that whenever it matters the most, they show up in the biggest ways.”
“I’m proud of where we’re at, and certainly proud that we’ve been so close year in and year out, but we do want to get that golden egg.”
Larson has consistently maintained that even though statistically he holds a large margin of good opportunity on Sunday, he’s taking nothing for granted and most comfortable finding the same groove he’s thrived on throughout the season.
“You’ve worked so hard to put yourself in this position, so I’d hate for something crazy to happen,” Larson said. “I’ve kind of felt some sort of pressure leading up to the week and the race, but for me once I get in the car and put my helmet on, I completely forget what’s at stake. I haven’t really felt any pressure once I’m behind the wheel.
While more typically a championship contender has gone on to win the race, there is still plenty of potential for other drivers to move up in the final standings.
23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick (2024), last week’s Martinsville winner, Hendrick’s William Byron (2023) and three-time series champion, Team Penske’s Joey Logano (2019) are also former Homestead winners.
Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney has been runner-up in two of the last three Homestead races and has six top-10 finishes in 10 of the last races at 1.5-milers. JGR’s Chase Briscoe has won three of the last four races on 1.5-mile tracks.
Five drivers who won in 2025 are still racing for their first trophy of the season, including Wood Brothers Racing’s Josh Berry, Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Dillon, Team Penske’s Austin Cindric, 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace and Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain.
Busch Light Pole Qualifying is set for 2:30 p.m. ET Friday (truTV, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Larson’s Hendrick teammate Alex Bowman is the defending pole winner.
Five drivers, one crown: Allgaier leads title showdown at Homestead
Of the three national NASCAR series crowning a champion this weekend, the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series features the largest group of contenders – a five-driver test of trophy.
The 2024 series champion Justin Allgaier brings a 22-point advantage over defending series champ Jesse Love into Saturday’s NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Championship Race (5 p.m. ET on the CW, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The JR Motorsports veteran leads Corey Day by 23 points, his teammate – and last week’s Martinsville (Va.) Speedway race winner – Travis Kvapil by 31 points and Sheldon Creed by 42 points.
The driver of the No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet, Allgaier is the defending Homestead winner – taking the trophy in last year’s March race – and actually the only previous winner at the track. His 17 starts here is more than double the number of starts of the other four championship contenders. On the other end of the spectrum, this will be Day’s debut at the 1.5-miler.
Love, driver of the No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, boasts the best average finish at Homestead among the group – 5.0 in only two starts. Kvapil, who drives the No. 1 JRM Chevrolet, finished 10th last year in his only race at the track and Creed, the driver of the No. 00 Haas Factory Team Chevrolet, is averaging a 13.3 finish in three previous starts.
Of note, Love boasts the best average finish (4.1) by far on the 1.5-mile tracks this season such as Homestead this year. The next best mark is Creed is at 10.7.
The rookie Day- a four-race winner this year – is the only driver among the championship eligible five that has won on a 1.5-miler in 2026. The 19-year-old Hendrick Motorsports rookie won at both Las Vegas and Charlotte during the Chase.
Interestingly, Allgaier is the only other among the title contenders who has won on a 1.5-mile oval – claiming six career victories, including the one here in South Florida last year. Love is the only driver among this group of five to finish top-10 at every 1.5-mile track this season. Creed has two top-five finishes in four Homestead races. And in the last 12 races, Kvapil has amassed the most points among the title five.
“We’ve been putting a ton of effort into our Homestead program and I feel like [crew chief] Andrew [Overstreet] has a great gameplan ahead of this weekend,” Allgaier said. “It’s definitely a confidence boost knowing that we won there last year. If we can just go out and execute just like we have throughout the last month, I feel like we will be in a great position to do what [team sponsor] Rick Brandt always says and, ‘cause a party.’”
Qualifying for the championship race is set for 1 p.m. on Friday.
Honeycutt seeks the finishing touch as Riggs pursues title comeback
In what has been a great championship tete-e-tete, Kaden Honeycutt and Layne Riggs will now decide the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series title Friday night in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship Race (7:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
The 23-year-old Texan, Honeycutt carries a 20-point advantage over the second-generation NASCAR standout Riggs heading to a track where neither has won before. Honeycutt would need to score 57 points to lock up the trophy
Last week’s Martinsville Speedway race certainly played a heavy hand in setting up what should be an ultra-competitive all-for-the-trophy championship 134-lapper on the Homestead-Miami 1.5-miler.
Statistically, Honeycutt has set the series standard. His average finish of 5.3 during the six Chase races so far is exceptional compared to his competition. Riggs is averaging 11.0.
Neither driver has won at the South Florida track previously, with both scoring their career best efforts here last year – Riggs, second place and Honeycutt, 11th. On 1.5-mile tracks this season, Honeycutt is averaging a series-best 2.3 finish, while Riggs is averaging a 6.8. He and McAnally-Hilgemann’s Christian Eckes are the only two drivers to finish top-10 in all four 1.5-mile tracks this year.
Of note, in the last three races here, the driver who led the most laps did not win the race. Rajah Caruth is the last polesitter to win on a 1.5-mile track (when qualifying was held) and that was in 2024.
Former three-time series champion Matt Crafton returns to competition this weekend, driving the No. 66 ThorSport Racing Ford. Defending champion Corey Heim will also be on the grid, teaming with Honeycutt in the No. 1 TRICON Garage Toyota.
NASCAR Cup Series championship leader Kyle Larson is the defending Homestead-Miami race winner. Of those full timers in the field, only Grant Enfinger (2024) and Ty Majeski (2022) have won here previously.
