Kyle Larson is NASCAR’s 2021 Cup Series champion. He won Sunday’s race at Phoenix Raceway to clinch the title and record a 10-win season.
Larson led 108 laps of the 312 lap race at the track in Avondale, Arizona. The finale pitted two powerhouse organizations against each other with two teams each from Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports vying for the trophy. Their parity was evident, but Larson emerged as the most steady and dominant of the Championship 4.
“I didn’t even think I’d be racing a Cup car a year and a half ago,” Larson said on NBC. “To win a championship is crazy.”
The Championship 4 cars raced around each other for most of the final two stages.
Gibbs driver Martin Truex Jr. won the first stage and caught a break pitting early when a caution flew with around 60 laps to go. As the other playoff leaders pitted, Truex restarted out front to hold the lead until the next caution.
“This has turned into a Hendrick-Gibbs slugfest,” NBC Sports race analyst Jeff Burton noted on the broadcast with around 30 laps remaining as leaders pitted under caution.
At that point, Larson’s No. 5 Chevrolet team posted a game-changing pit stop, and Larson moved up three spots to take the lead again. With a fast short-run car, Larson led the last 28 laps of the race to secure his first Cup Series title in his first trip to the championship finale.
Larson has won more than 70 races across motorsports series since 2020. He’s raced in a sprint car, late model, midgets and in NASCAR’s top series. The 29-year-old driver from Elk Grove, California returned to NASCAR competition after a nearly season-long hiatus last year after losing his ride with Chip Ganassi Racing for using a slur during a virtual racing event.
Larson returned to NASCAR competition in 2021 driving for Hendrick Motorsports. He won the regular season and now the championship.
NASCAR Championship at Phoenix race results
(i) ineligible for points, (P) Playoff driver, # rookie
Today’s race purse: How much does the NASCAR champion win?
The total purse for all the drivers in Sunday’s Cup Series race is $10,053,801, but the actual figure for the winner or any breakdown of money winnings by driver are not disclosed by NASCAR.
NASCAR champions by year
2010: Jimmie Johnson
2011: Tony Stewart
2012: Brad Keselowski
2013: Jimmie Johnson
2014: Kevin Harvick
2015: Kyle Busch
2016: Jimmie Johnson
2017: Martin Truex Jr.
2018: Joey Logano
2019: Kyle Busch
2020: Chase Elliott
2021: Kyle Larson
