---
title: "Larson produces stunning Talladega comeback to take control of NASCAR title race"
canonical: "https://readmotorsport.com/2026/10/26/kyle-larson-talladega-win-nascar-title-race/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Gary Gowers"
section: "NASCAR"
published: "2026-10-26T12:30:00Z"
modified: "2026-10-26T12:30:00Z"
---

# Larson produces stunning Talladega comeback to take control of NASCAR title race

**Kyle Larson produced a remarkable final-lap comeback to win at Talladega and move to the brink of the [NASCAR](https://readmotorsport.com/nascar/) Cup Series championship.**

The Hendrick Motorsports driver dropped as low as 11th on the final lap of Sunday’s YellaWood 500, only to charge back through the pack and beat team-mate William Byron by 0.041 seconds. It was Larson’s first Cup victory at Talladega and transformed the championship picture just a week after his [lead was cut to five points following a disastrous race at Phoenix](https://readmotorsport.com/2026/10/19/kyle-larson-nascar-lead-five-points-phoenix/).

## Larson comes from 11th to win Talladega thriller

Larson had been towards the front for much of the afternoon and scored 16 stage points, but his chances appeared to disappear when he was pushed out of line after taking the white flag. He tumbled outside the top 10 before finding support from Ross Chastain on the inside line. Larson worked his way back towards the leaders as the pack scrambled for position through the final two corners.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr had led coming out of the final turn, but Larson surged through on the inside and reached the line 0.041 seconds ahead of Byron. Stenhouse finished third, with Chastain fourth and Cole Custer fifth. The victory ended a long wait for Larson on NASCAR’s drafting tracks. He had gone 58 previous races without winning at one before finally breaking through at Talladega.

## NASCAR title swings heavily towards Larson

The result could hardly have been better for Larson’s championship hopes. Christopher Bell finished 35th, while Ryan Blaney was 38th and Tyler Reddick 37th. Denny Hamlin limited the damage by finishing eighth, but is now 73 points behind Larson, with Bell 74 back and Chase Briscoe 79 adrift.

Larson arrived at Talladega with only a five-point advantage after [his Phoenix setback](https://readmotorsport.com/2026/10/19/kyle-larson-nascar-lead-five-points-phoenix/). Seven days later, he leads the championship with 2,441 points and can secure the title at Martinsville with one race still to run. The crucial number is 77. A maximum of 76 points will be available at the Homestead finale, so Larson will be champion if he leaves Martinsville at least 77 points clear of every remaining challenger.

Against Hamlin, that means Larson needs to gain at least four points at Martinsville. He needs to gain three on Bell to move 77 clear, while Briscoe is already 79 behind. There are countback permutations if the gap is 76, but reaching 77 would remove them entirely and guarantee Larson his third Cup Series championship before Homestead.

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