Christopher Bell Finishes as the Championship Runner-Up after Homestead 0mLink copied!

Nov 9, 2026, 12:57 PM ET

Kyle Larson's goal in the NASCAR Cup Series Championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway was simple: claim the championship, then try to win the race. To do that, Larson needed at least nine total points scored. In the first stage, Larson started strong from the fourth position and went on to run as high as second before his first pit stop of the race on lap 40. Larson continued to run inside the top five and passed Denny Hamlin before competing for third against Christopher Bell. Despite Larson being unable to get past Bell by the end of the stage, Chase Briscoe lost his engine by the end of the first stage and was unable to continue. With Briscoe's engine failure and the seven stage points he earned from finishing fourth at the end of stage one, Larson was guaranteed enough points to clinch the championship by the end of the first stage. After locking up the championship, Larson started racing harder for position. Ultimately, midway through the second stage, Larson drove too close to the wall and grazed it, leaving him with damage that affected the performance of his car. The No. 5 Chevrolet driver finished 17th in the second stage as he faded back through the field. After repairing his damage on pit road during the stage break, Larson quietly drove inside the middle of the pack while slowly regaining positions during the final stage. Larson's car, however, was not fast enough to finish inside the top 10, as he ended the race in 12th. Although he was unable to win the final race of the season, Larson won his third NASCAR Cup Series Championship by 49 points over Bell, becoming the first back-to-back NASCAR Cup Champion since Jimmie Johnson.--Sean Engel - RotoBaller
Source: NASCAR.com

Nov 9, 2026, 12:55 PM ET

Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing came into Homestead-Miami Speedway with a slim chance to win the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Championship in the final race of the season, but could not outperform Kyle Larson. Hamlin started the NASCAR Cup Series Championship race from second, but quickly lost positions to Tyler Reddick and Christopher Bell. Through the rest of the first stage, Hamlin ran around the top five, but eventually slipped back to sixth and finished the stage behind Larson, causing Hamlin to lose the title with a points gap that was too big to overcome. Despite his championship loss, Hamlin continued on to be competitive in the second stage. The first half of the second stage saw Hamlin continue to run inside the top five, but it was not until pit stops midway through the stage that Hamlin's car was fast enough to go for the lead. Staying ahead of both Bell and Reddick, Hamlin went on to win the second stage. In the third stage, Hamlin continued to lead the race despite challenges from Ryan Blaney until Reddick passed both Hamlin and Blaney on lap 217. On the next lap, Hamlin followed Reddick into pit road and went on to run third behind William Byron and Reddick until the final caution on lap 253. Although Hamlin positioned himself on the front row against Byron on the restart, he went on to brush the wall while fighting for second on lap 262, causing him to fade back to his eventual finishing position of sixth with a bit of damage. Hamlin missed out on winning, but he did end up third in the final standings to close out the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season.--Sean Engel - RotoBaller
Source: NASCAR.com

Nov 9, 2026, 12:53 PM ET

Team Penske's Ryan Blaney won the final NASCAR Cup Series race of the season at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the NASCAR Cup Series Championship. Blaney started ninth in the race and ran well in the first two stages. In the first stage, Blaney went up to the top five by the time he went to pit road for the first time on lap 38. Then, he continued to make progress through the field as he gained positions until ending the first stage in second behind Tyler Reddick. Blaney started the second stage with a setback as he had to pit twice during the stage break for his crew to tighten a loose wheel. As a result, Blaney spent the entire stage keeping his car clean and regaining positions. He ended the second stage in fifth to earn six more stage points. In the final stage, Blaney made it to second and was chasing Denny Hamlin through the first part of the stage. By the time he tried to make a move to pass Hamlin on lap 216, Reddick passed both Blaney and Hamlin for the lead. After pitting on lap 221, he eventually obtained the lead for a few laps before losing it to William Byron and eventually fading to fourth. Thanks to a lap 253 caution, however, Blaney made his final pit stop with the rest of the leaders and set himself up for the finish. On the last restart, Blaney passed Christopher Bell and Byron before chasing Reddick for the win. The No. 12 Ford driver made it up to Reddick as he was about to catch the white flag and then passed him for the win, earning Blaney his first career Cup victory at Homestead. With his fourth victory of the year, Blaney finished out the 2026 season by being fourth in the final standings.--Sean Engel - RotoBaller
Source: NASCAR.com

Nov 9, 2026, 12:52 PM ET

Tyler Reddick of 23XI Racing finished in second for another strong result at Homestead-Miami Speedway for Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series Championship. Reddick began the race from third and ran well throughout the entire event. He ran towards the front and first took the lead around lap 37 until he hit pit road on lap 40. After a clean pit stop, he ran past other drivers and regained the lead on lap 53. Reddick went on to win the first stage after Chase Briscoe lost his engine on lap 78. In the second stage, Reddick began with the lead, but lost it to Christopher Bell after a few laps. Despite leading a few more laps in the middle of the stage during a green-flag pit stop sequence, Reddick fell behind Denny Hamlin and Bell by the end of the stage. Reddick ended the second stage in third with eight more stage points. In the final stage, Reddick ran inside the top five through most of the stage, but also gained the lead again on lap 216 until pitting again two laps later. It would not be until the last restart of the race after a lap 253 caution that Reddick challenged for the lead again. In the closing laps of the race, Reddick passed William Byron and looked to run away with the race win until Ryan Blaney caught up to him leading up to the white flag and passed Reddick. The No. 45 Toyota driver settled for second and will end the 2026 season fifth in the final standings.--Sean Engel - RotoBaller
Source: NASCAR.com

Nov 8, 2026, 2:03 PM ET

Denny Hamlin will start on the outside of the front row in second for this week's NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway. This will be Hamlin's first start on the front row in a Homestead race since 2021. In 21 Cup races at Homestead, Hamlin has three wins, 14 top-10 finishes, and an average finish of 10.2, which ranks second-best of all active drivers. With 35 races completed this season, Hamlin has four wins, 23 top-10 finishes, and an average finish of 9.0. In practice for this week's race, Hamlin displayed top-10 speeds in most categories, including fifth in 25-30 consecutive lap averages. Considering his strong history at Homestead, top-notch equipment, and practice speeds, it would not be a shock to see Hamlin compete for the win, especially when he is still mathematically eligible to compete for the 2026 championship.--Sean Engel - RotoBaller
Source: DriverAverages.com

Nov 8, 2026, 1:53 PM ET

Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing will start sixth for this week's Homestead-Miami Speedway NASCAR Cup Series race, the NASCAR Cup Series Championship. Bell is one of only three drivers still able to compete for the 2026 championship and sits 67 points behind the leader. In six Cup races at Homestead, Bell has one win, three top-10 finishes, and an average finish of 12.2. Through the first 35 races of the season, Bell has one win, 19 top-10 finishes, and an average finish of 13.7. In practice for this week's race, Bell ranked third in 10 consecutive lap averages, fifth in 15 consecutive lap averages, and sixth in 20 consecutive lap averages. Fantasy players can consider Bell one of the main contenders to compete for the win in this week's race based on practice speeds and overall track history at Homestead. --Sean Engel - RotoBaller
Source: DriverAverages.com

Nov 8, 2026, 1:47 PM ET

William Byron of Hendrick Motorsports is starting in the eighth position for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway. This will be the fifth time that Byron will start inside the top 10 in his Cup career at Homestead. In eight prior races at Homestead, Byron has one win, four top-10 finishes, and an average finish of 13.4. After 35 races this season, Byron has one win, 17 top-10 finishes, and an average finish of 15.6. Byron has been incredibly consistent at 1.5-mile Intermediate oval tracks this season, placing in the top 10 in every race at the track type except for the second Charlotte race, where he crashed. In practice for this week's race, Byron ranked as high as 15th in 20 consecutive lap averages. Despite underwhelming practice speeds, Homestead is one of Byron's more favorable tracks statistically, and he has been great at 1.5-mile Intermediate ovals all season. Fantasy players should still consider him as a contrarian option capable of placing in the top 10 for DFS.--Sean Engel - RotoBaller
Source: DriverAverages.com

Nov 8, 2026, 1:31 PM ET

Ty Gibbs will start 20th after qualifying for this week's NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Gibbs' qualifying result is the worst of his Cup career at Homestead, marking his first start outside the top 15 at the site. In four previous races at Homestead, Gibbs has one top-10 finish and an average finish of 22.5. Through 35 races this year, Gibbs has two wins, 20 top-10 finishes, and an average finish of 12.7. In practice for this week's race, Gibbs displayed top-5 speeds in most categories, including second in 20-25 consecutive lap averages. Although Gibbs has been relatively inconsistent in The Chase, with only three top-5s in the last nine races, he starts far enough back to have favorable upside and is worth consideration for DFS. Expect the No. 54 Toyota driver to compete for a top-10 finish.--Sean Engel - RotoBaller
Source: DriverAverages.com

Nov 8, 2026, 1:20 PM ET

Team Penske's Joey Logano is starting 19th for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway after qualifying. Logano has yet to earn a top-10 starting position at Homestead since the introduction of the Next-Gen Car in 2022. In 17 Cup starts at Homestead, Logano has one win, seven top-10 finishes, and an average finish of 15.3. Logano displayed top-10 speeds in multiple categories during practice, including eighth in 10 consecutive lap averages, sixth in 15 consecutive lap averages, and fifth in 20 consecutive lap averages. Fantasy players should consider Logano as a favorable DFS option with upside for all formats, as his practice speeds and overall equipment indicate that he will compete for a top-10 finish.--Sean Engel - RotoBaller
Source: DriverAverages.com

Nov 8, 2026, 1:13 PM ET

Chase Elliott will start in the seventh position for this week's NASCAR Cup Series Championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. This will be the fifth time in his Cup career that Elliott will start inside the top 10 in a race at Homestead. In 10 previous races at Homestead, Elliott has four top-10 finishes and an average finish of 10.6. Elliott has also finished 18th or better in all 10 of his Cup starts at Homestead. In 35 races so far this season, Elliott has two wins, 13 top-10 finishes, and an average finish of 14.9. In practice for this week's race, Elliott ranked as high as seventh in 25 consecutive lap averages. With Homestead being a solid track for Elliott, he is definitely worth consideration for DFS; however, he is best suited for tournaments. This is due to his high starting position, giving him a lower potential ceiling than most, but he can be a sneaky enough option to warrant a start.--Sean Engel - RotoBaller
Source: DriverAverages.com

Nov 8, 2026, 12:16 PM ET

23XI Racing's Bubba Wallace will start 18th after qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. This will be the first time since 2021 that Wallace will not start inside the top 10 in a Homestead race. In seven previous starts at Homestead, Wallace has two top-10 finishes with an average finish of 16.7. With 35 races completed so far this season, Wallace has 16 top-10 finishes with an average finish of 16.0. At 1.5-mile Intermediate tracks this season, Wallace has been one of the top overall drivers, as he has finished in the top 10 in all but two races at the track type. In practice for this week's race, Wallace ranked 25th in 10-15 consecutive lap averages and 19th in 20 consecutive lap averages. Based on practice speeds, equipment, and past Homestead results, Wallace is a decent and playable option in all formats who is likely to finish in the top 15.--Sean Engel - RotoBaller
Source: DriverAverages.com

Nov 8, 2026, 11:58 AM ET

Corey Heim is back for his last Cup Series start of the season in the No. 67 Toyota for 23XI Racing this week in the NASCAR Cup Series Championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. This will be Heim's first Cup Series start at Homestead, but he did race at the site earlier in the weekend in the Truck Series. In the Truck Series race at Homestead, Heim led 45 laps, won the first two stages, and went on to finish in sixth position. Heim completed 12 races in the Cup Series so far this season, where he scored two wins, four top-10 finishes, and an average finish of 15.0. The No. 67 Toyota driver had five previous races at 1.5-mile Intermediate tracks this season, where he placed in the top 15 three times. In practice for this week's race, Heim ranked 16th in 10 consecutive lap averages, seventh in 15 consecutive lap averages, and 10th in 20 consecutive lap averages. For DFS this week, Heim is one of the best mid-tier options available, as his practice speeds and overall results on track this season point to him competing for a top-10 finish.--Sean Engel - RotoBaller
Source: DriverAverages.com

Nov 8, 2026, 11:51 AM ET

Josh Berry will start in the 14th position for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. This will be his final race with his current team, Wood Brothers Racing, as he will move on to drive the No. 42 Toyota for Legacy Motor Club in 2027. Berry has two prior starts in the Cup Series at Homestead with a best finish of 11th in 2024. In 35 races completed this year, Berry has 11 top-10 finishes with an average finish of 21.1. Only one of Berry's top-10 finishes came at a 1.5-mile Intermediate oval track this season: a fourth-place finish at Charlotte in October, his last race at this track type. In practice for this week's Cup race, Berry ranked 26th in 10 consecutive lap averages and 27th in 15 consecutive lap averages. With lackluster practice speeds and overall inconsistent results at 1.5-mile Intermediate tracks this season, Berry is difficult to trust overall for DFS outside of tournament lineups this week.--Sean Engel - RotoBaller
Source: DriverAverages.com

Nov 8, 2026, 11:44 AM ET

Hendrick Motorsports driver Alex Bowman qualified 13th for this week's NASCAR Cup Series Championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Bowman maintains his streak of starting 13th or better in every Homestead Cup race dating back to 2018. In 10 Cup starts at Homestead, Bowman has four top-10 finishes and an average finish of 16.8. After completing 31 races this season, Bowman has eight top-10 finishes with an average finish of 20.1. At 1.5-mile Intermediate oval tracks this season, Bowman has three top-15 finishes. In practice for this week's race, Bowman ranked 10th in 10 consecutive lap averages and 12th in 15 consecutive lap averages. Look for Bowman to place in the top 15 and compete for a top-10 finish based on past Homestead history and his practice speeds.--Sean Engel - RotoBaller
Source: DriverAverages.com

Nov 7, 2026, 9:31 PM ET

It's going to take a miracle for Kyle Larson to not be the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Champion. The Hendrick Motorsports driver holds a 67-point lead over Christopher Bell with one race to go, and Larson can lock up the title by scoring nine points in Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race. He could be able to do that in the first Stage this weekend. With that being said, it will be interesting to see just how aggressive Larson is, as him hitting the wall early in the race could doom his day. He did scrape the wall several times in practice this weekend, but nothing too major. Larson will roll off the starting grid from fourth for this weekend's race, and appeared to have (at least) a top-10 car in practice. He's a two-time winner at Homestead, and both of those wins have come in his last four starts here. Over his last 10 at this track, Larson has posted six top-five finishes.--Jordan McAbee
Source: NASCAR.com

Nov 7, 2026, 9:28 PM ET

At the end of practice at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Friday, there was an interesting situation on pit road, as Tyler Reddick ran right into the back of Zane Smith's No. 38 Ford, causing major damage to both race cars. Reddick wasn't able to correctly gauge how slow Smith was going and slowed down too late. The damage was a shame because Reddick had a great car during practice, ranking second-best in 30-lap average, with the 23XI Racing driver saying it was one of the best cars he's ever had at this track. Reddick is a previous winner at Homestead (back in 2024) and he has finished fourth or better in four of his six starts here. He also has eighth- and a 35th-place finishes to his credit. As far as expectations this weekend, don't be surprised if Reddick still challenges for the race win. Despite damage from practice, he qualified third on Saturday, which hints that the No. 45 Toyota should be a contender come race day.--Jordan McAbee
Source: Yahoo! Sports

Nov 7, 2026, 9:22 PM ET

Last year at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Ryan Blaney was the class of the field--until he blew an engine. In that race, the No. 12 Ford led for 124 laps and also had 54 total fastest laps, both of which were the most among all drivers in the race. In other words, without his mechanical issues, Blaney likely would have won that race. Flash forward to this weekend, and the Team Penske crew brought a similar race car for Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race. The No. 12 Ford was blazing fast in all practice metrics on Friday, ranking best in 10-, 15-, 20-, 25-, and 30-lap average. In qualifying, Blaney ended up ninth-fastest, which means he has a little bit of Place Differential upside in DFS games as well. For DraftKings, Blaney ($10.5K) is an elite pick to make on Sunday. --Jordan McAbee
Source: ifantasyrace

Nov 7, 2026, 9:21 PM ET

Chase Briscoe looks to continue his intermediate track hot streak at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday, and he got off to a great start by putting the No. 19 Toyota on the pole with a lap of 166.687 mph. He narrowly edged his teammate, Denny Hamlin, for the top spot in qualifying. Intermediate tracks have been great for Briscoe as of late, as he won at Charlotte and Las Vegas in the Chase, while also finishing fourth at Kansas. Don't forget, Briscoe also won at Chicagoland this summer. Homestead specifically has been a decent track for Briscoe, as he finished fourth here last year after starting in the same spot. As far as DFS goes, Briscoe ($9.9K on DraftKings) has to be considered for a dominator position due to his starting spot and race-winning potential. He's a solid fantasy pick for any type of build. --Jordan McAbee
Source: Jayski

Nov 7, 2026, 9:18 PM ET

Austin Cindric has been a pleasant surprise on intermediate tracks this season, and that seems to be happening again this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The No. 2 Ford ranked eighth or better in all major lap-average categories (10-, 15-, 20-, 25-, and 30-lap average), and then Cindric went out and qualified fifth for this weekend's NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race on Saturday. As far as track history goes, Cindric has never finished better than 12th at Homestead, but that could very easily change this weekend, especially considering he finished fourth at Las Vegas and second at Kansas in the Chase this year. As far as DFS goes, Cindric ($8.5K on DraftKings) is a very risky option due to his limited Place Differential upside and should only be considered sparingly in tournament-style lineup builds.--Jordan McAbee
Source: Yahoo! Sports

Nov 7, 2026, 9:12 PM ET

Things can only go up for Brad Keselowski in what's likely to be his final start for Roush-Fenway Keselowski Racing. During qualifying on Saturday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Keselowski spun out on his hot lap, brushing the inside wall in the process. He didn't cause any major damage to his No. 6 Ford, but had the slowest time of the session, meaning Keselowski will start from last (40th-place) for Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race. For DFS purposes, this makes Brad a solid Place Differential play, as he has massive upside in the daily fantasy game. He ranked ninth-best in 20-lap average during practice this weekend, too, so it's not like the race car is too bad. Keselowski is a safe play on DraftKings this weekend (salary of $7.1K) with huge Place Differential upside. Don't be afraid to pick him. --Jordan McAbee
Source: NASCAR.com