Kyle Larson has carried the reputation of being one of the most reliable drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series garage, yet even he never fully believed a second championship would be his. When Larson won his first Cup title in 2021, his debut season with Hendrick Motorsports, he did so while operating at a level few drivers ever reach.
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That year became a masterclass in his career. Larson became the first driver since Jimmie Johnson in 2007 to record double-digit wins and secure the championship in the same season. He stacked up 10 wins, bagged 18 stage wins, logged 20 top-five finishes, added 26 top-tens, led 2,581 laps, and closed the year with a 9.1 average finish.
The second championship, however, followed a very different theme. In 2025, Larson entered the season without the same aura. Fan sentiment leaned heavily toward Denny Hamlin, who carried momentum and belief across much of the field. The turning point came after his second attempt at completing the double duty of the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day.
The effort ended miserably, and the disappointment stayed with him for a long time. That stretch left Larson searching for answers and fighting to regain his footing. Larson endured a rough stretch in the middle of the year that tested both his rhythm and confidence.
Reflecting on that moment in a recent interview with FloRacing, Larson admitted, “Second one was cool just because it was a bit unexpected. The way our race was playing out, we still had a great year, but like not as dominant when we won the first time.”
As the calendar moved toward the postseason, the tide slowly turned. Larson rediscovered momentum when it mattered most, building speed and clarity as the playoffs went on. Especially in the finale, at Phoenix Raceway, a late caution reshuffled the deck, creating a narrow window of opportunity. Larson seized it, outscoring Hamlin, and walked away with his second Cup championship.
He explained that once the Phoenix race reached its final stretch, he felt confident things would settle in his favor. Then the race turned on its head, injecting chaos into the closing moments. The #5 HMS driver acknowledged that even years after his first title, the reality of being a NASCAR Cup Series champion still felt surreal. Now holding two championships, he continues to process how far his career has traveled.
As he put it, “I’m a two-time NASCAR champion because… like never really never really thought of winning a championship back when I was racing for Ganassi or anything like that, so I never thought that that was on the table. Yeah, it’s definitely sick.”
Talkin’ Tulsa with the Larson crew!@KyleLarsonRacin, Owen, and Audrey join @clintonboyles98 for a lap around the Tulsa Expo Raceway — covering everything from sibling rivalries to chasing a Golden Driller. #TulsaShootout | #ChiliBowl pic.twitter.com/uHftzeRces
— FloRacing (@FloRacing) January 3, 2026
That reflection traces directly back to his earlier years with Chip Ganassi Racing from 2014 through 2020. During that span, Larson showed flashes of brilliance but never found himself in a championship conversation. His best points finish with the organization came in 2019, when he ended the season sixth. He scored six Cup wins during that tenure.
His move to Hendrick Motorsports in 2021 changed everything. Surrounded by elite resources and structure, Larson’s talent found room to flourish. The results followed, first with a dominant title run in 2021, then with a hard-earned championship in 2025.
