AP
NASCAR Martinsville Auto Racing
Kyle Larson (5) steers through Turn 3 during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, in Martinsville, Va.
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Kyle Larson closes in on NASCAR championship as Hendrick teammate William Byron wins at Martinsville
Kyle Larson salvaged a nearly disastrous Sunday at Martinsville Speedway, putting him on the cusp of his second consecutive NASCAR Cup Series championship. With a ninth-place finish at Martinsville, Larson lost only six points off his massive lead in the championship and leads by 67 points over Christopher Bell (who was 10th) heading into the Nov. 8 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. While Larson struggled, Hendrick Motorsports teammates William Byron and Chase Elliott made it a sweep of the top two spots.
