HOMESTEAD, Fla. – Denny Hamlin entered Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway believing 2027 would be his next best shot at finally capturing a NASCAR Cup Series championship. Christopher Bell, meanwhile, knew the uphill battle he faced in trying to overtake Kyle Larson for the 2026 Bill France Cup.
By the end of the opening stage, the championship picture was settled. Larson had scored enough stage points to clinch his third career title, while neither Hamlin nor Bell could do enough to keep their championship hopes alive.
“He earned it. I think if you ask anyone in the crowd, anyone in the industry who the champion should have been, it’s him,” Bell said following a fourth-place effort at Homestead. “I love how [The Chase] went. I’m obviously disappointed in myself, but I thought The Chase was amazing. It delivered high-intensity moments throughout the entire 10 races – not just in the big shebang at the end.”
Hamlin gave Larson and the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports team full credit for elevating their performance throughout The Chase. He likened their championship run to Jimmie Johnson’s historic stretch, when the famed No. 48 team became the last to win consecutive titles as part of an unprecedented five-year championship reign that began 20 years ago.
“I mean just an exceptional talent,” Hamlin said of his friendly rival. “I went through this generation’s Jimmie, I think that’s the only way you can describe it. When it comes to playoff time, they perform their best. That’s something that Jimmie used to do. Jimmie was a guy that could get tons of speed out of the car. Kyle is the same, you could argue even more speed. There’s a little more variance in the results because of how hard he pushes it, but he reaps the benefit because he gets lots of wins. That’s something where he’s going to be winning championships and races long after I’m gone.”
Hamlin put together a strong performance, leading a race-high 87 laps and capturing the Stage 2 victory. But Larson’s advantage in Stage 1 proved decisive. The four-time winner in 2026 quickly recognized the writing was on the wall, realizing his first Cup Series championship was officially out of reach.
Hamlin added: “I could do simple math and realize pretty quickly that if [he finished] in front of me in one stage that was going to be all she wrote.”
Hamlin was stoic, as he had days, if not weeks, to process that the season-long title was slipping away from the No. 1 seed. A miscue at Darlington Raceway, self-spinning at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and a flat tire at Phoenix Raceway all proved costly while the No. 5 team rattled off one of the best postseason runs of all time with an average finish of 7.3.
“I wish I could say it was something,” Hamlin said of his emotion. “I can put my hand on the Bible and say I felt absolutely nothing.”
Bell felt similarly to Hamlin. Instead of being upset, he praised the No. 5 team for its showing.
“Kyle did a great job – he did exactly what he needed to do,” Bell noted. “He clinched it in Stage 1 whenever he got fourth-place points. They were the best team throughout the 10 weeks. I will always say that this is way better than what we had, for sure. The 5 car earned their buffer for what they had today and they executed the race exactly like they needed to.”
Joe Gibbs Racing combined to win 10 races among its four drivers to lead all organizations in 2026. However, the powerhouse company fell short of the ultimate prize for a seventh straight season, dating back to Kyle Busch’s second championship in 2019.
With the championship out of reach, the Nos. 11 and 20 teams shifted their focus to securing second place in the standings. A restart with eight laps remaining bunched the field, setting up a late battle among Hamlin, Tyler Reddick, William Byron and Ryan Blaney. Hamlin drove deep into the corner and brushed the wall amid the fight, ultimately slipping to sixth at the checkered flag as Bell charged forward to claim fourth.
Bell secured runner-up honors in the final standings, 49 points behind Larson, while Hamlin settled for third, 56 markers off the championship pace.
“I would have been really disappointed if we didn’t hold second, for sure,” Bell said. “I knew it was going to be a battle; we knew [Hamlin] was going to be fast. I don’t feel proud that I won second. I guess I feel like we should have maintained second – and we did that. We checked the box and didn’t lose it.”
Hamlin acknowledged that he needs a week away to recharge before turning his attention toward the 2027 campaign. The upcoming season is expected to be his final year competing full time in the Cup Series.
“I need a break,” Hamlin concluded. “I’m really physically and mentally exhausted from this season. I’ve been that way for quite a few weeks now. I need to have Monday through Friday with no plans, do whatever I want to do.”
Joe Gibbs Racing capped the season with all four of its entries ranked inside the top eight in the final Cup Series standings, underscoring the organization’s depth across the 2026 campaign.