Larson Poised for Third NASCAR Title With 73-Point Cushion Heading to Martinsville

Kyle Larson is on the verge of a third NASCAR championship, and the numbers heading into Martinsville suggest it is his title to lose. The Hendrick Motorsports driver carries a 73-point cushion into the penultimate stretch of the season after a Chase run that has been relentlessly consistent: finishes of fifth, first, second, first, second, sixth, 34th and first, an average of 6.5 that improves to 2.5 if the one bad race is removed. After a season in which Toyota has won more than half the races, Chevrolet looks set to claim the drivers' crown, barring a collapse. Larson is refusing to celebrate early, warning that points can swing in a hurry, and said his goal at Martinsville is to gain the points needed to lock the title up, or at least build cushion heading into the Homestead finale. "I still feel a lot of pressure," Larson said. "It's so easy for the points to swing, and you've seen that throughout The Chase. A team or driver can have a great day and score maximum points, and we could have a day like we had at Phoenix, and boom, they're right back in it. So, I do feel a lot of pressure. Ultimately, I'd love to go to Martinsville and gain the points I need to lock it up, but if we can't do that, I still want to have a solid day and give ourselves as much of a cushion as possible heading into Homestead."