Miami Style Finale: Ryan Blaney Takes the Checkered Flag as Kyle Larson Claims NASCAR’s Crown

Homestead, FL. ( November 8th, 2026)

Homestead-Miami Speedway delivered a season finale with plenty of South Florida flavor, military pageantry and a finish worthy of the championship stage. Ryan Blaney took home the race victory, while Kyle Larson secured his third NASCAR Cup Series championship before the afternoon was even halfway complete.

There are plenty of ways to open a NASCAR championship weekend, but Homestead-Miami Speedway found a way to make this one feel distinctly different. The season finale wasn’t simply about the cars, the drivers and the championship trophy. It was a celebration of Miami, complete with music, dancing, military aircraft and a healthy dose of horsepower.

The prerace festivities brought a distinctly South Florida atmosphere to the speedway. Miami native Jason Derulo headlined the entertainment, giving fans a concert before the serious business of championship racing got underway. Local Latin dancers added another layer to the festivities, bringing plenty of color and energy to the stage. Together, the performances gave the afternoon a genuine Miami vibe, a fitting backdrop for NASCAR’s season-ending event.

The entertainment wasn’t limited to the stage, either.

The arrival of the pace car was an event in itself, delivered to the speedway by a CH-47 Chinook helicopter. Watching the massive aircraft bring the car into the facility was an impressive way to kick off the afternoon’s on-track activities and a reminder that this was no ordinary race weekend.

The military presence continued as four F-16 fighter jets roared overhead in a spectacular flyover. Two U.S. Army Blackhawks then joined the scene, flying over the field of race cars as the drivers made their way around the track on the warm-up lap. With the sound of the helicopters overhead and 40-plus stock cars circling the 1.5-mile oval, the scene provided one of those moments when the spectacle surrounding NASCAR is every bit as memorable as the racing itself.

By the time the green flag dropped, Homestead had delivered its share of pageantry. Now it was time to settle the championship.

Larson Clinches Before the Checkered Flag

The championship battle entered the afternoon with Larson holding a 67-point advantage over Christopher Bell. Denny Hamlin and Bell were the primary threats, but Larson had put himself in a position where he could control his own destiny. He needed only nine points to make the championship mathematically secure.

Polesitter Chase Briscoe led the opening laps, but Homestead’s high line and changing track conditions quickly brought other contenders into the picture. Tyler Reddick, Christopher Bell and Larson were all working their way toward the front as the first round of pit stops approached.

Reddick eventually took control of the stage, but the bigger story was developing just behind him. Larson crossed the line fourth in Stage 1, collecting seven valuable points. That finish, combined with Bell’s third-place result and Hamlin’s sixth, was enough to put the championship beyond their reach.

One important distinction: Reddick won the opening stage, but Larson clinched the championship at its conclusion.

The radio call from crew chief Cliff Daniels confirmed what the No. 5 team had been working toward all afternoon.

“They’ve declared it. We’ve got it.”

Larson’s response was almost comical in its simplicity. “That was a little anticlimactic, but that’s cool.”

The championship was his. The race, however, was still very much alive.

The third title of Larson’s Cup career was the culmination of an impressive turnaround. After going through the regular season without a victory, he found his form during the Chase, putting together three wins in the final 10 races. At 34, Larson became a three-time Cup champion and secured back-to-back titles, adding another accomplishment to an already remarkable career.

The celebration came with a little breathing room, but Larson wasn’t exactly given an easy afternoon afterward. Contact with the outside wall eventually resulted in a cut right-rear tire, forcing an unscheduled pit stop and dropping him down the running order. He would finish 12th, but by then the championship was already safely in his hands.

Blaney’s Road to Redemption

While Larson had settled the championship question, Ryan Blaney still had something to prove at Homestead.

The Team Penske driver had unfinished business at the track after losing the 2024 race to Reddick in a dramatic last-lap pass. That memory had not faded, and Sunday presented an opportunity to rewrite the ending.

It wasn’t going to be an easy afternoon.

Blaney’s team discovered a loose wheel during the first stage break, requiring another trip to pit road and sending the No. 12 Ford to the rear of the field. It was the kind of mistake that can derail an afternoon, particularly in a season finale where every team is looking to finish on a high note.

Blaney wasn’t about to let it.

He steadily worked his way through traffic, finishing fifth in Stage 2 after beginning the afternoon’s recovery from the back. Denny Hamlin won the second stage, with Bell finishing second and Reddick third. The three championship contenders were still racing hard, but the trophy had already been decided.

As the final stage developed, William Byron emerged as a serious contender. Reddick remained in the mix, while Hamlin and Bell continued to challenge for position. Blaney, meanwhile, was putting himself in a position to capitalize.

The closing laps provided the drama the fans had come to see.

Byron appeared to have the race under control, holding a little more than a second over the field as the laps ticked away. But with 14 laps remaining, contact involving Noah Gragson and Daniel Suarez brought out the caution and erased Byron’s advantage.

The restart with eight laps remaining gave everyone one more opportunity.

Reddick moved into the lead, while Blaney restarted fourth. With the field bunched together, the No. 12 began making its move. Blaney worked past Bell on Lap 263, then got around Byron a lap later. That left Reddick between Blaney and the finish line.

With two laps remaining, Blaney made his move.

The No. 12 Ford found its way past Reddick, taking the lead on Lap 266 of the scheduled 267. This time, Blaney wasn’t going to let the opportunity slip away. He brought the car to the checkered flag 0.314 seconds ahead of Reddick, earning his fourth victory of the season and the 21st of his Cup career.

The finish was particularly satisfying given what happened two years earlier. Blaney had lost that race to Reddick on the final lap. Now, the roles were reversed, and Blaney had his Homestead victory.

He had come from the back of the field, worked his way through the competition and made the decisive pass when it mattered most.

A Fitting Finish to the Season

Reddick settled for second, with Byron finishing third, Bell fourth and Bubba Wallace fifth. Hamlin finished sixth, while Larson brought the No. 5 Chevrolet home in 12th.

For Blaney, the victory was a fitting way to close out the season. He wasn’t racing for the championship, but he certainly wasn’t content to simply play the role of spectator while someone else took home the trophy. His determination to recover from the early pit-road setback and fight his way to the front made the victory that much sweeter.

For Larson and Hendrick Motorsports, the afternoon represented another milestone. The championship was the organization’s 16th Cup Series title, and Larson’s third put him among an elite group of drivers in NASCAR history.

Homestead-Miami Speedway delivered more than a championship race. The Miami music, Latin dancing, military aircraft and the spectacle of the pace car arriving by helicopter gave the afternoon an identity that was unmistakably South Florida. The F-16 flyover and helicopters circling above the field were memorable reminders of the men and women serving in the armed forces, while the racing itself provided the competitive drama NASCAR fans expect from a season finale.

There were two stories written on the Homestead asphalt that afternoon. Kyle Larson added another championship to his resume, cementing his place among the sport’s elite. Ryan Blaney finally got the Homestead victory that had eluded him, turning a frustrating afternoon into a memorable one with a late-race pass that will be remembered for some time.

The season ended with a champion crowned, a race winner celebrating and a speedway that gave its fans a little bit of everything.

Miami brought the atmosphere. NASCAR brought the drama. And Ryan Blaney made sure the final word belonged to him.