Goodyear formally handed over the gold car to Kyle Larson on January 24, 2026, a delayed presentation caused by the tight turnaround between the Cup Series championship finale and the annual awards ceremony. With the banquet scheduled just two days after the title was decided, logistics moved quickly, leaving Larson to receive the symbolic prize at a later date.
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Alongside that presentation came another visible marker of success. The Hendrick Motorsports driver’s NASCAR Cup Series firesuit now carries a “2X” champion patch, denoting his second title. Yet the moment arrived without much fanfare, and Larson did not treat the updated insignia as an emotional milestone the way Ryan Blaney did.
Speaking with veteran NASCAR reporter Bob Pockrass, Larson addressed the new patch with noticeable restraint. He explained that the updated suit arrived only recently, after most of his postseason photo shoots had already been completed using firesuits without the correct marking.
He said, “Yeah. Just yesterday. We just got this suit like two days ago. So, when I did my photo shoots and stuff for after the season, we had had suits, and we didn’t have the correct patch on them yet. So yeah, this is the first one I’ve seen with the 2X on it. Yeah, I know it’s going to be there, so it’s not like a big deal to me. But yeah, I don’t know. It’s cool.”
Kyle Larson’s NASCAR Cup Series “champion” patch now has a “2X” for 2-time champion. I know this will surprise no one, but Larson wasn’t overly emotional by seeing it on his uniform. Larson: “It’s cool.” @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/j9g7Mp7Bks
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) January 23, 2026
Larson won his second Cup Series championship on November 2, 2025, at Phoenix Raceway, but it was nothing like his dominant title run in 2021. The closing race eliminated Denny Hamlin from championship contention, reigniting familiar rivalries and reopening debates about format and merit. The finish stirred strong opinions, and the reaction to Larson’s understated response to the champion patch reflected that divide.
Midway through the season, Larson endured a stretch that did not meet his usual standard, particularly following his second double-duty attempt. During that period, many fans gravitated toward Hamlin, drawn by his week-to-week consistency and the emotional weight he carried through the playoffs, accentuated by his October win at Las Vegas.
As a result, Larson didn’t react to comments like, “He knows he didn’t deserve it, lmao.” Another comment read, “I didn’t earn it, but it’s cool.” A third fan stated, “I like and respect Kyle Larson, but that championship last year should be embarrassing to him. It’s like we skipped a year of the NASCAR championship.”
Others tied their reactions to the broader format debate, with one fan stating, “Any Championship under that garbage format might as well be a Mickey Mouse championship. This year will be for the real one.”
Blaney’s contrasting reaction to Larson’s to the champion patch on his firesuit
Unlike Larson, Blaney embraced the visual reminder stitched onto his firesuit. After winning the Cup Series title in 2023, Blaney debuted the champion patch in competition at the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum, where he rallied from last on the grid to finish on the podium. For Blaney, the patch carries daily significance.
“That meant a lot; it did mean a ton… You look at that every morning, at least I will on race day. You look at it, and it’s one of those little things you notice. It’s kind of a nice little reminder.”
Blaney explained that while each season resets the chase for a new championship, the physical symbols of the previous year fade quickly once the trophy is awarded, the Goodyear car is delivered, the ring is presented, and the banquet concludes.
The firesuit patch, however, remains. When a champion pulls the suit from the bag at the start of a new season and new races, and sees the word “champion” beneath the NASCAR logo, it serves as a modest reminder of what he accomplished and what still lies ahead.
